Manchester Marathon 2017

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Comments

  • vodkabobvodkabob ✭✭✭
    Hi, I am new to the Forum..

    I will be travelling down the day before and staying in Prestwich Premier Inn then driving to Old Trafford Car Park. Will the route to get there be ok or will I encounter road closures?
  • Pete HoltPete Holt ✭✭✭
    edited March 2017

    hi vodka, the route from Prestwich is fine. however if you get the motorway some of the roads will close, if your sat nav takes you via Sale, as your route to the start line will encounter the course. Those roads are open in the morning and then will close but I am not sure of the time that they do so.

    check with the highways for details.

    alternatively take the m602 junction coming off the m60 and travel through Salford into Trafford. dependent on where you are parking you should be fine. where are you parking? 

    failing that you can commute via the a roads through the city centre (which will be quiet on a sunday morning) then head towards Hulme into old Trafford.

    you can always get the tram from Prestwich as an alternative. allow for about 45 minutes travel time though.


  • Pete HoltPete Holt ✭✭✭
    NickW2 said:
    By the way - does anyone know what energy drinks they will have on the day (if any)? For example I did London last year and they had lucozade sport every 5 miles I think it was (and water every mile).

    I guess this info will probably be in the race pack but would like to try out what they have on my 20 miler on Sunday if possible.


    sis gels mate, not sure about the drinks.


  • OuchOuchOuchOuch ✭✭✭
    NickW - From Rachey earlier on the thread.

    My friend emailed the organisers yesterday to ask about what gels/fuel there will be on course because the route map just shows water stops.  Thought you might like to know their reply: 

    'On course we will have SiS GO Isotonic Energy Gel- Orange flavour at stations 2, 6, &10 and then Lemon & Lime gels at stations 4 & 8.'

    Seems a good and plentiful choice - at the Barnstable marathon in September they had moqito flavour - didn't seem quite right!

    Little Nell - A Welsh emmet, seems very few Cornish in Cornwall where I am...where are they all?
    Welcome VodkaBob - a dangerous sounding nom de plume
    Another double done with the dog today so 43 for the week so far. Rest day tomorrow as feeling now a touch fatigued.
    Train well everybody, nearly in countdown...the trick now is to make sure we all get to the starting line, so don't overdo it....


     
  • vodkabobvodkabob ✭✭✭
    > @"Pete Holt" said:
    > hi vodka, the route from Prestwich is fine. however if you get the motorway some of the roads will close, if your sat nav takes you via Sale, as your route to the start line will encounter the course. Those roads are open in the morning and then will close but I am not sure of the time that they do so.
    >
    > check with the highways for details.
    >
    > alternatively take the m602 junction coming off the m60 and travel through Salford into Trafford. dependent on where you are parking you should be fine. where are you parking? 
    >
    > failing that you can commute via the a roads through the city centre (which will be quiet on a sunday morning) then head towards Hulme into old Trafford.
    >
    > you can always get the tram from Prestwich as an alternative. allow for about 45 minutes travel time though.

    Thank you Pete. I've paid for a space in the official car park at the football ground. Not sure how good this is mind, first time that i have done Manchester
  • I hope there are some energy drinks for when we can't stomach any more gels!

    4 slow miles this morning. Lovely day for it.
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Big weekend ahead for most so good luck and safe running to everyone. 
    After my little niggle I tested and iced my leg for most of the day,so it felt better today, finished work then went out for 5 miles,started slow to test the leg but no soreness so speeded up,ended up 15 secs per mile quicker than HM pace so pretty happy with that.
  • Si CSi C ✭✭
    Just noticed the race book is now available to download. Getting real close now 20 miles for me on sunday the start to taper, well done eveyone for getting this far, i have noticed some great training runs and pb's on this thread.

    http://www.greatermanchestermarathon.com/athlete-info/race-information-pack/
  • Hi vodka - the Man. Utd. car parks are good - East is better than North but all are convenient. I was in E2 last October for the Manchester HM and I'm in N2 this time - it's a bit further to walk but doesn't involve any thinking about where to park.

