the Marathon of the North

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Comments

  • Capples - I do hope they can add a bit of time on, 264 metres.. I can run that in 40 seconds, so I'm still within 11 minutes of the Good for Age time! I do hope they allow a bit of discretion, but I'm just going to put my entry in and see if it get's rejected, if it does, at least I've got Chester in October, too late for Good for Age for 2014, but with a bit of work, potentially I'll turn that into sub 2.45 because the Championship entries don't close until January! Not really how I wanted to run at Chester but nevermind! 

  • So where exactly did it go wrong? Unfortunately I wasn't using my garmin so I can't be 100% sure which way I went, but I'm fairly certain I did the twiddly-bit around Sheepfold. I believe I went along Easington St., turned right down one of the side streets and then left onto Hay St and up to the half / full split. I guess it's possible I just turned and ran straight up Hay St.. Unfortunatley I didn't see the 13 mile marker so I can't tell from my mile splits. I was reasonably near the front of the race (I went through half in just under 1:27) so would be in interested if anyone near me with a GPS watch could have a look and explain. I only knocked 24 seconds off my p.b., so 264m is important!

    I think the confusion around 10 miles was simply that the 10 mile marker was in the wrong place (10th mile was long, 11th short) so that wasn't where the course went astray.

  • Hi! Hope you don't mind me joining in! The sunderland marathon was my first marathon and only my 3rd race in a year.  I completed the 10k last year, then the gnr and now the marathon.  I'm not a fast runner but I do well with distance.  I was so proud of my achievement running this marathon in a reaonable time, after month of hard work like others, but also because of the expectations of others that I wouldn't manage.  I am so dissapointed to now find out the distance was incorrect! Shocked even! Gutted!! I almost feel like I wish I didn't know.  I feel sheepish to even say I ran a marathon, because I haven't. image

  • Naylorgirl don't worry, it was only 264 metres short, thats less than a minutes running in anybodys book, the hard conditions more than made up for the lack of distance, and it was their cock up not ours, you can still be very proud of your achievement!

  • Naylorgirl - also, unless you started right on the line and collapsed at the finish line you'll have covered the extra bit - the walk around to the stadium entrance and through to the exit must be that much alone.

  • All great encouraging points! Feeling bit more positive.  I could of definately ran futher! i remember last year when I'd finished the 10k the other runners going a different way around the stadium.  

    On another point, was the uphill climb from the coast to the windmill (sea road) a surprise?! I made sure I ran every bit but this was a sure test of training for me! Both mental and physical. 

    Im interested in doing another marathon,  especially to compare the experience. 

  • HHM- Had a good look at my gps plot on a couple of maps and it follows the original published route bang on around the sheepfold area,after the bridge it was left onto SheepfoldsNortth/Easington street,right onto Richmond Street then left back onto HayStreet,I missed the 13 mile marker too and got confused when the half way time clock was at 12.8 on my watch.

     Reading th MOTN Email statement again I think they are trying to say that a last minute change was made that was not implemented properly,mistakes happen I suppose,shame for everyone involved,runners and organisers alike,still had fun mind.

    I can not look at the logo on the finishers T-shirt without laughing now.

  • Naylorgirl,that windmill is etched into my brain forever, more an ordeal than a suprise;}

    You ran a marathon and dont think you did not,no worries.

  • On a serparate note, I set a the course record on a Strava segment during the marathon, only a half miler as well, thought that was pretty funny!

    http://app.strava.com/segments/3952655

  • the situation has hit the national press....been on news 24 this morning and daily mail website including a photo of GNR! The windmill is coming back to me....was it a steep hill up then down? Naylor girl I would def enter another marathon. I am running York in Oct and fcussing on that now. The M of the N was a difficult day for me and strangely I still feel I ran a marathon, but I really feel for those who needed the time for GFA for London or if it was their marathon pb. My daughter said surely we should get our money back for the marathon that wasn't rather than a mere 25% off next years, wise words. Please can someone clarify where we went wrong? I found the stadium area a little confusing but checked with marshalls and followed other runners. More confusing was the second half of the course where I often had to ask people the way!

  • Right. Hopefully the company are moving towards simply saying there was a "logistical error" as opposed to lumping all the blame on an individual marshal. 

    In this case, there should be a refund for all runners since the problem arose due to a change in the route at the last minute. This is vastly different to claiming all runners went the "wrong" way or a marshal directed them to do so. We could all argue that we followed the route outlined on the MOTN webpage, acting in good faith.

