East Retford RC Half-Marathon

Considering this but looking for a half that will give me a decent chance of a good time -less than 1.50 for me. Any feedback on this??
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Comments

  • I did this one a couple of years ago. There is quite a nasty incline about 2 miles before the end, but this is a very well organised race.
  • Hoping to do this too - i'm not fully prepared for it so will do it as a training run for Worksop in October.
    I take it there's no problem entering on the day??
  • Rickster - what does "nasty incline" entail?

    I ran the Kent Coastal half last weekend - and there was a couple of difficult inclines in that - especially between the 9.5 and 10.5 mark...

    is this one particulaly nasty?

    I need to get 1 or 2 halves in before November...is this run a good one?
  • I did the Robin Hood Half Marathon yesterday. Do you think 2 weeks is enough time to recover for this one?
  • speaking as a novice..I'm just about to go in to the last 8 weeks of a 7 month 1st marathon training programme - and for the next 5 weeks I have to alternate between 20 and 13 miles - and then a tapering 3 week programme...

    so two weeks should be OK for you - but it depends on what you are used to and what you are ultimately training for?

    I think halves are ideal for 'long-run' weekends...for me anyway...

    How did the Robin Hood go? Time-wise?
  • Well, i'm very novicey!

    I don't really follow a specific training programme, however I try to get 2 runs of 8 or 9 miles and 1 run of as near as 13 miles as I can in a week! I also try to do 2 short faster tempo runs of 4 miles. I ultimately want to do a PB of 1 hr 35 in the next couple of years with the intention of doing 1 hr 30 in the even longer run!

    I got 1:43:37 yesterday which I am estatic about! It was my 2nd half marathon.

    Are you still doing this one? I have heard it is quite flate and a good PB course
  • 1:43 is excellent - I really surprised myself in Kent two weeks ago - my first ever half in 1:46...so I can feel your joy...well done...(I'm in training for New York in November - so I'm getting a bit panicky about putting in the time)

    that sounds like a pretty good training schedule to me...but I try to do smaller runs but more of them during the week...and then a much larger run at the weekend - but at the end of the day it's such a personal thing - whatever works for your body - and your the one who knows your body best...so I just say go for it, enjoy yourself and keep well...

    I'm signed up for the Henley half on the 8th and am very tempted to come up for the Retford - but it's a long journey from High Wycombe - might be worth it though?
  • I wouldn't describe the hill near the end as a nasty incline, what you have is a gradual uphill from 10 to 12 but the last mile is quite fast.

    Overall I'd say the course is quite quick, quicker than Worksop, Clowne and other local halves that I've done.
  • Was looking for an Oct HM as that would give me sufficient time to get up to the distance after being injured. Last week I did 12.7miles on the flat so am nearly there but hills are what cause my knees most problems. Did a 10km today where someone told me about this race. If it is flat it might be a better bet than an oct one. My alternatives were kenilworth, coventry or worksop (did worksop last year) can anyone comment on how this compares to my alternatives?
    Sam Sam, how much quicker would you say this is than worksop? Last year I did Worksop in 2.05 but struggled the last few miles with an injury. this year I have done 1.57 on a flat course and 1.58 on a slightly hilly course (hinckley)
  • I would say this is marginally quicker than Worksop, it is more gentle in its undulations whereas the new Worksop circuit in 2005 has reasonable up and downs from 2m to 4m.
  • I can back it up with 1:45 at Retford and 1:46 at Worksop and 1:47 at Clowne.
  • Had to go into Retford this morning so I thought I would have a look at this 'nasty incline'.

    It is slightly steeper than I remember (but then I remember it as a bump in the road) but not nearly as long, nothing anywhere as bad as any of the Clowne hills.

    It's looking doubtfull at the moment but if I can kick this cold I shall be there.
  • Thanks for all the info folks. Have signed up, got my number and hope to have a good go at it. Aiming for less than 1.50 but who knows on the day.
  • the incline you all seemed concerned about is a steep.ish but short rise at just after 12 miles, absolutely nothing to worry about,and as when you get to top you have less than half mile to go you can push yourself safe in knowledge you're nearly there. I think the course is fantastic pb potential, certainly quicker than both worksop and clowne.
  • went onto anquest maps (a software thing we have at work) and traced the route onto an OS map. the program caluculates the distance and total height climbed. the distance was a little under (prob cos I hadnt traced it totally acuratly), the total amount climbed was 93m so not much really. did the same for kenilworth and coventry HM and they were both around 150m. no map online for worksop so cant compare.
    Is it downhill after the climb at 12 miles? how long does this climb last for?
  • hellen -would say the climb is about 0.25mile then as flat as you are likely to get to the finish

    going to enter on the day weather forecast cloudy so will be arriving on the m/c
  • I can cope with a 93m climb over 13 miles, having survived Buxton ok!!!
  • Hoping to do this one.
  • The climb at 12.5 miles is nothing, it's just a slight incline to a round about. It's about 200 yards ?
  • I've been lurking on this site for a few weeks but now it's time to join in!!

    I'll be part of this.......but only in the 2.5m fun run, I'm afraid. However, this will be the first run I've entered so I'm really excited about it <blush> Roughly how many people will do the fun run? Does anyone know?

    Oh, and here's a realy dumb question...how do people attach the numbers? Safety pins? I'm not sure I wanna put a hole in my running top but if I have to, I have to.
  • yes, safety pins.
    I always run in a club vest so only that one gets holes in it. If you enjoy this and think you will do more you might want to reserve one of your tops for races which you dont mind getting holes in. IF you get a top in breathable material the holes tend not to show like they do on cotton t shirts
  • BTW claypole, good luck, maybe the half next year?!!
  • Thanks, Hellen. Definitely the half next year! :o)

    I already have Nike Dri Fit tops. Will the be ok with holes in them? I'm not a member of any club yet so don't have that option. I may join the one in Newark soon, though.
  • Sounds like I will be having a blast at this one....enter on the day me thinks.

    See you all Sunday.
  • Forgot to ask - what is the post code for the changing area - can stick it in tom tom then and find my to you all.

    Cheers

    Bazza
  • How did everyone do?

    I found that the stretches of road went on forever and became quite demoralising. As a beginner, who had only done the Robin Hood before, I found it quite lonely as well. Saying that, the event was very well organised and everyone was really friendly.

    Apart from my knee giving way at mile 11 and losing a toe nail (ouch!) I did it in 1:43:09 - a pb by 28 seconds, so I am really pleased!

  • I really enjoyed this race. It's on a great course and was very well organised.
    I finished in 1:55:38, just missing out on equaling my pb by 5 seconds.
    Like the t shirt as well.
  • I can take the credit for the colour of the t-shirt - I pestered a member of the commitee to do it in black this year :D
  • Rickster, I much have been just ahead of you, I finished in 1.55.30 (ish). I was wearing a barrow runners top.
    the course was OK but more undulating than I was expecting, struggled around 8 miles onwards on the ups but enjoyed the downs!! I found the narrowness of the paths difficult at times when overtaking (not that I did much of that)!!!
    was pleased to get a pb by 1.5 mins though and knee was OK until last couple of mins. Am wearing the T shirt now - havnt got a black one yet!!
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