Manchester Marathon 2017

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Comments

  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Baggage last year was horrific,but I did the half in October and it was completely different and they have said that's the system for next weekend so should be fine.
  • Last longish run done for me this morning (13M @ 2:59 pace) - so glad that I've reassessed my target time as I'd be on the floor by 20M with current fitness levels.

    My marathon training route is pretty different to my "normal" day to day routes so said good bye to my trusted 7.5M loop - and actually felt a little emotional !!!! Is that weird?

    7 days and counting...........
  • Coincidentally whilst out running this morning around Trafford, I saw the measuring van (and two police out riders) for Nova who I presume were measuring the HM and 10k routes for later in the year
  • Little NellLittle Nell ✭✭✭
    edited March 2017
    LOL... Cal!!! Will you be joining us for some toilet lurking   :D

    Ian, Daz and DL34 - I'm assuming none of you have blue or green faces as per your forum avatars!? I'm so short I have terrible problems in big crowds... I doubt I'll be able to see anyone, so I'll just mill around near the Town Hall steps at 08:15 and trust fate! Last year I did the Great Run 10K in Manchester and was looking for one of the pacers so I asked a tall (well, he was probably average height but he seemed tall to me) guy standing just next to me in the pen if he could see the pacer. He spotted the pacer but despite his best descriptions I just couldn't see him so the guy just grabbed me by my upper arms and lifted me straight up so I could see through the crowd - it was very funny!!!

    SQRunner - let's hope it was for the HM and not a last minute panic for next week's course!!!

    Last long(ish) run for me today in glorious sunshine - but still a bit too windy for my liking. 11.49 miles with the last three increasing in pace from MP to faster than MP. Feeling OK - except an aching right knee where I whacked it on a metal stool in the lab on Monday. I have a big bruise on the knee cap - so I hope the ache is just the bruise coming out. Just an interval session mid-week and 3 easy miles on Saturday to go! :worried:
  • Weather was glorious today in Manchester, think if it's that warm next Sunday it may catch a few or us out
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Nell-I indeed do have a sideways facing green face with a monocle in so should be easy to find,but if not I'll look for a pygmy dressed in black.
    Short run for me today as I don't want to chance my shin too much.
  • Looks like I'm going to be joining the fun in Pen C and chasing down vodka bob for a sub 3:20. Happy tapering everybody.

    OuchOuch 1024 A Aim: 2:54:36

    MrPotatoHead 3871 B Aim: 3:04:00

    DL54 Pen B Aim 2:59:59

    NickW2 Pen C Aim 3:15

    SQRunner1980 3:15-3:30

    vodkabob Pen C Aim 3:20 B target 3:27

    Stapes2 1222 Pen C Aim 3:20

    NorthEnder 917 Pen C Aim 3:30 (stretch 3:20 GFA)

    RacheyD1978 Pen D Aim 3:44:59

    MartinU 5459 D Aim:3:45

    Ian5 10789 Pen E Aim 3:50:00

    Little Nell 10460 Pen E Aim 3:49:59 (B target sub-4:00, C target just get round)

    AberSnail 923 F Aim: 4:22:59

    Daz Broms Pen F Aim [sub-4]?

    Cal Jones Pen G (bah!) Aim sub-4:30 (B target - anything under 4:44:37)

    Si C Pen G: sub -4

    DPJ77 1098 A Aim 2:59:59
  • Ian - should be easy to spot then :p Your description of me is wholly accurate... sadly!

    Hi Stapes... gonna hang out by the loos near the Town Hall steps with us at 08:15 (who could wish for a better invite than that)??? :lol: Anyone else joining us... invite is open to all!

    I forgot to share two pieces of wisdom I've received... one from the great Harmander Singh (marathon trainer and VLM pacer extraordinaire) and the best piece of running advice I've ever received from a fell running work colleague/friend of mine:

    Since my goal time is part way between two pacers (goal sub-3:50, pacers for 3:45 and 4:00), Harmander has suggested that I follow the faster pacer up until about the half way point and see how I feel from there. Plus, it banks some time for the second half. My only concern is that the 3:45 pace is 10 seconds per mile faster than my intended goal pace, so ... hmmmm ... still unsure.