    On a lighter note- Well done to the Sunderland Strollers club! I ran the Pier to Pier today- fabulously organised, much better post race items than the MOTN.

  • It's been relcassified on Po10 as "SHORTMar" so there goes the hopes of getting into London! Complete joke!

  • Graham LGraham L ✭✭✭

    Power of 10. Has details of races and runners etc. Great resource.

  • Yeah sorry Adrian, Power of 10, records all your races and PB's, it's no longer listed as my marathon PB

  • Thanks Capples - Strollers and South Shields Harriers always get a big turn out for marshalls. I was on the water station at the lighthouse, now got a bad back after picking up plastics cups that were blown all over.

    Now we just have to come up with yet a different memento for next year!

  • What a complete joke! 25% off next year is an insult.

    I really feel for everyone that ran this race as their first marathon,get a PB or a GFA time for another event!

    Feel like I am turning into Mr Angry as I type!

  • Roball- You and the other strollers don't fancy organising a marathon, do you? image

    Tim- MOTN was my first. I'm taking the time I got. I probably won't run the MOTN again; this is partly due to the shambolic actions of the organisers but also the fact that the route, particularly the second half was dreadful. I don't really feel it's my distance, but if anyone can recommend another one (the proper length this time) in the NE I may reconsider this view.It's a shame as it seemed that Sunderland, as a city, had really tried to support the runs on that day. 

  • Capples this great group put on marathons in the NE

    http://www.northeastmarathonclub.co.uk/

    I will not run support or run the MOTN again either!

  • Having returned home from running my first Ultra (Dukeries 40) I found the email from the MOTN people concerning the distance. I had pushed myself hard round the Sunderland streets and managed to get a GFA time for London (or so I thought). To say I'm more than a little peed off would be an understatement. Sunderland was my second road marathon and I ran it because I was chasing that GFA time. My first road marathon was Hull last year where exactly the same effing thing happened. I am supposed to be running York (my hometown) in Oct, really don't see the point now. Odds on lightning striking a third time after several more months of prep? Gutted.

  • I have entered York too Robert. I have run 3 Jane T York 10ks and found them all to be well organised and supported so I am hopeful for the York Mara. I am gutted for those who wanted gfa or it was their pb. I am really wondering where it was that we went wrong? The whole day was difficult for me and looking back the only positives were the ample toilets, my family watching and the fab support from other runners and marshalls...I crawled over the finish line. Looking forward to York nowimage

  • Sorry I'm late to this thread. I ran the same route through the Sheepfolds area as Sherpa76. Does anyone know which way we should have gone? My garmin trace is below:

    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/304820373

  • I've just emailed the organisers asking for them to publish a map of the intended route through sheepfold and the route we all allegedly followed. Perhaps a few other people would like to do likewise, if they are curious as I am.

  • It really is a shame for those who needed GFA times and I can understand the disappointment. For the rest of us in my eyes we've all done a marathon (and yes I agree the walk to the stadium and back to the taxi easily covers the 264 metres!) and we worked bloody hard at it so I'm trying not to let this take away from my sense of achievement. I was a little disappointed with a couple of fellow runners I know who were a bit keen to point out how I had only 'nearly' done a marathon - damn sight more than they've done!! image

  • will def do that Helly as yes I am very curious as to where we went wrong! Agree wholeheartedly with your comments Hellsbells. Absolutely feel I ran a marathon. Gutted for the gfa runners and those who ran a pb. It was a difficult day for me all round and I am now looking forward to Yorkimage

  • I might be on Tyne Tees News tonight(18:15 ish) talking about MOTN!

  • Tim Bateson wrote (see)

    I might be on Tyne Tees News tonight(18:15 ish) talking about MOTN!

    I'm working, so will text my OH and tell him to record it!  How did this come about?  Can't wait image


     

  • Hellsbells74 that's awful what has been said.  My worst nightmare! All that distance and we want to feel some sort of achievement.  Whilst in training because I wanted to hit the 18 miles marker I literally ran up and down my street watching the GPS get to 18 miles.  All this kind of effort over and over for months, hours of our time to be accurate and get pb to find out the actual evenis was incorrect. Disappointed! Trying to remain positive about what has been achieved and move forward.  I teach fitness classes in the sunderland area so I'm not looking forward to an easy week as it was all over the local papers and news.  I had enough of the road cloasure issue last week. (Like I had personally shut the streets of sunderland!) image

     

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