Shakespeare, Chester or Manchester

If they were the only three marathons available, which would you choose and why?

Comments

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭

    CD - Chester is an autumn marathon which I am running in October and will be my first. I originally planned for Manchester but got injured so couldnt run it but I chose it as it is pancake flat, good for a first time marathon in my mind. I cant run the Shakespeare as I'm bard....

  • See, flat doesn't appeal to me.  This won't be my first marathon but it is the first in three years and I'm starting from a low base fitness just now, so common sense tells me it'd be a good one but heart tells me I'd hate the pancake flat bit.  Forgot that Chester is later in the year - this means it'll be up against Loch Ness.... 

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭

    Why dont you train for a flat Spring marathon and build up your base again and then go straight into a hillier Summer/Autumn one, maybe a trail marathon like Like Coniston ?

  • Fair comment, carter and not a bad idea at all.  Windermere has always appealed to me but I can never remember when that is.  Also love the Lakeland trails series very much.

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭

    I've just run the Coniston half and it was a right brute. At some stage in the future I will definitely try the full. I would recommend the Lakeland series to anyone. Are you planning on doing halfs between now and the Spring ?

  • Yes.  Will probably do Glasgow in September as it's quite a nice one (atmosphere rather than scenery) and will hunt out a couple of local ones too.  Planning on entering more 10k races too, with a return to a couple I've done in the past.  My overall plan is to build a solid base between now and December, then get in to marathon training for spring 2014 and hopefully do one spring and one autumn marathon.

  • Glasgow in Sept - is this a new one?

  • Well I did Manchester this year, and although it was supposedly a lot better organised than last year's, it was still a bit shaky - just don't get me started on the signposts for the parking....  However, the crowd support was fantastic (especailly as it's my local one so the Stockport Harriers were out in force, running and cheering) and I really enjoyed it. 

    A friend did Stratford on the same day, and again had a great time.  I've done the half and it's certainly a pretty route despite the significant hill.  We're running one together next year and are trying to decide between the two - at the moment I think Stratford is winning.  It's good as other friends can opt for the half so don't feel left out, it's two laps (and I've not run a two lap marathon before) and I used to work with one of the marshals so have at least one guaranteed hug along the way.

    Chester's going to have to wait!  I'm helping a friend train for it at the moment (she's running, I'm just nodding wisely) and am quite upset that I'm not around to do it (holiday getting in the way) - have to say it sounds good though!

  • Glasgow half, Terry.

     

    Now torn between Manchester and Shakespeare for spring 2014.  Manchester is knida my home town (although not really but I still have an affinity with it), but Shakespeare sounds like the better race.  Manchester's much closer, but we could stop off at SiL's on the way to Shakespeare.  I could also cover the cost of hotels in Manchester on a business account, probably couldn't get away with that for Shakespeare.

    Maybe I'll just eat pies and get fat instead....

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