    The other advice from my fell runner friend is: "Run Happy!" ... this has never failed me - if a run is feeling in any way hard then I force myself to smile and and it really does help... :smile:

    So taper well, folks - and run happy!

  • Daz BromsDaz Broms ✭✭✭
    Little Nell- alas I'm not blue faced, not quite sussed how to change pic. Haven't looked at the map layout but guessing town hall steps are near to start ? 
  • DL34...  I'd say you can do 3hrs but perhaps you're on the cusp and should not be overconfident. Most people who've trained pretty well can double their HM time and add between 10 and 20 minutes for the full marathon. I've always fitting in the middle of this range... between +13 and +17 minutes. Those recent long run paces, they look hopeful but doesn't nail you on.  

    I see you're thinking of pacing at 1:28 at half way.  I'd definitely not go any faster than that - in fact I'd go slightly slower. I think P&D's book recommends you should go for 1:29... and that's what I'd do.  In my view, if (and I mean IF) somebody is "just fit enough" on the day to get sub-3, they'd probably probably do it if they pass half-way at 1:29, 1:30 or 1:31.   Getting to half way at -3 minutes risks you burning out somewhere in the last few miles...  and getting to halfway at +3 minutes would leave you plenty in the tank for the second half... but probably leave too much to catch up.

    In summary, if you decide to go for 1:28 at half way, there is only one advantage... and that is that, if you happen to be capable of a 2:55, it gives you a chance of making it.  But the disadvantage is that it could possibly tip you over the edge of burn out and leave you getting 3:01 or something.  So, for me, I'd go for 1:29.  I can't see any disadvantages if sub-3 is the critical factor. If you do 1:29... and you actually are fit enough to get 2:59:x, then you'll almost certainly do it.

    Aber...  yes.  Spirit of Monmouth.  You?
  • OuchOuchOuchOuch ✭✭✭
    10m d&d yesterday 4m @ mp although windy here and running around a slightly sodden field made hard work for it.  3 more runs for me this week and that's it (4 on Tues/ Weds/Thurs).  Now for the full-blown "odd" week that is pre-marathon week when I will be saying goodbye to caffeine tomorrow whilst have just said hello to a  slight cold - but better to have this now than later in the week. Time to look over your last few months training to seek reassurance. I think we are all ready!
  • Last 'long' run for me on Friday evening with 7.5 miles and then 3 miles MP yesterday. Leg is still not 100% and today I've woken up with a cold. The kids have had it for weeks so I suppose it was inevitable!

    I've got the first in a series of local club races on Tuesday evening (second race is 2 days after Manchester). These first two races set our handicap for the series so my teammates have told me to jog round and get a nifty little handicap! Its only 4 miles so I'll keep it very steady. Then I might do a couple of miles on Wednesday and Friday, with a final physio appointment on Thursday morning.

    Not sure I'll make the meet up. We're staying in Hotel Football so I think we're just planning on hanging out at the hotel until the last possible moment!
  • Does anyone have any experience of completing this race in the 5:30-6hr range? My wife is aiming for this and she has a bit of a worry that the feed stations will start to run out of gels/water as it gets to the back of the pack. Just wondering if anyone knows whether in previous events they've stocked up well enough to feed the whole field as I've heard tales of issues like this in other races.

    Being a fell runner I'm not sure how well organised these things are. My idea of a feed station is a club member standing on top of a hill with a bag of jelly babies! :D
  • Hi all - long time lurker here, I think I posted awhile ago.. in any case - the invite to hang around the toilets before the race is too good to ignore. I'm also a small female and will be wearing short black shorts with a colourful patch down the side and an Oxford Uni Triathlon Club running vest. My goal is sub 3:45 and GFA  B) I'll look forward to meeting some of you on the day! 

