Robin Hood Half

Anyone else running the Half Marathon in 2 weeks time? This will my my debut (having dragged around with the kids in the Fun Run for the last 2 years). Feel slightly less apprehensive about the task having run the Cropwell 10 yesterday. Any tips about the course - where are the hills,how undulating is undulating, should I have stuck to the Fun Run???!!!!
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  • Errrrrmm... I think there will be another 11,999 people in Nottingham on the morning of 15th September ! I will be one of them. It's my third half marathon - after doing Mansfield and Newark over the last 2 months, and looking at the route I would say it is pretty undulating - have a look at the map on the website and drive round it, I'm sure you will agree.
    Should be some nice scenery on the route though.
    Have you received your number and runners pack yet ? They were due to be sent out last Friday at the latest and I haven't had mine yet.

    Good luck with the run !
  • Not got mine yet, no need to panic yet though. (He said optimistically). I hope it's not too 'undulating', I ran a 10K in Cornwall that was described as undulating and it was just plain hilly ! I was exhausted. Hope to aim for a PB for this one, training's been going well. Might have to forego the silly hat and green tights in order to concentrate on the race itself. Boring but I'm saving my silly outfit for the FLM !
  • I received my race number today complete with microchip and map!
  • Received my race number today as well - looking forward to a good run and hope for a PB as I have been told it is a reasonably flat ?? course and will use RW Pacer to get me round under 1:45
  • I looked at the course records and they don't seem to mention a record for a woman in the half marathon - does this mean I will see my name in flashing lights?
  • Thanks for the comments. Finally got my pack and number today. Haven't yet studied the route in detail, but a word of warning to those from outside Nottm - beware close encounters with the tram works!! I assume that the organisers have thought this through, but there aren't many parts of the City Centre that are free from roadworks and tram rails - perfect ankle turning material I would have thought!!

    Good luck to you all on 15th.
  • My first half and only my third race!!!! - my second race is a ten miler this weekend which I will run extremely slowly in order to ensure I am able to make Nottingham.

    I havent been there recently, how much extra travel time should we allow due to the tram works?

    Not sure what time to arrive either, having never been to a large event before - any advice much appreciated.

    ps: Having received my number etc, I'm slightly concerned that I maybe on the wrong side of the road at the wrong moment and end up doing twice the distance!
  • Vinny

    Wouldn't woory about the tram works affecting travel time - their main threat is to limbs whilst running around the course (although I assume the organisers will have thought about this and will divert as necessary!!)

    Traffic on the day is usually pretty bad - last year the event was delayed because of traffic congestion, but the police will not let the organisers delay it this time. Depends where you're travelling from - I'm coming in from the south west of Nottm (along the A52) and the traffic always seems to grind to a halt on the ring road. Other routes in have been less bad so I heard. Either way I would allow plenty to time - there's quite a bit to do when you get there (quite apart from negotitaing the toilets) and other ways to soak in the atmosphere!

    My advice would be to get there early. Warm up starts at 9.20 and H/M at 10.05 - I will wnat to be in place by 9.45ish.
    Good luck with your run this weekend - I did a 10 miler last weekend and will do my last long run tomorrow.

    Cheers


  • Thanks for the advice. I am travelling from Leicestershire, will probably use the M1 and aim to arrive about 8:30.
    Got a good confidence boost this morning, did my first 10 miler in 1 hour 23 mins (target was to beat 1 hour 30 mins) so my target of 2 hours for next weekend is within reach unless I fall apart in the final 3 miles!. Only snag today was a rather large blister but the free plaster supplied with Runners World should hopefully put that right in time!
  • I ran this last year (just realised it was my first half marathon, can't believe I've run another five since then, this racing thing is addictive - be warned!) and seem to remember no particularly steep hills but there were a few quite long drags. The last couple of miles were really quite flat though, which was just as well in my case!

    Good luck to you all, it's a great event, remember on the day that you're there to enjoy it!

    Oh, and one piece of advice if it is your first time - everyone will go off like a bunch of demented gazelles as soon as the gun goes, and trying to keep up with them is a sure fire way of being knackered before you're even half way. Go off at your own pace, let people run past you, and you'll spend the second half of the race overtaking them. I learned this from painful experience.....
  • I used to live in Nottingham and ran the race a few times. There's a long drag uphill at about 8 miles, but it isn't too bad and not very steep.

