Hanley Building Society Potters Arf Marathon

Anyone else in for this?

Goes past my work office in the 2nd mile up the first climb.

Missed it the last couple of years, but a tough course and if the weather is hot it makes it even harder but the locals turn out in force to cheer you on

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Comments

  • ValleyValley ✭✭✭

    Yep, I'm in this.

    It'll be my third time and I'm hoping it feels a bit easier this year having just completed my first full marathon.  I might even be able to run up the hill at 11 miles for the first time rather than walking!

    Going to focus on improving my pace over the shorter distance for the next few weeks but obviously haven't got long.

    I love this race though, the crowds are great.

  • DeanR7DeanR7 ✭✭✭

    Yep, my 3rd time too.  Crowds are probably the best I have witnessed.  

  • My 1st time and i am a lil worried lol... especially if there is a cut off time image lol

    But looking forward to the crowds, hope they keep me going image

  • ValleyValley ✭✭✭

    If you're genuinely worried about the cut off time lets hope they haven't gone home image

  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭

    i'm in - my third time also - live about 8 miles from Stoke so regularly run parts of the course during marathon training including Heartbreak Hill. Hoping for a sub 1:30 this year although if that is weather depending! I find the trick on that hill is not to look for the top but to just watch one foot in front of the other till it levels out.

  • DeanR7DeanR7 ✭✭✭

    andy agree about the hill, i break it up by using the trees as markers.  i run up it on my hilly LSRs too.   before you know it you are at the top. and then its downhill to the finish (well almost!)

  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭

    done a good run last night - 11 miler with Milton Road in at mile 10 and it wasn't as bad as i remember - honest!! image

  • Tom LuntTom Lunt ✭✭✭

    Just entered, im doing the edinburgh marathon this weekend but im guessing 2 weeks should be long enough to recover providing i dont pick up any injuries.  im local and with most of my races being out of the area it will be nice to see my friends and family supporting me at this one!

  • ValleyValley ✭✭✭

    In weather terms we're still a long way from this but it does look like summer is arriving next week so if it hangs then it could be a very warm race

  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭

    spotted that earlier as well - it was hot a couple of years ago and locals where out with hosepipes etc - it was all good fun. Early forecast is sunny and 19-20 degrees for sunday 9th - so get some sun cream ready.

  • I'm in for the second time.  Ran it slowly with a cold last year and was hoping for 1:45 this year but my newborn has resulted in practically no training since Feb.  It'll still be a good, if somewhat slow day though!

  • Tom LuntTom Lunt ✭✭✭

    has anybody ran this before? what sort of times did you do it in?

  • My first ever half.  Live in Scotland now but originally from Stoke and this was my brothers suggestion.  Bit worried about the hills and it being warm but if I can go sub 2 hours I will be pretty chuffed.

  • Tom LuntTom Lunt ✭✭✭

    to be honest, dont get me wrong, there are plenty of hills. i live on the route so this is my local run however there are plenty of long flat roads to gain lost time.  my plan is to take my time on the hills and then hit the flat's pretty hard. looking to go under 1:45 if i can

  • DeanR7DeanR7 ✭✭✭

    Tom - last yr i lost about 3mins comparing this course to a flat course. 

  • Tom LuntTom Lunt ✭✭✭

    there are two main hills, anchor road which is around the 3 - 4 mile mark and leek road which is around miles 11-12 but apart from that i dont think its as bad as people make out. should be a great day and hopefully this weather will keep up!

  • Heading down to Stoke on Friday and plan to have a quick drive around the route.  Pretty sure its worse in my head than in reality.  Heard the support is always great but then I didn't really expect anything less from the folks from Stoke.  I'm hoping the weather will cool a bit.  Did the Dumbarton 10k on Thursday night and it was so humid - just saps the energy.  (And thats saying something about Scotland!!)

     

  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭

    last year did a 1:37 but my current pb is 1:27 - i think a lot of it is in our heads, i find the worst hill being in the first mile or so up to Longton - a long drag that is not too steep but its just as you are trying to find a rythmn. The other hills are to be respected  but if you have trained for them they are nothing too much to worry about - just be bold and not too mentally negetive about them.

  • ValleyValley ✭✭✭

    This time last year I went from 1:36 at Lichfield end of April to 1:42 at Potters

    My PB is now 1:34 so I'm expecting to do this in about around 1:40 but the warm weather could be a big factor on Sunday.

    Hopefully we'll have some hosepipes out on the course.

  • I know I've done hill training with my club over the winter and at the moment we are training in a very undulating park but Glasgow is just not that hilly in comparison to Stoke so I'm worried I'm under prepared for them especially if its warm.  Most of my long training runs aren't that hilly.  Yikes......Trust me to pick a difficult one for the first!

  • Don't worry about the hills. It's definitely not a pb course but not as bad as you think. Mostly a rolling course with 1 or 2 longer hills, only 1 of which could be described as steep. 

  • It's my first so I'm looking at it from the perspective that whatever time I do its a PB!  Gives me something to focus on beating for the Great Scottish Run in Oct.  

  • I'm not a hardcore runner more hardcore plodder and just enjoy giving stuff a go and challenging myself.  I've done two half marathons before one in 2:14 (Chester 2012) the other 2:14 (Berlin, April 2013).  I understand compared to people commenting on here these are crap times with no improvement on the last image but just doing them was acheivement enough for me.  My aim on Sunday is to try and enjoy it, survive the heat and just get a nice shiney finishers medal and a T-shirt at the end...if I get there...as given the profile of the course and a drive up and down Milton Hill I just hope I bloody finish!  Anyone else out there hoping to just get round before the sweep car please comment! image

  • DeanR7DeanR7 ✭✭✭

    you will be fine jayne...dont forget its all down hill after miltonimage

  • I ran 2:11 last year and won't be much faster this year Jayne and there were loads out on the course so you won't be alone.  The support/crowds were still great too. 

  • Tom LuntTom Lunt ✭✭✭

    right, so ive just drove the full route. is it too late to pull out? haha

  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭

    its the predicted heat that worries me - get the suncream on everyone image

  • Ar thanks for the positive responses guys...yes Dean I'll look forward to that downhill after Milton!  image

    I've heard in hot weather supporters get the hose pipes going so if weather as predicted I'll look forward a cold shower along the way!  

     

     

  • ValleyValley ✭✭✭

    I've done the race when it's not so warm and there were still a couple of hose pipes en route.

    Forecast temperature isn't too high at the minute, 13C according to Met Office but 18C according to Metcheck

    It's the blazing sun that'll be the killer though.

    The weather will be great for the crowds though so I expect a special atmosphere from them.

  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭

    Love the hosepipes - a few years ago i had an easier run trying to pace my missus around in under 2 hours so got more of a chance to have fun with the crowds and the kids in particular who where holding the hosepipes and some with sponges etc. Think this year though they will be used to proper cool down. I remember a group of them stood at the top of a small climb in a housing estate and one kid took great pleaseure in blasting me full in the face with his - although i did let him image

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