Has anyone done the Leicester half / marathon in order to compare hilliness? - I found this very hilly and so if Dublin is worse then it won't be funny!!
Dublin is a flat marathon with a couple of small undulations and one hill. As marathon courses go a definite PB course.
Leicester is undulating veering towards hilly. What I think makes Leicester quite a tough course is that the hills are one after another for the whole distance. (I did Leicester Marathon but I'm sure it's the same course).
Bugmond - I quite agree that it's much better to know what lies ahead so there are no nasty surprises! What you may find helpful is to do your training over hillier routes, then on race day it will seem so much easier and you will be a stronger runner for it.
Shades - I wimped out and did the Leicester half in November, you are right that the hills are pretty steady for a few miles between 7-10. Well done for doing the full one, I may do it this year depending on how Dublin goes. Even though it was a tough course I enjoyed Leicester and as it is 10mins away from the house it would be rude not to!!
AP - I enjoyed Leicester too, have only done it once as it usually clashes with the Cornish Marathon. Clashes yet again this year.
Cinders - Well in 2002 the hill was at 18 miles and in 2003 it was at 6 miles, cos they reversed the route, have not yet heard which way round it will be for 2004. The hill is in Phoenix Park which is lovely and I prefered it at 18 miles though lots of peeps didn't!
Thanks Muzza and Speedy re the accomodation ideas - I will check them out. You didn't mention whether they were close to the beer for Saturday night but I'm sure we will manage.
I can confirm that the Leicester Marathon is hilly, so any reduction for Dublin sounds good.
Toucan - Leicester half easy....!!!! I wish I could say the same! The hills were tough but did enjoy the sprint finish on the race track! Are you doing it this year?
Sutts - have you got confirmed entry etc for Dublin? Are you going to do Leicester again this year? I am tempted to do the full depending on condition after Dublin.
Not denying there were some bumps in Leicester - just that at 8:45 pace they were 'easy'. To put things into perspective, I ran the Turkey Trot at full pace and lost the will to live.
Will probably (only) do the half again this year, as I'm aiming to take November off from serious running ahead of FLM training.
Andre - are you doing Hinckley or are you still not running?
Toucan - hopefully had last physio session on Wednesday and have got some gel pads for my feet. I have been advised to build up slow so have done two runs of 2 miles each! My fitness has taken a battering as did both runs with HR monitor and did 1st mile in 7 mins and then 2nd in 6.32 and my heart was working harder than usual! No pain in foot which is great though so am aiming to go to 3-4 miles this weekend, next race is the Rothley 10K. When is Hinckley?
Toucan - I am off to Saudi next Friday so will miss that anyway. I am looking forward to Rothley especially as I live in the village! Also a few of us are running in memory of a friend of ours who unfortunately commited suicide on Christmas Eve, he used to run a bit. His charity was the air ambulance so we will be rattling tins at the end!
i have entered online and received an e-mail frm active europe saying I will shortly receive my running number via e-mail. This was 2 weeks ago. The e-mail I have received gives an entry number, but not a running number. Does anyone know if this is correct or if a runnign number will be e-mailed through closer to the time??
kk I wondered about this and emailed them and they said we will receive details nearer the time but we have to collect the running number in Dublin that weekend.
thanks Tilly P. I will look out for the details. I tried e-mailing active europe, but their mailbox was full. Was it them you e-mailed before or the Dublin Marathon itself? I know it is a long way off, but I have everything booked now.
Hippo - Have noticed you're up for this and the Cardiff marathon. I too am thinking about doing both but was worried it isn't do-able due to knackeredness, injury etc.
What do you all think?? 3rd Oct and 25th Oct is that too much??
I too mailed active europe more than 3 weeks ago but I never received a reply from them. Seems they don't answer e-mails. This race seems a long way off but I guess in training terms it isn't so I better get a move on.
Morning peeps - boy do my knees hurt and this is just the start of my training for Dublin. Went hill walking on Sunday and hurt the knees coming down of the hill. My plod last night showed the legs wee still tired and my knee hurts even going downstairs - not a good start to marathon training. Still plenty time to go.
Comments
Leicester is undulating veering towards hilly. What I think makes Leicester quite a tough course is that the hills are one after another for the whole distance.
(I did Leicester Marathon but I'm sure it's the same course).
Bugmond - I quite agree that it's much better to know what lies ahead so there are no nasty surprises!
What you may find helpful is to do your training over hillier routes, then on race day it will seem so much easier and you will be a stronger runner for it.
Cinders - Well in 2002 the hill was at 18 miles and in 2003 it was at 6 miles, cos they reversed the route, have not yet heard which way round it will be for 2004. The hill is in Phoenix Park which is lovely and I prefered it at 18 miles though lots of peeps didn't!
I can confirm that the Leicester Marathon is hilly, so any reduction for Dublin sounds good.
Then again I was pacing a friend a good 2 minutes per mile slower than I would normally run at.
He thought it was awful.
I've run it for the last 2 years and found it difficult on oth occasions
To put things into perspective, I ran the Turkey Trot at full pace and lost the will to live.
Will probably (only) do the half again this year, as I'm aiming to take November off from serious running ahead of FLM training.
Andre - are you doing Hinckley or are you still not running?
I'm putting my Rothley entry in this weekend.
What do you all think?? 3rd Oct and 25th Oct is that too much??
p.s I think I know the answer
I've got a big problem collecting my number and need to find out if there is an alternative method of distribution.
I'm flying over on Saturday and staying at the Camden Court, a nice looking hotel that we all met up at for a few drinks last year.
I'm not volunteering or anything but is there a list of the runners going yet?
Go all out in cardiff
and have a nice time in dublin
hell, you are even allowed t walk it
See you tonight at dk10k!
This race seems a long way off but I guess in training terms it isn't so I better get a move on.