    However! The weather is always terrible and part of the the eleventh/twelth mile is along a very bleak, exposed stretch of dual carriageway. This is the only part of the race where there are suddenly no big crowds and it can be a bit miserable. You then turn onto the Trent Embankment which has a brilliant atmosphere but this last stretch towards the finish is longer than you expect ... so keep something in reserve (not that I ever did and always finished in a state of near collapse - one day I'll learn!)
  • I'm travelling up from Essex on the Saturday night and have booked into an hotel with Mr Gnasher. A taxi might be the best mode of transport to get to the start perhaps? This will be my first 1/2 and am looking to finish in about 2 hours, slow stuff by some of the standards I have read about, but it'll do for me!
  • I'm doing this half and it's my birthday as well ! The big four zero!
    I'm hoping to finish in about 2 hours
  • Gnasher, taxi is a v. good idea and saves car park queues (on the way in) and more queues and lots of mud (on the way out). Your hotel should be able to sort one for you but if not try D&G Cars - they are reliable (and cheap).
  • Anyone going from South Birmingham and wanting to share lift??
  • Surely as Nottingham operates a park and ride system it would have been wise to use these car parks to ferry people to and from the race start / finish - to reduce some of the congestion which is bound to occur in an area of Nottingham with limited parking ??

    Perhaps an idea for them to consider for future years ??

    See you in the traffic jam !
  • LizzyB - thanks for the advice, will give the job of taxi-procuring to the hotel methinks. This will be the last time for a while that Mr Gnasher and me spend some time alone, the eldest Gnasherette is off to Uni this month and she is ace at looking after the young Gnasherettes (at a price).
  • Ok, so who's doing this one?

    Anyone forumites up for meeting before/after?

    The usual suspects (myself included) from the club I run with (Notts AC) will be at the Toll Bar pub on the embankment for a pint afterwards if anyone is interested.

    Best of luck to all taking part.
  • Good luck to everyone taking part ... and I hope the weather is kind to you's.

    DD
  • Marmite Master,

    Won't be able to make a drink after the race, as I have to shoot off to get to a friends b'day - all day drinking session - not the best recovery!

    Looks like the weather is set fair, but I hope this wind dies down. No doubt it will be hectic on race morning, my race no is 10746, and I will be aiming for anything between 1:20 and 1:25, though a new PB (1:23:11) would be nice though :o)

    Good luck everyone!

    Gareth

  • Good luck everyone.
    It'll be my third half-marathon and my third Robin Hood. In 2000 it took me 2:31, in 2001, it took me 2:12 - I'm hoping for 2:08 this time.
    It's a good course, except for the hill at 8/9 miles, which has so far defeated me each time. this year i'm resolved to not walk at all ...
    Will look forward to hearing how everyone does.
    Sue
  • Running Robin Hood Half for the first time and would appreciate a bit more detail of the course. Apart from the hill at 8/9 miles is the rest of the course pretty flat or are there other hills ?
  • best of luck to everyone! i'm doing this one for the 3rd./4th. time but i'm still nervous. at least i'm not going for a time this time; undertrained and overweight! sue w - i hope you pull it off. rainman, my memory of the course is that it is fairly flat with a couple of long drags. at least that beastly underpass is out this time - a real morale sapper.
  • Couldn't agree more Chrissiy - tripped up in the bloody underpass 2 years ago. Good luck to all. Weather seems to be about right for the event (well for me anyway I hate it hot)
  • thanks Chrissy Boy - I'll let you know. Good luck yourself.
    My championship chip hasn't turned up - i've been told to pick it up at the help desk - is anyone else in the same boat?
  • Doing Robin Hood for the third time,looking for something close to 1.35.Good luck to everyone, most of all enjoy the race.Hope it stays dry it would make a nice change.
  • Hi to you all. Just about to pasta binge before an early night. This is my first half marathon - hoping for 1.55 - just about feasible after my recent 10m in 1.25, but we'll see.

    Anyway - good luck to you all and let's hope for some decent weather.

  • Hope you all had a good run in the Robin Hood this Sunday. If any of you don't belong to a club please email me. I'll let you into the whereabouts of a great little club who share runs with folk of any standard in Nottm area!
  • Dear All,
    I'm afraid it all went pearshaped for me today. I was aiming for a finish time of 2:08, but before I even got over the start line, I tripped over a binbag someone else had discarded and fell flat on my knees, grazing both of them. Not a good start. Then my quads started to hurt after That Hill at 8/9 miles (which I did manage to do without walking - something went right!) so finished in 2:15:12. Oh well.
    Hope that everyone else achieved their goals
    Sue
  • Managed to achieve 2:03:35. Would have beaten the magical 2 hours but for a dodgy bladder!! Still great day.
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