Two2go Lea Valley Trail Marathon

I have had my eye on this for a couple of years and it seems well organised. Time to do it I guess especially as I run and cycle bits of it daily!
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Comments

  • Hi Orb,

     I have just entered this race. Nice to do a run on a Saturday. I have not run this route before (walked Hertford to Broxbourne). With your local knowledge does the route get busy with other runners / walks etc?

  • I will have a look to see exactly where the route goes. I have never had problems but you have to be a bit careful at the bridges as cyclists can be a bit manic!
  • Hi guys,

    I asked the organiser about the course last year, as I run some of it occassionally Sunday mornings when I am training, and seem to be forever dodging a range of moving obstacles (other runners, prams, bikes, dogs, the elderly, children, ducks etc).

    The course is not closed, so there is the possibility of everyone wanting to use the route during this race; I guess the better the weather the more likely people are to want to walk/cycle it on the day.

    I did suggest that they put signs up in the weeks leading up to it as a forewarning to anyone to be prepared for runners, as I remember the Hertford 10k last year that I ran through just as they were about to start (due to me not knowing anything about it!)

    I didn't end up taking part last year, but I am thinking of it this time around as I want a marathon around this time and a local one would be best. My only thoughts are that it is 25 quid. You can't get lost along the route, and it is open to the public....

  • How many races are closed to the public? Only the really big ones - of the races I have done only London has been closed. I think £25 is ok for a race that starts and finishes in different places. Of course I may be wrong but I have run along the canal through Cambden Lock and had less trouble than at the London Marathon!
  • No, you're right Orb, it is only the big ones which are closed. I think teh difference is my mind was that other races are more of a route which requires marshalling/signs, whereas as far as I can tell this is just straightdown the towpath (could be wrong). They have to put on drink stations etc, so in the big scheme of things 25 quid isn't a lot to be asking. To be honest it is nice to have something like this locally, so we should support it otherwise it'll vanish and we'll be left worse off.
  • Have done every '2Go' race so far.  It's a 'straight down the towpath with some twiddly bits round the country park and the marshes' course.  Yes you'll see walkers, anglers, cyclists etc but tbh it's not an issue.  The field very quickly spreads out so it's not like you've got a bit group of runners trying to negotiate the course at any one point.  Theoretically it's a series of five races leading up to 2012 but they may keep it going.

    Oh and you can get lost btw!

  • I can always get lost image Run home most days from work and managed to get lost in the local woods a couple of days ago - pesky trees keep growing and changing how the route looks!

     I'm tempted to enter now... What the heck, might as well image!!

  • I am told they were a bit disappointed there were so few locals doing it. I see someone is trying to set up a parkrun in Hackney marshes as well. I hope it comes off.
  • Just entered :-}

    Yeah £25 for water and to get my bag carried but a Marathon in London  (my home town) that I can actually enter !  A no brainer....?

  • i ntered a while ago, but have been injured for a while, desperately hopingto get well enough to run but looking unlikely at the moment. I havent been able to run sine feb, so i have maybe a month to recover or it wont be enough time to train. good luck to you all.
  • I wouldn't give up hope vs4b (?). Maybe if you are a speedy runner you might abandon it but if you are a normal regular runner with a few months out through injury then I reckon you would be ok on 8 weeks training. Three weeks gentle build up three intensive weeks and two steady should be ok. Of course it depends on why you have been off and you won't get a pb (probably) but you should be ok.
  • Thanks OrB and bsw77. Looks like the route doesn't get too congested (subject to the weather). This will be my 3rd Marathon, but my first where I can travel to the start from home. I will probably venture up to the area to do a training run or two during July and August. Bring it on!image

    Im hoping if my training goes well to finally break that 4 hour barrier. It must be a relatively flat course.

    £25 - As Marathons go this is cheap!

    vs4b. Last year I got injured doing a half marathon in June struggled to do anything more than 20 minutes jogging throughout August, but in October did the Abingdon Marathon in a PB. So plenty of time unless, as Orb says, you are a speedy runner.

    I plan to start my Marathon training towards the end of May.