    OuchOuch 1024 A Aim: 2:54:36

    MrPotatoHead 3871 B Aim: 3:04:00

    DL54 Pen B Aim 2:59:59

    NickW2 Pen C Aim 3:15

    SQRunner1980 3:15-3:30

    vodkabob Pen C Aim 3:20 B target 3:27

    Stapes2 1222 Pen C Aim 3:20

    NorthEnder 917 Pen C Aim 3:30 (stretch 3:20 GFA)

    RacheyD1978 Pen D Aim 3:44:59

    MartinU 5459 D Aim:3:45

    Ian5 10789 Pen E Aim 3:50:00

    Little Nell 10460 Pen E Aim 3:49:59 (B target sub-4:00, C target just get round)

    AberSnail 923 F Aim: 4:22:59

    Daz Broms Pen F Aim [sub-4]?

    Cal Jones Pen G (bah!) Aim sub-4:30 (B target - anything under 4:44:37)

    Si C Pen G: sub -4

    DPJ77 1098 A Aim 2:59:59

    Just Coop Going 7593 Pen E Aim Sub 3:45 (GFA)
  • NickW2NickW2 ✭✭✭
    Only 6 days to go!

    Re meeting up beforehand...I am quite tall so often easy to spot, but terrible at actually spotting people in a crowd myself (despite being able to see over people)! I will be getting the tram from Timperley in the morning if anyone else is near there. I'll probably aim to get the tram to arrive at old trafford about 730-745, hopefully this will be plenty of time.

    I don't know if anyone is local to the area, but am having a minor panic as on Google Maps it says the hotel I have booked for the Saturday night (Altrincham Lodge Hotel) is permanently closed and their phone number is disconnected. On the other hand I can't find any news about them closing and you can still book through hotel websites so would assume this would not be the case if it wasn't open? Hmm think I need to investigate further.
  • Morning,

    I've just been having a look at my training plan, which is based on this plan: http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51138/Marathon-Novice-2-Training-Program
    I've been following it quite meticulously, only a few adjustments here and there.

    So, it shows that I should have a short run on saturday, and when looking through other plans, Hal Higdon seems to have a run the day before the race in all plans apart from the very beginner plans.
    I wonder what the thinking behind that is? I am very inclined on moving that run to the friday.

    Is there an advantage to running a short easy run the day before?
    As most, I'll be spending most of this day on travelling down and I can imagine it being the case for most runners at this level. So, why?
  • vodkabobvodkabob ✭✭✭
    MartinU - my understanding is that it "wakes the legs up and gets the blood flowing". I'll be doing a very slow 5k on the Sat morning and travelling down later on in the day
  • vodkabobvodkabob ✭✭✭
    NickW2 - the Altrincham Lodge Hotel on Trip Advisor says it is closed due to the Generator being removed but is due to open again on April 1st. Did you book it through a website? If so I would contact the website to confirm it is going to reopen.
  • NickW2NickW2 ✭✭✭
    Martin - I think it's just to loosen you up. I doubt moving it to the friday will matter much. I'm doing my last run friday evening, as I'll be busy all day on saturday.
  • Pete HoltPete Holt ✭✭✭
    bbc weather: 12C with a slight wind. looks like a good day for it.
  • NickW2NickW2 ✭✭✭
    vodkabob - Thanks, I hadn't managed to find that info. I booked it through Expedia, and have tried to contact them through there, hopefully I hear back in a day or 2. If it opens again on Saturday that will be fine, I hope they don't over run though!

    Pete - yes today's forecast looks perfect! Hope it stays that way.
  • NorthEnderNorthEnder ✭✭✭
    edited March 2017
    I was joking when I said I thought numbers were being allocated on a geographical basis. There can't be anything in that, can there?  But some interesting anecdotal evidence there!

    MartinU I think the Saturday run is a personal choice. From reading around, I think most experts recommend a short gentle run to get you primed and ready to go...  but also they say avoid lengthy stays at the expos etc... keep off your feet as much as possible.   I've sometimes done one, sometimes not and I honestly don't think it makes much difference.  I wouldn't lose any sleep over the decision whether or not to do it.
  • NickW2 - I'm at the same hotel; hopefully!! (as are some friends) - Let me know and I will may checks at my end.
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Hope you guys get your hotel sorted in time!! Not what you need at all.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Much better run today - 4 sunny miles with a couple at MP. Legs feel much better. Whew!

