Snowdonia Marathon

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  • Hi all,

    Just back from Snowdonia. Ran/walked up and down the llanberis Pass followed by a nice romp down to the Beddgelert junction. The bit that really concerns me is the uphill to Pen y Pass, I am sure I will be walking most of it.

    If anyone is looking for accommodation the YHA at Pen y Pass still has a few places, but is filling quickly.If I could afford it I would book a room at Pen y Gywrd. Beautiful old pub with a fantastic climbing history. We happened upon a meeting of the Alpine Club there, with George Brand in attendance. Amazing.
  • m p - thanks for guidance on kenyan hills. it'll save me loads of money. i've been flying to africa every time i've wanted to do a session!
  • thanks for your advice mp,makes me feel happier knowing i havent really got to change my training too much (toomuchtoodo no its not my first marathon but this will be the toughest ive done)Has anybody started training for this yet? aunty moggy how bad is that hill to pen y pass and is that at the end or beginning of course?
  • aunty moggy Did you get caught in the rain hope not!

    Don't worry too much about Pen-Y-Pass it wont feel that bad on the day, especially as it is at the start. I trotted up it last year being overtaken by everyone and their dog but still did 3:24. Save your energy for the climb at Waunfawr that is far harder, still perverse fun though ha ha.
  • I'm beginning to suspect I've bitten off more than I can chew.. *scared*
  • John BachJohn Bach ✭✭✭
    Aunt Moggy,

    Sounds as if you had a nice visit to Snowdonia. Would have to agree re the Pen-y-Gwryd - I go there quite often (owners very nice/eccentric) - seems as if it stuck in a wee bit of a time warp!

    Whilst I haven't done the marathon before, I regularly run sections of the course and I'd agree with dpryce (hope injury is clearing dp) re Waunfawr. I don't think you can do any training to prepare yourself for the Waunfawr hill at 20miles+. However, perversly as it may sounds, it is the downhill sections which I am least looking forward to - notably the drop down into Llanberis after the Waunfawr climb.

    Hope everybody's training is going well - I'm looking forward to a run around the Great Orme today.
  • jb - agree on both counts, the up then the down. but hey watch out for the last little climb they threw in last year. just when you thought it was all over they re-routed the race and yes instead of the previous flat finish they threw in a cheeky little incline which i wasn't expecting so i threw my toys out the pram and walked it. not sure if this years finish will be as last years or the easier one of the previous years.
  • First marathon for me. I have gradually been building distance through my normal weekend run - 14 miles this last weekend took me over half m threshold for the first time, plus trying to run home from work twice a week (9 miles). Have a good hill at the 6 mile mark running home and have made the long run include some largish hills so am working the xpected muscles.

    Think the best thing I can do for the hills is head nearer 13 than 14 stone ! Good news is I'm already really feeling the difference going up hill so am getting more confident by the week.

    Read an article suggesting running up and down is easier than maintaining speed on the flat - alternates which muscles are working : )
  • W-P, sounds like you're in good shape. it's still a while off yet so just don't build your mileage too quickly if this is your target race
  • Thanks CD.

    Was aiming to build gradually to circa 20-22 miles sometime poss late September before a bit of a taper. Does this sound about right ?
  • w p - sounds perfect. i used to do 3 weeks taper which felt too long as by the time race day came it felt ages since my last long run. this year i'm trying two weeks - ie last long run of say 3hrs two weeks before raceday followed by 1.5 hrs week before.
    i'll let you know if it works as i'm doing the w-p marathon this sat.
  • WP looks interesting and challenging - have fun.....
  • Hi JohnB injury is sort of getting there no actual pain now and am even thinking about running the Rhyl 5k next Weds eve. Will try a canter around Saturday to see what's what leg wise. Hope your training is going well!

    To all John Bach is spot on with the Waunfawr hints and the down hill into Llanberis, that was what hurt me most last year.

    Collie dave I noticed the "little" hill at the end too but as a mate of mine was coming down it on her mountain bike and shouting encouragment i tried to look cool on that one ha ha
  • dpryce - can i borrow your mate this year please!?!
  • collie dave ha ha can arrange a few supporters for you for a small price!
  • Hi all, I think I've only posted a couple of messages on here about Belper RR, but have entered Snowdonia (cheque cashed) and have booked a nice apartment in Llanberis for 2 nights for the family.

