Halstead & Essex Marathon

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Comments

  • Good luck everyone, I'll see you there,

    Cheers for the info Fenland runner, from what I know the body takes 18 hours to turn carbs into glycogon which is stored in the liver, this is then released into the bloodstream as glucogen.  So you need to stuff your face a few days beforehand.

    As someone who lives on the edge of the fens, I'm guesin Fenland you've done as much hill training as me- none! Nevermind onwards and upwards...

    Just gettin to the start line is an acheivement so people hold your heads up high!

    See you all Sundayimage

    P.s I'm 271 if you see me flagging give us a jelly bean.image

  • Might live in the Fens but love the hills....

    68 miles in a week during a weeks holiday at Easter in Keswick.

    The highlights being recce'-ing the Lakeland 50 course from Elterwater to Coniston, plus getting to the top of Skiddaw from Keswick in 79 minutes ( 5 miles and 3000' ft of ascent)...image

    #377 (IIRC)

  • Helly d - if you can get to Witham (2 stops on from Chelmsford), we'll be leaving there at about 8 - 8:15 am to arrive at Halstead for around 8:30 - 8:45.

    Room for one or two others in the same predicament.

    PS: I'm #10, I haven't trained for this, but I did do Ironman New Zealand two months ago!

  • Fenland Runner- impressive! Bet it was beautiful.  I'm sure you'll cope with the undulations! image
  • Fenland Runner - do you mind me asking what target time you're hoping for on Sunday? Sounds like you might be in impressive shape for this...

    Looking forward to running this on Sunday, haven't seen a comment from anyone anywhere who doesn't love this race! Must be a good'un.

  • 50% terrified, 50% excited.

    Now I'm worried about the rape seed  - especially if it's windy - forecast doesn't seem too good.  (I'm already taking my inhaler to get me up the hills! )

  • Can anyone give me a lift?! Trains are all messed up, can't get to braintree til gone half 9. Happy to pay petrol costs or share cabs from Chelmsford (easiest place to get to from london).

    Thanks!
    MIke

  • helly dhelly d ✭✭✭

    Thanks for the offer Suffolk Punch but I'm not sure we can even  get that far ! As Mike above says, there's engineering work meaning the train only goes as far as Billericay, from then on it's a rail replacement bus which is supposed to get to Chelmsford about 08:35.

    So far there's me, Mike and AN Other trying to get there on time. If anyone can offer lifts from either London or Chelmsford I'm sure we would be eternally grateful image 

  • All this talk of Glycogen. Pitty my liver is otherwise engaged!
  • I'm not planning on completing in any time, if it starts with a four I'll be more than happy. image

    White Peak in two weeks which I will be hoping to run a little bit quicker. image

  • Would love to help you guys, the problem is the personal drinks are delivered to the water stations at around 9:15, that really doesn't give enough time to get from Chelmsford to Halstead, even assuming the train/bus does arrive on time!

    Didn't realise the trains were that bad on a Sunday, could give you lift back to Chelmsford after the event, if it saves you the cost of a taxi ride.

    if you can PM me your mobile number we can meet after the finish. As I said I can make room for up to 3.

  • helly dhelly d ✭✭✭
    PM on its way SP Your efforts are appreciated.
  • adrian felladrian fell ✭✭✭

    Just for fun I decided to jot down the climbs from the GPS Elevation graphic on the Halstead website.

    Obviously GPS output must be taken with a pinch of salt but these should be near enough to give some indication of what's in store:

    00.25m 95ft
    02.00m 45ft
    03.60m 25ft
    04.60m 55ft
    05.60m 25ft
    08.10m 20ft
    08.60m 85ft
    11.30m 15ft
    12.30m 60ft
    13.65m 30ft
    14.65m 15ft
    15.30m 25ft
    16.25m 55ft
    17.25m 25ft
    19.75m 20ft
    20.25m 85ft
    22.50m 25ft
    24.00m 45ft
    25.25m 40ft

    So by that estimation there are 3 climbs of around 85ft or more, half a dozen of about 50ft & a further ten smaller uphills of approx 25ft.

    I guess it's the climb that beings in mile 20 that's the part where most people may suffer.

    GL everyone who does this.  I'm still 50/50, going to decide tomorrow morning..!

