Hello,
Thanks for all of your half-marathon suggestions. It looks like Bath and Reading are the two that would suit me most, mainly because they are easy to get to! So, I'd like your comments on these - which one should I do? One specific question - what is it like having to do two 'laps' at Bath?
Thanks,
Hild
0 ·
Comments
the route travels out of the city and back in. The advantage is you know what is coming on the second lap ie hills,fast sections,best bushes to have a wee if you need one etc.
The daunting and exciting bit is seeing the elite runners speed past on their second lap while you are still on your first and boy can they run.
Last year i remember hearing the sirens and guys on bikes with load halers screaming 'move over elite runners'.Then this little Kenyan guy,must have been five foot nothing went roaring past with a pack in hot pursuit.I said to the guy next to me'they won't catch him'.They didn't.
Thanks for your comments, any more?
Hild
Despite the bad organisation (mainly just accepting more entries than they have facilities for) at Reading I enjoyed that race a lot more than Bath. You would think Bath would be a scenic course but a lot of the route is through fairly dreary areas. The RW pacing groups at Bath really are a hindrance for anyone anywhere near them and ruined it for me last year. I decided then to very actively avoid any races with pacing groups, no matter how much I would have enjoyed the race otherwise.
Ratcatcher, what is the route like at Reading in comparison to Bath then?
Thanks,
Hild
is pretty flat. Over all the atmosphere
was good and from an organizational point of view everything ran smoothly.
It is a good run. I won't be running it again though because I couldn't stand the traffic fumes. I wasn't expecting traffic to be passing me on the right for most of the course; the diesel fumes were particularly bad; I think it is an inconsiderate route for asthma suffers.
(I'm not a full asthmatic).
Apart from that it is a good route and the run feels easier knowing the route when you've completed one lap.
I do remember the Reading route as being fairly hilly, but nothing too horrendous. I would say it is probably harder than Bath, but a lot more pleasant.
As has already been said, both have huge fields which will slow things down a bit.
Val.
I did Reading last year and really enjoyed it, despite the problems at the start. The crowd support was pretty good (and I had my own crowd as the route goes past my parents house), with bands scattered along the length. The atmosphere with the runners was really good also.
It does have some hills (at mile 3 and mile 9ish) but I don't think they're that bad. I'm living in Cambridge so have no hills at all to train on, and was dreading running up one particular road at 3m in Reading, but when it came to it I hardly noticed it.
Haven't run Bath so can't comment on that. How big is Bath 1/2? One of the things I enjoyed about Reading was hearing the sound so many runners made on the road.
Chilly day last year, hopefully better weather this year
Thanks,
Hild
it was an absolute shocker this year (way, way, way too busy) and i will be giving it the broadest of berths
don't like the sound of Bath either....
the scenic halves round our neck of the woods - M40 - in feb/march (but tricky for public transport possibly) would be:
wokingham, provided they've repaired the landslide that cancelled it last year - about 600 people, flat and 12 miles of berkshire countryside
berkhamstead, 300+ people, a couple of stiff
hills and 12 miles of rural chiltern beauty
don't know how that grabs you?
i have to say though it felt pretty uncrushed last time i ran it
It seems that Wokingham is just an hour by train from Oxford. Countryside sounds much nicer than concrete. I haven't been able to find any sites that deal with this half - which site did you look at?
Thanks,
Hild
WWR - I may look at Wokingham depending on when it is
i did a search on wokingham half marathon - and there's stuff on there, but nothing for next year's race yet.
it was due to be feb 20th, i think this year
evil pixie - BK is right, the hills in reading are nothing to be worried about, more like a half mile gradual in cline at mile 3 and then a short sharp 400 yards at 9. other than that it's pretty flat
cep
Cheers,
Hild
saw your other post about wokingham, thanks for early warning of date, must put it in my diary. now sssssshhhh, don't tell anyone about it till i've had time to get my entry in!!!
cep
Both courses arent exactly scenic, but Bath is a lot flatter. At Reading there is a nasty hill at mile 3, (you turn the corner and the little voice inside you screams oh my god!!) and then 2 other hills as well. I suppose you could say that to counter that, there are the downhill bits, but they did me in.
I did find it a bit daunting that the elite passed me, but on the other hand it was a pleasure to see good running form, and its not that I was on my own.
The starts are something to consider too. At Reading it too a good 8 minute for me to get through the start lline, as opposed to a couple at Bath. It was also crowded at Reading so if you are going for a fast time, then Bath is definitely the better.
Incidently, get you appl for in early, Bath fills up by early Nov.
Reading is a bigger event, with a little more excitement, and before the race its a real bustley affair.
Finally Bath is a good place for partners, they can stay in town, have a coffee at the very many fine coffee houses, and also are able to see you twice, something I find very supportive.
So for me its Bath, and I have entered alreay this year. I did Wokingham a couple of years ago, and yes the support is a little sparce but if I remember right it is fairly scenic and flat too.
Whatever you decide , happy running!!!
Alison