    Unfortunately, I've been swept right out of running at the moment, which is really frustrating after a sound winter's training...it's not even a running injury that has put me out...the day before FLM I was getting ready for the journey to London to stay with my bro. I was kneeling washing my hair over the bath and when I finished I placed my forearm on the edge of the bath to lift myself, which slipped and I crashed down on the bath straight onto my ribs. That wiped me out of FLM. I've been to the doc's twice and although I've had no X-Ray, it's most likely that I've fractured a rib or two - can't tell you how painful this is, can't breathe deeply, can't laugh, can't sneeze, can't lie down, can't move!!!! It's been almost a month now, but I've started to feel a little improvement this week - fingers crossed.

    Hopefully I'll be contributing to training talk soon :-)

    Hope everyone is well :-)

  • Oh Minnie! You poor thing! Your feet must be really itching now..

    When are you going to back up and running again?
  • John BachJohn Bach ✭✭✭
    dp,

    Glad to read that you are pain free - hope that it is it for you, injury wise, for the rest of the season.

    UM - that was bad luck - hope that it "mends" soon and that you're back running again v soon - plenty of time till Snowdonia!

  • um - get better soon.

    dpryce - if that small price includes a trolley i can be wheeled to the finish on, you're on!
  • Hi everyone I have only just sent entry form off this week will I be wasting my time do you think 1500 will have been exceeded by now? I didn't realise this one would be so popular I will be so disappointed having entered London for the past God knows how many times and being knocked back I was a little late with this because I thought there would be no limit. Does anyone know who I could contact to see I was so looking forward to it having read the forum for the past few months. I have even booked my accomodation!
  • Hi Minnie, sorry to hear about your injury. I really hope you recover soon and breathing's not too painful.
  • NG - contact Jayne Lloyd, Race officer by e mail (on the main race page). I doubt if it's up to 1500 yet but it won't be far off. Jayne does a prompt reply and she will let you know all the details. Good luck.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    UM - you poor thing, that sounds really painful, hope you're better soon.

    NG - I think you'll be OK and get in. Last year was the first year the race was oversubscribed so most peeps won't have entered yet. Lots of the regulars won't have entered yet.
  • TMTD, JB, SD, Hammie and Shades - thanks for the sympathy and good wishes :-) I can't believe my luck. I'm feeling a lot better this week though, I have a new strategy of taking a couple of ibuprofen before bed and sleeping on my poorly side *ouch* with a pillow underneath. I still think it will be a couple a weeks or more before contemplating running. It realy was a very heavy fall - it knocked the wind out of my sails good and proper.

    All that winter training down the drain...but I'll be back :-)

    Hope you get a place Nurse Gladys.

    Hammie - are you doing this?
  • Ultra Minnie
    Sorry to hear about your fall hope it heals soon. Don't panic too mych about loss of training. It has been researched that for every 1 week you "miss" of training it takes 2 to return to your previous standard and it takes at least a week to start loosing fitness to any real degree! So even missing a full month of training it will only take about six weeks to be back to form, chin up. I'm on my way back from injury too and there is loads of time till October.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    dpryce - I don't agree with that, unless the research was done on sprinters, in which case I wouldn't know.
    For distance running if you miss a month's training it certainly wouldn't take 6 weeks to get back to your original fitness level.
  • SHADES Actually i don't know whether it was done on sprinters or long distance runners, but it was done on athletes over the age of 40 and of a "good" standard, which i think should be more accurate for real world runners, like me!
  • hi everyone, just about to send my aplication form off. i am really looking forward to this one, it has been on my must do list for a while.

    i am running edinburgh next sunday then after a little rest it is all systems go for this one. I think me and moel famau are going to become very well acquainted over the next few months.
  • mr fmr f ✭✭✭
    Welcome aboard Carrot top!! I like the look of your PB's (no inuendo intended!) Will be interesting to see what time you can muster here at Snowdon.

  • Hi carrot top Snowdonia is a must do good choice! Enjoy the build up and of course the race! p.s. you passed me in the Wrexham half in the last mile. You were going like a train and i was cooked and slowing ha ha.
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