Chester Marathon 2014

KhanivoreKhanivore ✭✭✭

Hi all, I did not see a Chester 2014 thread so I thought I would start one. Chester will be my 3rd marathon ever and my 2nd this year. At the end of my first year of running I did London 2013 in 4:05:54 and at the end of my second year of running I did Brighton 2014 in 4:00:45. My goal is to wipe at least 15 minutes off my time at Chester if not more. I put on 1.5 stone in weight between London and Brigton marathons and my training was not consistent. I don't think my goal at Chester is out of reach.

it would be great to hear from others about their running background, their goals, and theit training as it develops between now and October.

Comments

  • Hi Khanivore, I did Chester last year its an excellent event. Very well organised with great support as you come home in the last mile. Very different to Brighton and certainly London which are much higher profile. Chester is very much a runners marathon. The Chester course is out on rural lanes, quiet around the  20 mile mark and then some hills in the last three miles. I'm not convinced its the best for a PB but its not a slow course. Last year training for Chester I was out in July / August heat, quite different from the Winter miles we put in for the spring events. I did Chester in 3.15 ( suffrered with calf cramp ) and recently did Manchester in 3.14, went out too fast, no excuses!  I'm planning to hit 3.05-3.08  at Chester this time. Ultimately I want to attempt sub 3 hour before its too late. I can get into London on a GFA place in 2015 so I'm told. I think over the summer you should be able to maintain or reduce body weight. Training is easier as we have the light evenings and soft dirt tracks to train on. I would say your target is possible, with some hardcore training. What times do you have for other distances? A 4.05 is a good effort a 3.45 a serious time with some pace in there.  

        

  • KhanivoreKhanivore ✭✭✭

    Hi Ashley - wow your times are where i want to be eventually, and for the same reasons (GFA London and Boston qualification too). I don't know if it will ever happen but it will be fun trying right? image

    I have a 4:00:45 for marathon this year. Last year I managed a 1:45:xx in half marathon - this year's half marathons were about 10 mins slower but they were earlier on in the season. 

    I've been suffering from a cold and cough since Brighton so haven't run at all. Hopefully it will be over soon and i can start to run again. I know what you mean about training over summer rather than winter. I can't WAIT! That is going to be fun. 

    I know Chester is just a step in my journey so to be honest my world will not fall apart if I don't make the target. However, Im going to give it my all. Actually 3:45 is my conservative target and i am confident of hitting it. I think I have a 3:40 in me - maybe even faster, but it would be silly to aim for something faster at this time. I can always re-evaluate mid summer anyway.

    For me Chester is the first in several actually. I'm hoping to do an Ultra in Feb followed by Paris next April. I am going to enter the ballot for Berlin for September 2015 - if i don't get it i will either do Bournemouth or Chester again.

    Would be great if us folks from Chester share progress in this thread. We all have the same goal race after all image

  • Hi Ashley & Khanivore.  

    I am thinking about entering Chester this year.  It will be my second marathon.

    To be honest its unfinished business.  I did my first...the Madrid Marathon on Sunday and it did not go well.  Ok I finished, but I was an hour longer than I expected...a slow, hot 5:06!  To be honest in the last few miles and at the end I thought never again...but on reflection I was delighted to finish without walking but still feel I can improve my time, with better pacing and training.  The experience of now having done those 26.2 miles will be invaluable I feel.

    Chester is where I was born so it will be a nice place to run...and I still have family there so local support! 

    Aiming for around 4:30 this time.  Thinking of starting my training with longer runs, i.e. starting on around 15 miles for my long runs.  HM and a distances of 13 - 14 miles have not been a problem...PB is 1:45 at Anglesey, but from 16 miles I have found myself dipping both in training and in Madrid.  I am thinking that this time around I will get a solid base of long runs in so that my legs feel stronger on the day in that 16-23 mile zone.  image

     

     

     

  • Good morning all, hope you dont mind me joining the thread. 

    I will be running the Chester Marathon this year, it will be my first marathon. I begin my training program for it at the beginning of June, opting for a 18 week plan due to a 2 week holiday to Florida at the end of August. I will be aiming for a sub 3:30 time, which I have got by using the RW calculator and adding 25 minutes to it! Hopefully I can do a little quicker, but have never ran that far before. 

    I will be running 5 times a week, with some resistance training most mornings. What sort of program are you guys following? Do you have any holidays planned, and how do you plan to manage it? I think its unrealistic for me to expect to do long runs while I am in Florida, its too hot! I will aim to do 4mile runs 5 times each week, to maintain a level of fitness. 

  • Hi Jim



    This will be my second marathon. I did Madrid at the end of April and like you doubled my HM PB (1:45) and added 30 mins on...estimated a 4hr finish. Sadly the heat and hilly terrain did me...blew at about 14-16 miles and finished in 5:06...horrific. So for me this is unfinished business! Always expect the unexpected and keep your mind positive. In Madrid my brain spiralled downwards into a pit of negativity!! Will feedback later on the plan I am following.