    Many thanks for your wise words, Nick - I'm not planning on "racing" racing Wilmslow - but I do still have the dilemma of wanting to be first lady home for my work team... which depends on one of my colleagues and what pace she runs at. I'll make a call on the day about how many additional miles I'll do - either way I'll do a mile or so warm up, which only leaves four slow to add on at the end.

    Ouch - most of us natives had to leave for higher education and/or work reasons. One of my brothers does appear to have done a "one in, one out" swap with you though as he now lives and works in Swansea :smile:

    Aber, Nick - I can't see anything in the race information booklet about energy drinks... all they mention is water and SiS Go Energy or Electrolyte gels (which they point out are not caffeinated). 

    Nice run there Ian - the pace sounded good!

    7.21 miles for me tonight with the middle 5 at goal marathon pace - all felt very good... and the were no grumblings at all from my IT band - so the sports massage seems to have done its job.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Everyone seems to be going well here!
    After a good run on Tuesday I felt inexplicably tired and ended going up to bed just before 9pm. Then woke up at 2 and could not get back to sleep, so went on the computer for a few hours. Went back to bed at 5.30 and slept until 7 but woke up feeling awful. Then I realised - I was coming down with something. I had been sneezing a lot but I sneeze anyway because my flat is dusty and computer games are more fun that housework. Anyway, I did absolutely nothing (aside from playing games and watching TV - thank goodness my Sky is working again) for two days and woke up feeling half decent this morning.
     
    Went out for a tentative 4. Energy levels and lungs were good (my chest had felt a bit tight yesterday when I went to the shops) but my legs were really, really tight from two days of sitting on my arse and so it proved quite a painful run.
    Going to do some yoga later.
  • vodkabobvodkabob ✭✭✭
    thanks @Little Nell. I am also in N2.
  • OuchOuchOuchOuch ✭✭✭
    Little Nell - Good luck at Wimslow, good time to be running a half.  Swansea 7 miles from where I was on Tuesday. Same horse there, you leave for higher ed/ or jobs.
    Ian5 - That's good news and must be a relief.
    Cal - not a bad tome to get a cold, at least it will build up your resistance over the next 5 weeks (I speak as my little one is home today coughing and spluttering!)
    Rest day today but will go on the exercise bike to burn off 1000 cals later. Just starting to lose a few pounds now as great believer in the adage that 1lb = 1 minutes off your time.  Aim to get down from 11.2 st (Xmas Day weight) to 10.9, currently 10.10 and a half.
    Positive vibes to all - we are nearly at base camp 1.
  • NickW2NickW2 ✭✭✭
    Ah yes Nell I remember you saying now, maybe just trip up your colleague at the start and then have a nice easy run :lol:
  • Daz BromsDaz Broms ✭✭✭
    if you cant wait for your number in the post, you can find it at http://www.chiprace.co.uk/results.aspx?CId=38&RId=1508&EId=1     10831 for me, getting close now.
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    So close daz,I'm 10789
  • Pete HoltPete Holt ✭✭✭
    vodkabob said:
    > @Pete Holt said:
    > hi vodka, the route from Prestwich is fine. however if you get the motorway some of the roads will close, if your sat nav takes you via Sale, as your route to the start line will encounter the course. Those roads are open in the morning and then will close but I am not sure of the time that they do so.
    >
    > check with the highways for details.
    >
    > alternatively take the m602 junction coming off the m60 and travel through Salford into Trafford. dependent on where you are parking you should be fine. where are you parking? 
    >
    > failing that you can commute via the a roads through the city centre (which will be quiet on a sunday morning) then head towards Hulme into old Trafford.
    >
    > you can always get the tram from Prestwich as an alternative. allow for about 45 minutes travel time though.

    Thank you Pete. I've paid for a space in the official car park at the football ground. Not sure how good this is mind, first time that i have done Manchester

    hi, via the m60 then the m602 will be the easiest route mate
  • Pete HoltPete Holt ✭✭✭
    Ian, 105 laps around a track - good grief. :D
  • Downloaded the race book and also some maps.  Got the highlighter pen out and realised it should be pretty easy for me to get to the start.  (Famous last words... hope I don't get lost and end up being late!!)  Getting excited (and very nervous) now.