    Anyone else wanting to share their prepration schedules?

     Best of health to you all.

  • OTR. Just need to get back into running for a few weeks as have had colds etc so should know by mid May how things are going. Will let you know then of plan but it does include half marathon in June
  • OTR,

    I've done this race three times, and am also looking to crack 4 hours in 2010.   This race is for lovers of flat courses - the only "hills" are on to, and down from bridges over the river or the railway (1st mile only).   The organisation has got better over the years as they have listened to the complaints and suggestions from the first running in particular and any quibbles in 2009 were minor ones.   Like you, I plan to step things up a bit after the Southend Half (13th June), but I am also praying the Summer is not too hot as I know I do not fare well in the heat, and my long runs may suffer if the weather is too good!

  • My long runs suffer whatever the weather!!
  • I like this one

    done em all since the start

    image

  • Been there, got the teddy bear and the stuffed dog!
  • I like marathons that are a bit different - just did the Crawley track marathon for instance. Can anyone here recommend any other slightly different ones? (the Picnic is on my list)
  • Faversham - if you like 40 laps of a park?

    In last year's Three-2-Go, I managed to overtake a boat!

  • Tracey GTracey G ✭✭✭
    The coach to the start is always fun too image
  • helly dhelly d ✭✭✭

    This year I might actually try to catch the coach, last year I had to take bus and train as I didn't get up early enough.

    Course is flat, flat, flat and follows the towpath so it is hard to go wrong unless someone moves a directional arrow which they did at one point last year. Some parts approaching London are none too lovely but there weren't too many people getting in the way. The heat slowed me down last year but water provision was generous.

    The toilets at the Hackney Fields finish were grim but they always are, nothing to do with the race and I liked the food stall(s?) at the end so you could sit around in the sun at the finish with something substantial to eat. Time to enter methinks.

  • I am on the bus if they decide to lay one on. Usually I try and make things as difficult as I can for myself (!) so just for once...
  • HI all,

    I've been out for my first run since Feb this week. Only 1.5miles but no pain! Will be stepping up to 4miles at the weekend and if thats ok will do a 10k next week.

    No yet totally out of it...

  • helly dhelly d ✭✭✭
    Not out of it at all vs4b.   Keep it steady and you're in there.image
  • I am in for this one. Run part of the route as a training run a few times and looking forward to it as it is a lovely route. What is the bit like from Pickets Lock to Hackney Marsh?
  • Flat.

    The finish comes into sight at about 24 miles, but there are a few twists and turns between there and the finish to get the distance right.   In terms of other users, it is probably the busiest stretch of the course, but nothing compared to battling the day-trippers in Margate the week before.

  • I have entered this event every year also but, sadly, last year I didn't finish.

    Perhaps, if one of the arrows was moved, that was why I got lost. I ended up going the wrong way in the country park, took too long to get back on track and pulled out at 25k as I would not have made the cut off. I was hot, thirsty, hungry and fed up so called it a day. Hoping to run this year but would prefer to run with someone. Any volunteers? I will take 5-30 to 6-00 hours.

    Great event and definitely flat. Only problem for me is the grotty facilities at the end but apart from that a good one to do.

  • Hi there, I'd love to run with you... As a first time "marathoner" I've got quite a few worries about the race, but i have to admit "getting lost" wasn't on my list. it is now image
  • If anyone fancies pacing me round to a 3.59.59 finish...

    The country park is really the only place where you might get lost; the rest of the course is straight ahead all the way until you hit the marshes, so it need not really be a concern.   I'm just hoping the weather cools down a bit as I am not a hot weather runner, and putting in the miles might be quite hard if we have a proper Summer.

  • @Tatiana

    A lot of the stuff  I've seen about this Marathon goes along the line of "how the the organisation has improved over the races" . So hopefully the Signage and Marshaling will be so good there won't be any chance of gettin lost. Hope!

    Also don't just do physical training do some brain training, study the course maps, Google earth, etc.( I think it's  pretty much a straight line down the river, 'cept for afigure of 8 around the 2 lakes ) and learn it. Take notes, take notes with you or other odd stuff. 

    Enjoy

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