    Ant
  • That isnt the first tale I have heard about crashing late on in the race. I am in a running club and there is plenty of advice coming my way at the moment, all gratefully recieved. 

    I am hoping that with Chester being a flat (ish) course, certainly compared to Buxton, my hill fitness should be fairly good. Even my easy 4 milers have some sort of hill element in them!

  • Anthony, that was a blip, you WILL smash 5 hrs in Chester.

  • For those who have run this before, when does it usually fill up by?

    i am training for a tri in August and haven't quite decided whether to enter chester

     

    cheers 

    Phil

  • they have listed loads of names of the people that are running on the website now. Cant say when it fills up by though, it supposed to be one of the more popular ones isnt it?

  • Ok, my training plan for this starts on 2/06/14 using an 18 week plan. I have had a strong winter base, but injured myself walking my dog, and had to have 7 weeks of 'rest'. I then spent 3 weeks building up for the Buxton HM, which I ran in 1hr 33mins with 1500ft of climb. 

    So my plan is follow the RW sub 3:30 plan. The hardest week goes up to 48 miles, which I believe is way below the P&D plans. I am hoping with most of my running being in the hills around Buxton, I should find a flatter marathon comparatively easy, and making my aim of sub 3:30 achievable. I have never run a marathon before though, so no experience to draw on. 

    When do you guys start your training programs?

  • Hi everyone, need to start putting my training schedule together. I have a few triathlons to do until July. Last year I started training end June - early July. We had alot of warm dry conditions even in September. On the day in Chester a cool sunny start turned into quite a warm day for October. I like to base my training around approx 6xLong runs @ 20-22miles, last 3 weeks before the big day. I build up to 20 miles from say 14 miles + 10-15 % per week. On weekly mileage this builds to 60 miles per week for 2 weeks max, mostly 40 mile weeks. I did some interval work for Manchester Marathon this year however I don't think it really made a difference. The best training I did were mid distance 16-18 mile runs done at tempo/marathon pace.   

    Anthony - The last 6miles/10km of the Marathon I believe is what the Marathon is all about. Past experience of the suffering required is invaluable, to be mentally prepared to push on and get your time. You will do this at Chester.  This will be ( all being well ) my 10th Marathon ( 4xIronman included) I have yet to enjoy any of the last 6 miles. Maybe I should start slower. 

    Whisky Jim39, Chester gets hilly at 23 miles until then its gentle rolling country lanes. 3.30 sounds a good target if you are at 1.33 for a hilly half. My target is 3.00-3.05 however in practice I'm not getting close ( 3.14 ) due to the impact of the last 6 miles. I would like to run say 3.08 with a negative split, with a good finish for a change. I ran with the 3.15 pace runner last year - left him after 6 miles ,only to see him again at the 23 mile mark!!! 

     

       

  • Interesting you should say that about the last 6 miles. I had thought to run 20miles and race the last 6... perhaps that might not go to plan. Reckon I can run steady with a pacer though.

    One day I would love to do a sub 3 hour marathon, but far too ambitious for my first one. I will stick to a conservative estimate and plan for the mental battering at 20 miles. 

    I have a HM planned for 20th July, not sure it was the brightest idea.... running in the heat snaps my energy! 

  • Morning all,does anyone know if there are pacers at this event?

  • Mr PuffyMr Puffy ✭✭✭

    There are, details are on the website I think.

  • welshgjewelshgje ✭✭✭

    Hi there - I'm running Chester this year. This will be my second marathon after Paris in April. Hopefully I will hit the target this time and totally avoid any injury (touch wood).

    Following the sub 4:30 training plan that was put together by Sam Murphy for the Asics 262 campaign.

    Good luck everyone.

  • Hi all, 

    I signed up for this...the day before an 18 week training schedule would have to start! Impulsive much? I'd been talking about it with friends on the Sunday and by the evening I was in. I'd said I wouldn't ever do another after Windermere, but this year, in a bid to make meaningful improvements for a change, weekly mileage has progressed into natural marathon territory. I don't regret the decision, loving the training at the moment. For those of your on an 18 week stint, you're half way down! Congrats.

    I don't suppose anyone knows what sports drinks/gels they're using on the day yet? I don't want to be "that guy" and email them the same question they've already had a dozen times. Maybe it'll be the same as last year? I wouldn't mind a dry run with whatever they're providing, especially since I've never used gels before. 

  • This will be my first marathon and i'm pretty nervous about it. Eleven weeks into my training and its going ok so far, upto 14 miles. Did a few halfs, the best being 1:57 but i just hope to finish this one even if its on my hands and knees.

    There is a few of my friends coming down from Scotland so we're looking forward to a great weekend and a few beers on the Sunday night if we survive!!!

  • An excellent choice for a first marathon McTamus. 

    Can I suggest we all shuffle over to this more used thread? -would be great to chat with you there :  http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/events/mbna-chester-marathon-2014/274297.html

     

  • I just noticed that thread, will use it from now on.....image

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