  • LIke the look of the course profile, my running technique isn't great so have issues when the course is dead flat (e.g. Edinburgh).  A few undulations helps.image
  • helly d: There are no engineering works on the stansted express from Liverpool St maybe you could do that and cab from stansted to halstead?
  • helly dhelly d ✭✭✭

    Cheers Chaz, hadn't considered that but think we're going for safety in numbers (all 3 of us).

    Off to bed now so good luck all for tomorrow.

    ETA, looking at website stansted express is also replaced by a bus till 12:00!

  • Hey guys,

    Sorry I haven;t been online in a while.

    I will check my messages tomorrow morning incase anyone still needs a lift. I will be going through wanstead at about 8:50am so if anyone still needs a lift then do let me know.

    rita
  • helly dhelly d ✭✭✭
    Kingdoraimage - will look on here tomorrow and may text you, I  need to check with the others first and we'll all be up early. Have you got room for 3?
  • car's full now guys. helly+2 are with me.

    See you later guys.

    Have a good one.

    image
  • Great race in near perfect conditions, thanks very much Halstead Road Runners..

  • adrian felladrian fell ✭✭✭

    I absolutely LOVED this!

    Did a PB of 3:24:19 (previous best was 3:44:40 at Brighton) so am bouncing off the walls just now.

    Personally I found the undulations much easier to deal with than Brighton, there were more of them & a few were steeper but none of them lasted very long.

    Will do a review of the race in more detail, now of to get gloriously drunk.

    I was the stocky-ish runner with a shaved head wearing a light blue Harlow top if anyone happened to be near me.

  • absolutely loved this race met some great people ,the organisers deserve a massive pat on the back in all departments,and i knocked about 11 Min's off my Pbimage 

    was about 3mins behind you adrian you past me on the long hill about22/23mls

  • What a great day. Hadn't trained well so had no expectations, apart from FINISH. Cramped up after 16 miles but could run about 60 paces followed by a walk of about 120 paces. Hope I didn't get in anyone's way on that last 10 miles. All that, and I finished only 4 mins outside my PB. Better training and I'm sure I can beat 4 hours

    Organisation and marshals superb, weather much better than 2008, thanks HRR

    And Chelski just tonked Wigan 8-0 to win the Prem. Tired, emotional and liver working hard again.
  • Tracey GTracey G ✭✭✭
    adrian - was it you I shouted the time to in the later stages of your race?
  • Well I went into Halstead wanting a totally different experience from the 2 London marathons I've done - and I absolutely loved it! Scenery, organisation, marshalls, people in general, all fantastic; I also had no ipod (banned) and no garmin (flat!) so it really was a different day out for me! Thoroughly enjoyed every minute, even the hills which helped iron out a slight injury by not constantly plodding on flat surface - despite being happy to walk at the drinks stations I knocked an incredible 16 mins off London coming in at 4.24.10 (ish) - to say I'm over the moon is an understatement!!

    Thanks to you guys on here for talking me into it, I'm so glad I listened to you & went for it - just sorry I didn't get to meet anyone here (as spent my time wisely staying warm in the changing rooms!)  I did meet lots of other lovely people though image

    Liz

    p.s the grassy hill at 25.5m was taking it a bit too far tho ....
  • Tracey GTracey G ✭✭✭
    Congratulations Elizabeth imageimageimage
  • Unofficial PB of about five minutes and a -ve split imageimage

    Crackin' course, loved it.

    No cramps, even better.

    Fantastic day out, London v Halstead - no contest.  Halstead wins easily.

  • Elizabeth, you passed me on the last few yards as I cramped up on the run in! I finished in 4:24:15 (ish)

    Glad you enjoyed it
  • helly dhelly d ✭✭✭

    Thanks  once again to Kingdora for driving to the rescue of the London public transporteers after a bout of frantic texting this morning.

    Superbly organised as ever, fantastic support, weather not too hot  and great to meet some new people . PBs or something similar all round.

    I would also agree that the grassy knoll  at mile 25 is evil so could you please arrange for it to be flattened next year Halstead people.

  • Thanks to everyone for a great race. Organisation and support fantastic!!!

    Unfortunately, my hamstring started hurting after 16 miles and too many hills. Had to walk up most of them. Finished in 4:18 - 3 minutes faster than London last year. ( I know I should be really pleased, but still managed to miss my good-for-age time by 3 minutes.)

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