Alloa HM 18 Mar 07

Anyone else out there doing the Alloa Half this year?

Any advice from people who've done it in the past?

Also if anyone's driving up from Edinburgh on the Sunday morning and might have a spare seat available, could they let me know? Happy to pay petrol contribution. Public transport to Alloa on a Sunday morning proving a bit challenging...!

Thanks...

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Comments

  • Hi Jimbo

    It's on my list and I've done it lots of times and train on the roads around Alloa.

    What would you like to know ( sorry, can't help with the lift )
  • You could also look here
    for more information.
  • Thanks Pronator man...

    Really what I'm interested in is the position of the hills (ie the 'proper' hills!) and how near the start and finish they fall.

    Also are there any long downhills?

    Ta very muchly,

    Jimbo.
  • I'm going!!!...and crapping it as my last 2 LSR's were pants!
  • Jimbo, there's one long gentle downhill coming out of Fishcross and heading towards Tullicoultry (at about 6m I think?). Then there's a cheeky wee uphill about 18m coming out of Menstrie towards Tullibody so keep something in the tank for it! You've also got a slight climb through Tullibody back towards the finish, but the last bit towards the finish itself is gently downhill.

    Hope this helps (also can't help with the lift as I'm nowhere near Edinburgh!). I'm still trying to find somwehere roughly 3.5m away from the start to park my car. Plan on doing a 3.5m 'warm-up' to the start, run (not race) the race then another 3.5m 'cool-down' back to my car. Need to do 20m next weekend as part of my training schedule but don't want to miss this race.
  • There are no short steep hills on the route but there are a number of longer, steady gradients.

    The first mile is gentle downhill, be careful not to go off too fast. Fairly level then from about 2-4 you are climbing out of Alloa until you reach Fishcross.

    Quite a fast, steady down hill from 4-6 until you turn sharp left at Tillicoultry, then a level section 6-11 along the Hillfoots road, through Alva into Menstrie.

    Turn left again, then climbing most of the way up to the finish.

  • I was nearly right then... :-)

  • Hey Debstir, I'll be there complete with Nano and my FRR t-shirt! Remember and say hello! Nike baseball cap, too incase of wind and rain!
  • Debstir - you could park in the car park at Tesco, run out the Stirling Road through Cambus, turn right after the Golf Club ( Park Terrace) and then straight ahead until you reach Alloa Road in Tullibody ( at this point you're on the half marathon route), turn right and this will take you to the start of the race.

    At the end, you could go back the same way or, if you feel like giving yourself a break, straight down Alloa Road to the town centre where you parked your car.
  • Now there's an option. I had also thought about parking at the top of Causewayhead Road in Stirling but that's about 4+m I think - too far!

    Tesco in Alloa, is that the one with the car park off the main ring road (across from where a petrol station used to be)? And does Park Terrace take you up a hill through Cambus Park?
  • Debstir, are you doing the Edinburgh marathon?
  • Debstir, this is a link to multimap that shows the road

    link
  • SoaPM, thanks for the link. Yep, it's the one I thought it was.

    KP, I might be doing Edinburgh. I'm training for FLM (got a club place) but as Edinburgh's only 5 weeks after and I'll have done the training...

    Just need to get someone to work for me that day!
  • Just entered on the last day!

    Not halfed it for a wee while and really looking forward to it.

  • Hey dude!!

    Can't believe this is on Sunday! Praying that the wind dies down before then.....

    Debstir, 2 marathons within 5 weeks? Are you MAD?
  • Many thanks Debstir and Pronator man - very useful inside knowledge...

    Although got a bit of a shock when I read Debstir saying

    "...there's a cheeky wee uphill about 18m coming out of Menstrie towards Tullibody..."

    18m?!?! I thought it was a bloody half?!?!

    Thanks again and best of luck to all...
  • lol, so I did! Ok what I meant was 11m - where 18m came from goodness only knows!
  • Debstir - you're thinking of ASda - but you could park there too -its very close by.

    Good luck to all. I'll be running in a Foska "bones" vest, wearing a smug smile if I get under 90 mins and a glum frown if I don't.
  • What about the Focus car park (if that's what it still is - it's near McD's and the Fire Station) on the way out of Alloa? How far do you think that is?

    Really not sure this is a good idea any more but I really want to do this race (even though I won't be racing it) but I also need to do 20 miles as well...
  • From Focus into Alloa, turn right at the Police Station, then up Tullibody Road to Lornshill - about 2.25 miles.

    From Focus, into Alloa, then out through Cambus etc - just over 4.
  • Thanks again SoaPM but, by jove I think I've got it!

    Glenochil Village along to Fairfield Road (right turn) along to Tullibody Road (another right turn) takes you on to Tullibody Road. I think a bit of it is part of the course (other direction) and as far as I can remember it's uphill - but it will be a nice downhill for the way back! Works out just over 3m.
  • Eh? That doesn't make much sense after reading it again but you know what I mean (maybe...)
  • Just don't get lost on the way to the start.
    :-)
  • Allas, an Alloa thread - Brilliant run this one, and usually my 1st half of the year. Unfortunatly Inverness beat it this year(hopefully the legs will be fine though!!). My club has used this as one of our counting races for at least the last 6 years, especially as its quite local as well.

    Couple of nice gentle down hills into Tilicoutry(spelt wrongly!!). Hopefully their wont be a headwind along the foothills before the left turn at Menstrie and the gentle incline up to 12. This isn't as bad as it sounds, especially since the roundabout went in a couple of years back, seems to take the sting out of it slightly.

    Theirs also been a water stop at the top as well before you left turn and head towards 13. The last 200m or so slightly downhill too.

    Baza
  • Hi,

    Alloa will be my first "race" of any kind as i continue my training for Edinburgh. I've got 12 miles under my belt now and i should be fine as i was due to run 13 miles this weekend anyway.

    All my training this far has been on the flat so i'm glad to hear its not to hilly!

    Best of luck to all as i wouldnt otherwise get the chance to say hi before you all sprint away at the start ;)


    Brian
  • Set this race as part of my build up to Lochaber and using it as a marker to see where I am re' pace setting for the biggie next month. Been a few years since I did Alloa but looking forward to Sunday and hoping the wind isn't too bad on the hillfoots stretch.
    Like you Baza, this is a club counter for the grand prix so hoping to get valuable points on the board.

    See you all there...and if I pass you in the car Debstir whilst driving to the start then do you want me to peep or stop to give you a lift? ;-)
  • ....by the way Jimbo....I gave you a reply to your question on the SAL forum the other day re' the course. I take it you are the same guy?...did you manage to get a lift through on Sunday?
  • Weather Forcast

    Light showers / possible light snow

    Max 5°C

    29mph wind

    :(
  • Wind chill of 29mph wind at 4°C is -2.5°C



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