Marathon suggestions

I've recently got my Sunday run upto 20 miles and I'm thinking I may do an Autumn marathon. I live in the East Midlands wondered which one would suit a first timer, any suggestions? Loch Ness looks perfect but it's too far away.

Comments

  • Suppose that depends on whether you want a road marathon or a trail marathon.  Plenty of both are staged at that time of year in and around the North West, but again will depend on how far you are willing to travel.

  • Road for now, I love trail running but I think I need to get used to the distance first
  • Nottingham ? Leicester? Try the one at the end of the road first

  • skottyskotty ✭✭✭
    Rossthegill wrote (see)
    Loch Ness looks perfect but it's too far away.

    I thought Loch Ness was supposed to be quite hilly and a challenging course. Perhaps not ideal for first marathon.

  • NaderNader ✭✭✭

    I did Nottingham as my first marathon last year. Thought it was very good for a first timer, although there was one tough hill around 20 miles!

  • Chester is a big event and quite flat.

  • I would say, for your first marathon, unless you are looking to get noticed by the UKA for a slot at the olympics (image) then the closer to home the better.

    I've only run 3 but it's pretty hard to get a good night's sleep the night before as you'll be a bag of nerves. So sleeping at home and not having to get up at 3.30am to have some breakfast then drive for 2 hrs is a good idea.

    Plus I can never wait to get home when I've finished.

  • I dunno - depends on a number of factors. I did Abingdon as my first which was as local as you can get (I live 1km from the start) and indeed it was low hassle, but the support is relatively thin and when it all went a bit Pete Tong at mile 17 (not unusual in a first marathon, really), the following 9 (NINE) miles were a bit lonely and grim, soldiering round the fields and suburbs ...

    By contrast my second was at Berlin, and the plus-side of "get to visit Berlin" aside, it was cheering Germans every inch of the way and the last 9 miles felt just sooo much easier. 

    So I'd say for the fast, the lovers of solitude and nature, the mentally strong, a small or medium sized local one is fine for your debut, but sometimes it's worth going a bit further afield for that big-race experience.

  • Berlin's now sold out for 2016, but there's always Amsterdam if you fancied a trip abroad.

  • Come over to Dublin. Easy to get to and we'll have a pint ready for you on the bar.

     

    http://sseairtricitydublinmarathon.ie/

  • Dublin is a great shout, I did it last year and the organisation and support round the course is superb. 

    Another suggestion although a lot sooner is Manchester in April. It's pancake flat, well supported and would be great as a first marathon. The fact your currently doing 20 milers would suggest this is do-able for you. 

  • Chester - one of the best Marathon's in the UK.  Lovely course, great organisation and they also do free training runs once a month.  What more could you ask for?

  • NessieNessie ✭✭✭

    You can fly from Birmingham to Inverness.......

    Yes, it's not the flattest course, but the scenery more than makes up for it.  And the fact that it's a point to point makes it mentally "easier" as every step takes you closer to the finish.

    I may be biased of course......

  • BIGEATER- wrote (see)

    Dublin is a great shout, I did it last year and the organisation and support round the course is superb. 

    Another suggestion although a lot sooner is Manchester in April. It's pancake flat, well supported and would be great as a first marathon. The fact your currently doing 20 milers would suggest this is do-able for you. 

     

    These were both on my plans for 2016 as I've done them both before. Unfortunately I've just been given a red card by my cardiac specialist as far as marathons are concerned (for ever image ).

    I'd agree with Bigeater in that you're probably better prepared now than most people running their first marathon. I wouldn't keep doing 20 milers for too long as you'll probably get a) bored, b) injured or c) exhausted. If you wanted to do Manchester (which is the 10'th April) just do 1 or max 2 more 20's and then start your taper.

     

  • Cheers everyone! I shall have a look at some of them, Manchester sounds a possibility.
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