Great Welsh Marathon

hoping to run this, ran it 4 years ago and completed in a dissapointing 4hrs 30 mins. sunburnt and windswept occasion were my excuses for lack of real good preparation. been running for years and half marathons are my regular distance. whats the best way to step up. at 46 my realistic time is sub 4hrs. my worst half time is 1hr 58, best 1hr 45. i should be able to archieve my goal on this course, shouldnt i?

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Comments

  • stutyrstutyr ✭✭✭

    There's no excuses with this one as the course is as flat as you can get for 26.2 miles.  

    If you can run a half in 1'45" then you should be able to achieve a sub 4'00" full marathon.  However, you do need to build the endurance to do this.

    I ran this one three years ago, and my preparation was the Cardiff HM in the October before, and the Llanelli HM (on the same course as the marathon) in the March.  Maybe you could follow a similar plan - training for Cardiff (or similar) in a couple of months, then using this result as a baseline for your marathon training, with the Llanelli HM as a final preparation/test prior to the 'big one'?

  • Keith, I agree with Stutyr in that if you can run a half in 1:45 you should be able to achieve a sub 4 marathon with the proper training.  I know that there are a lot of plans available but I have been running for about 2 years now and my bible is "How to Run" by Paula Radcliffe, I find that they have a few different levels of training plan to suit different levels of competency and they are very straightforward to follow.

     

    I intend to do Llanelli next year as my first marathon and I am in a similar position to you.  I am 41 and my pb for a half is 1:44:13 so I will be aiming for a sub 4 myself.  Happy to run together for part/all of the race if you wanted some moral support!!

     

    Kind Regards,

     

    Rob

  • I'm also looking at this one as a first marathon. 1hr 38min is my best half

  • I'm looking for a spring marathon and have got it down to this one or the Shakespeare marathon. Just can't decide which.

  • I had narrowed it down to this one or Milton Keynes but went for this one mostly out of convenience because i live in South Wales so its not a massive trek to get to. I haven't read any reviews on the Shakespeare marathon so i couldn't comment but i did read the following reviews which swang it for me:



    http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/events/ratingsall.asp?sp=&v=2&ugn=8894



    The majority of the reviews are very positive and it is a very flat course, i guess the only downside for me is that it is two laps of a course and it may be soul destroying if you finish the first lap and think that you have to do the whole thing again. On the positive side, i know the area fairly well and it is a lovely part of the country so I'm sure that the section that takes you along the seafront will be really nice.
  • T RexT Rex ✭✭✭

    Llanelli is the most relaxed marathon event I've been to.  You can park within 100m  of the start line.  A two-lap flat course with plenty of interest. I would highly recommend as a first marathon. 

    Stratford is good too, but I always find traffic to be bad and finding parking hard for this marathon.  One of the best finish run-ins I know.  There is the matter of the infamous Greenway to cope with, though.

    I'll be doing both of these in 2015.  If I can find another marathon in March, Stratford will then be my #100.

    Regular long runs of 18-22 miles once a fortnight will keep you in marathon shape.

  • T RexT Rex ✭✭✭

    Incidentally there is only one 'Great Welsh' marathon which is Snowdonia - one I can't recommend enough but possibly not as your first one.  Flat it isn't!

  • I'm looking at this for my first marathon too! It's going to be jam packed with first timers!

    I did my first "formal" half in cardiff on sunday just gone and it was fantastic. Got a chip time of 1:50:26 and I was a tiny bit gutted i didn't get under 1:50 but i've only been running for a year and it was my first! - Definitely have a lesson to learn about getting overexcited and going out too fast at the start! I would love to get a sub 4 hour Marathon too and every seems really positive about this race in particular.

    I've been trying to find a clear map of the route but i'm struggling as i'm not on facebook or anything. Does anyone have one? Also does anyone know if they operate chip tracking for this race?

    Thanks in advance image

  • Wow i think this will be my 3rd marathon back to my grandfathers country of birth, what date is it please?

    Thanks
  • Bread of heaven, bread of heavon, feed me till i want no more (want no more) feed me till i want no more, this will deffo be my third marathon image cymru
  • Just ran bournemouth very hilly marathon so would be great to have a flat one and wouldnt bother me doing the same half marathon course twice as when i am running its head down and in the zone so will be ok from me hoping to sub 3hours, thanks Rob do you know how much it is etc, would like book it up asap
  • Keith my advise to you is read advanced marathonning (second edition) it is a marathon runners bible, it helped me to a 50m marathon pb, its brilliant and would recomend it to everyone, author are pete pfitzinger and scot douglas image plesse order it thats if you want a massive pb image
  • Not sure about the timing chip, I didn't see that on the website. Heres the link to register which lists the prices: https://regonline.activeeurope.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=1549141



    There was an additional cost of about 3 pound for registering online so if you register by post you will save a few quid. I also found the payment website very frustrating, I just wanted to pay and it kept offering me optional extras and it kept selecting the default option which conveniently was to make an additional charity donation or pay more money. I guess its all aimed at fundraising but I thought it was pushy.
  • Ummmm not sure i am too keen now if its pushy and no timing chip image

    Really want an official time and there is loads of marathons out there
  • Thinking of doing this too. Did the half there a couple years ago and really enjoyed it image and am sure was chip timed, as this is same company would think this would be too. If it's not chip timed I don't think would do it as like to have official time too.
  • Same dotty great minds think alike
  • T RexT Rex ✭✭✭

    I'm sure it's chip timed.  Most races are these days.

    Very good spring marathon. I'll be there in 2015.  All being well marathon #99.

  • If you look at past results - they have gun and chip time listed...
  • Thanks people of this thread if its chipped i am there to hopefully sub 3hrs image
  • I am going to enter this after I run the leicester half this weekend. I ran it in 2011 in 3:02 and it was a cracking event. I found it very scenic and flat and great for family support. Going to train hard over the winter and hopefully smash 3 hours at the 12th attempt. Hopefully this thread starts to fill up as we get a little closer!!

     

     

  • hey frank I have just entered this marathon and also aiming for sub 3 hour, what are your last 11 marathon times if you don't mind me asking?

    mine are London 2013 4hr 12m and Bournemouth 3hr 20m image

  • Just signed up for this bad boy, hoping for a sub 4hr as its my first, really looking forward to it ????
  • I'm down for this one now, it's down the road and quite flat so like quite a few here aiming under 4 too... My PB is 4:07 but half is 1:44 so here's hoping. 

  • Good luck Dave, sure you'll smash it, nothing like the welsh air to spur you on!
  • Hmmm, sounds interesting. I always struggle to find a British Spring marathon which inspires me and this one might. Will look at train and accommodation first.

    Agree with T Rex that Snowdonia is the Great Welsh marathon but this one could have its own charm.

  • Just signed up for this to keep my wife company - she's hoping for sub-5hrs and this looks perfect.  Needless to say i'm relishing another wet, windy winter of marathon training! 

    Anyone know what the fuel/drink stations are like from previous years?

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    The two years I did it they had water every 3 miles I think. Can't remember the size of the bottles but fairly standard - probably 300ml. Also can't recall if they had sports caps. Not much use am I?image

    I could well be making it number 3 this year. Just need to make the final decision. It's a great course. I love it (as long as it's not hot!)

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