    OuchOuch 1024 A Aim: 2:54:36

    MrPotatoHead 3871 B Aim: 3:04:00

    DL54 Pen B Aim 2:59:59

    NickW2 Pen C Aim 3:15

    SQRunner1980 3:15-3:30

    vodkabob Pen C Aim 3:20 B target 3:27

    Stapes2 1222 Pen C Aim 3:20

    NorthEnder 917 Pen C Aim 3:30 (stretch 3:20 GFA)

    RacheyD1978 Pen D Aim 3:44:59

    MartinU 5459 D Aim:3:45

    Ian5 10789 Pen E Aim 3:50:00

    Little Nell 10460 Pen E Aim 3:49:59 (B target sub-4:00, C target just get round)

    AberSnail 923 F Aim: 4:22:59

    Daz Broms Pen F Aim [sub-4]?

    Cal Jones 2502 Pen G Aim sub-4:30 (B target - anything under 4:44:37)

    Si C Pen G: sub -4

    DPJ77 1098 A Aim 2:59:59

    Just Coop Going 7593 Pen E Aim Sub 3:45 (GFA)
  • DL34DL34 ✭✭
    NorthEnder - thank you. That sounds like good advice. Running a 1.29/1.31 may be the least risky option for me. As you say, the goal is simply sub-3. Anything lower would be a bonus. Given that the training went well and the latest 1:22 half came on a windy day with tired legs (although a dead flat course), I'm giving myself an outside chance. The lack of marathon experience may cost me though.
  • OuchOuchOuchOuch ✭✭✭

    Enjoyed my run a little too much this morning and did 5 instead of 4 including a 1 km fast stretch.   4 for tomorrow and Thursday then travel up on Friday. Might be tempted to do a few miles on Saturday as staying in Sale and 300 metres from the course.

    DL34 - It is true that for you first few marathons half-way is 20 miles, so make sure you've got plenty still in the tank.  Good luck, I think you will do it.

    Day 1 without caffeine - so far so good, will start getting edgy tomorrow.

  • MrPotatoHeadMrPotatoHead ✭✭
    edited March 2017
    DL and Northender, nice to see I am not alone in the splits debate! Currently trying to figure out my plan for a sub 3:05! Had a look through the times from last years 3:04s at Manchester and it does show most who run fast first half run a slow second half, or else its generally a positive split of a in and around 2 minutes. 

    Personally I think I would like to run a conservative comfortable first half and then try and power on and really empty the tank in the last few miles, of course its much easier said than done. So I am going to try and do first half in around 1:30 / 1:31 and have the second half at around 1:33. I think thats manageable for me, but at same time it requires the moons to be kind to me!!

    OuchOuch, is there a racing reason for the caffeine avoidance? Or is it to help you sleep / rest before hand....? On the plus side, decaff coffee has improved over the years (as has alcohol free beer!!)
  • NickW2NickW2 ✭✭✭
    MrPotatoHead, I think most people who are racing a marathon run a positive split. I recall seeing this analysis http://marastats.com/marathon/runner/1294/ posted on a different thread, if you look at the bottom there's a graph showing the half split times for runners between 3 and 4 hours. It's hard to read exactly off the graph but I think the most common split was +5 mins. I guess you would probably expect this to reduce slightly as you got closer to 3 hours.

    The other factor I would expect, is a lot of people who end up running 3:0x might have been targeting sub 3, so would maybe go off at this pace and not be able to hold it.

    From a personal point of view, 3:15 is very much my "best case" target, so I'll aim to go off at this pace and hold it as long as possible. I think it's most likely that I'll end up with around 3:20, and I will still be really pleased if I get under 3:30, which was my goal when I started training (and seemed optimistic at the time).
  • Nick, Yes you are correct, I got my positive and negative mixed up!! (So clearly I havent a clue what I am talking about!)
    But yes that makes sense that the split times in marathon would be skewed by people missing their targets as opposed to actually setting out with the time that they finish with as the aim when they started. 

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