    Ian - good news your leg is okay :)

    Ouch - I was in Swansea on Tuesday!  I go there for work about once a month and like to do the 10k and half there.

    Nell - good that the ITB is holding up okay.  Mine niggles away but hoping it will behave itself!

    Cal - hope you are now feeling okay.

    I did 7 miles yesterday morning.  My legs were still tired and my feet still sore.  (I train off road so my feet always feel sore after running 13+ miles on the road.)  Rest day today and cross country (including a water feature - knee deep puddle!) tomorrow.

    Happy running everyone!  Not long to go :)


  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Ouch - you're actually the same weight as I am! I am quite heavy for a distance runner - I've always said I feel like a rhino amongst gazelles. But I've scored a pair of HM PBs at this weight so it can't be hurting me too much.

    Abser Snail - my feet are really sore at the moment, right under the arches. Well done on the 7 and enjoy the XC eh?

    Did parkrun today - beautiful day for it. First time this year I've gone out in a T-shirt. I managed to fall over during my warm-up while doing side skips, which was pretty hilarious (yeah, people saw...) but no damage done, apart from my wounded pride. Since I've not been great this week I decided to do it as a tempo, and kept to HM pace. Left shin was tight and grumpy but other than that it wasn't too bad.

    I had planned to do my last 20 tomorrow but I'll see how I feel. It's been a hard week with the virus and the stiff, sore legs so if I need to go shorter, I will.
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Aber -Hope you cope OK with doing 26.2 on the road if you're not used to it.
    16 miles today,2 weeks after my mara so pretty happy with how it went.Felt like an easy run,yet it was my fastest 16.
  • Funny - my feet are noticeably sore these past couple of days too Aber and Cal ... must be about that stage in everyone's training!

    Thanks for that link, Daz - sadly I'm an even number, which I'm not best pleased about as a I have an irrational preference for odd numbers in everything (particularly primes).

    Glad you're feeling well enough to parkrun, Cal - but do take care stressing your body with a long run after fighting a virus.

    Good 16 there, Ian - sounds you're peaking at exactly the right time :smile:

    I did a nice 6.28 yesterday evening, with a good positive split, and a fasted 3.66 miles of progression run this morning. All good - apart from sore feet that I only really notice once I'm finished.

  • Ian- my feet don't hurt when I'm running so I should be okay  :) Well done on getting a 16 miler in.

    Nell - good runs there!

    I do a sedentary job which I reckon is why my feet hurt - not used to standing for long, never mind pounding the tarmac for hours  :D
  • Si CSi C ✭✭
    Last big run today, supposed to be 20 miles.
    Full dress rehearsal, including fuels, plasters on nipples and loads of vaseline.

    Set of at 7.30, weather was good so first long run in shorts and t-shirt. After around 10-20 minutes into run my fitbit somehow stopped recording the run so i had to reset it and start again, then 15 miles in the watch changed to pace rather than distance and i couldnt change it back so i had to guess the distance by time and pace. When i eventually finished and checked it, turned out to be 22.24 miles. Tank felt quite fresh, legs were tired and heavy, lost another toe nail and got a large blister on my small toe through new socks, otherwise all good. Now looking toward to taper and try now to gain weight.

    Good luck everyone on their long runs today, let us know how you got on
  • Daz BromsDaz Broms ✭✭✭
    Well last long run today with 20 but horrible prep over last few days. On nights all week and only got 2 hrs sleep sat morning as had to take son to footy, up early again today as had to get him to friends for 9 as his friend had birthday party. Out with wife for a curry last night, no alcohol mind but not the best for 20 today. Anyway all my moans aside it's done in a steady time of 2:44. Feet up all afternoon and on to the taper.
    Si- nightmare with your Fitbit but good mileage done. 
  • NickW2NickW2 ✭✭✭
    Good long runs people, I did mine today at Finchley 20. Did 5 miles easy, 10 MP (ish, maybe a bit too fast) and 5 easy to finish. Felt I had something in the tank at the end, and on the whole it went really well, finishing in 2:37. Taper time now woohoo!
  • OuchOuchOuchOuch ✭✭✭
    Cal - Re: Weight - I am now at the stage when I am looking ill or a drug addled rockstar from the 70's - which I am taking to be a good sign.
    Ian5 - That's a pretty decent performance 2 weeks after a marathon.
    Little Nell - Good 6 mile speedy run, that's the menu for the next few weeks now for me.
    Si C- Good (extra) mileage as if 20 is not enough.
    Da- Lack of sleep and running arrh. I remember running the 2007 London marathon off 3 hours fitful sleep thanks to sharing the hotel run with a heavily snoring child who kept me up until 3 am.  Well done on getting it done.
    NickW - Another one in the bag and woohoo time indeed.

    21 miles for me a truncated 17.5 m this morning, finished off with a 4 miler this evening.   So that's 78 miles for me this week which means 50 next week - normally 50-55 mpw is my normal marathon average - so still pretty high mileage.
  • DPJ77DPJ77 ✭✭
    Lots of good long runs - what have people got planned for the next few weeks? I'm doing 17 next Sunday, then 13 the week after - all will be at a fairly easy pace. It's nice to be finally thinking about tapering!

    I didn't long run today as had the Bath Half. Got round in 1:23 which was a good pb, especially given that I pb'd at parkrun yesterday too - all helps build confidence!
  • Some great running all!

    Aber, I too have quite a sedentary job - so I think you could be right about the shock to the old "plates" :smile:

    Fantastic running there Si - fitbit traumas notwithstanding! I've weirdly put on a couple of pounds this week (but I did have chips for lunch then pizza in the evening on Friday because I'd got so frustrated at work that I just wanted pizza... so that could be the reason :smiley:). Enjoy gaining weight!

    Well done on churning out your 20, Daz - in a good time despite being tired. Happy tapering.

    Great racing Nick - happy tapering to you as well!

    That's fantastic mileage, Ouch... don't know how you find the time to fit all that in - I guess it's the benefit of being speedy... the long runs don't take as long as they do for me.

    Congrats on your HM PB at Bath and parkrun PB before that, DPJ - very nice running! I've got 18 planned for next weekend, which includes Wilmslow Half (plus a bit before and after)... still unsure about how to run Wilmslow. The great god "The Plan" says I should do 12 on the weekend before the big 'un - but I'm not sure about that, I might make it a bit shorter... I'll see how I feel.

    Another 20 for me today - did a smidge over 20 with the last 3 and a bit miles at goal marathon pace... actually, I ended up accelerating and the final 3 and a bit miles got progressively faster (8:45, 8:30, 8:27, 7:10 - the 7:10 was just speeding into the Close :smiley: ). Felt good, so I'm pretty happy with that - in fact it felt easier to run faster, even having already done 17 miles... I'm really struggling to lock in to 8:45/mi. (goal MP) - it's just a bit too fast to be a slow pace but a bit too slow to be a comfortably fast pace. I'm considering doing a section of Wilmslow HM at goal MP to have another practise. Anyway, due to doing last week's LSR on Monday of this week, I've done a 64.39 mile week (those 0.39 of a mile are vitally important - LOL) - this is the most I've ever done... by far!
  • NickW2NickW2 ✭✭✭
    Nell, I often find speeding up for a bit can help if my legs are hurting. I don't know for sure but I think it uses slightly different muscles or something.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Actually, nick, Zatopek used to do much the same thing.
    Well done on your long runs everyone. Unfortunately I felt poorly again yesterday so I didn't go out at all, which was disappointing.

    Fortunately, I had a lovely run today. Actually I didn't feel entirely brilliant when I woke up, but the sun was shining (well, still is) and once I got going and shook the stiffness out of my legs, I felt pretty damned good. I ended up doing a half marathon because I was enjoying the flowers and blossom and sun and running in a T-shirt for a damned change. It was meant to be MP but the speed kept creeping up so I averaged 9:55 for the whole thing including the two slug (warm-up) miles at the start. Definitely a big neg split. And in actual fact I did it just under 2:10. Two years ago I was determined to get under 2:10 in a half and only cracked it in July '15 (I ended the year on 2:02 so I made 10 minutes of progress that year) so that indicates how far I've come.
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