Grant & Stone Wycombe Half-Marathon

Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

right, the old thread got hijacked...let's start again.

No Toes, Susie, and others, report back here!

10days away now...

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Comments

  • image wow this party has really died, new host? 

  • Right, you've talked my into it, Stevie G!  Haven't run it the past 3 times, so about time I tried again - my 11th attempt, and about time I did a decent time!

    Oh, and if it's as hot as it was yesterday for the Hughenden Manor 10K, I want my money back! Talking of this, didn't think I'd find a local race with a harder start than Wycombe, but reckon it was!

    Anyway, looking forward to having a go at the legendary Wycombe Half again, it's been too long...

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Great stuff mate, 10 times so far is impressive. Sometimes it's worth coming back to a race after a few years away to show you what you've been missing. Hadn't done the Marlow 5 for 4 years until coming back to it this year, and like the Wycombe half it's a great race. 

    You should try the Bradenham 10k if you want a  challenge, its gone for this year, but June next year look out for it. A semi fell race, 2 laps and you'll probably come out about 4-5mins slower than your 10k normal!

    Although, how hard was the Hughenden Manor start then if it's harder than Wycombe's start!

  • If your looking for a race with a tough start look no further than the Coombe hill 6k race. two tough hills and the middle of the second one is like running up a cliff face.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    oh we aren't Cyber...ew certainly aren't looking for a tougher start!
  • The tough ones are the fun ones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭

    Bradenham may be coming back in the Autumn Stevie G - race organiser needs some volunteers I believe....

     It's not the first hill in Wycombe that gets me, as you just attack that and get it out the way - it's the long , slow, almost imperceptible climb from 8M to 12M that always hurts most. It's only around 130ft spread over the 4 miles, but it sure messes with your pacing!!

     I ran through Hughenden yesterday and saw bits of the route. Given that Hughenden is my regular training ground I was tempted, but £18 for EOD was steeper than Marlow Hill!!

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Got a 5k to do first Busboy, then it's Wycombe half time! I remember feeling incredibly relaxed in 08 and 09 knowing I was only doing the 10k and could snake off near the colleage on 3miles and downa  long delightful steep hill and almost be back!

    This year look forward to the likes of you and a few similarly paced people in the 18th to 25th kind of positions mixer pacing me along!

    And agreed on the last miles slog, I run that route plenty but you don#t really notice it at easy pace, but at race pace and when that many miles in you sure do! When I do effort sessions and run out that way, it never escapes my notice that the efforts back are always harder!

    The little hill just after 12miles is always a great little sharp shock as well! Only about a 10metre climb over 200metres but always feels tough!

    I think I'll save Bradenham for a cross country I do in late December, an excellent way to round the year offin my local xc series!

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    tuesday's 5k out of the way..full steam ahead for sunday
  • Mr KMr K ✭✭✭

    Does anyone have a postcode for the start? 

    Thanks

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    2days away..lets hope this overcast weather and cool temperature stay in place
  • can I enter on the day?

    Thanks...

  • Mr KMr K ✭✭✭
    Redcat - the message I got earlier was "Entries are being taken from 8.00am to 9.00am" 
  • It sounds like this one has some tough climbs, does anyone know if the 10k part of this race has the same challenging hills? Starting to get a little nervous about it now!

  • AnnaMG - the 10K and Half both start off up the same hill ... an 80m zigzag climb on the second km. But then it's mostly flat and downhill for the 10K after that.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    80metres? Is that all it is,  I'm sure from about 1/4mile to 1 1/4mile it's a climb!

    Thenn at 3k on the 10k you have about 50metres rising a bit, before a lovely 3/4mile very steep descent, and then hitting the bottom of the hill knowing you only have 4k left.

    The half marathon obviously has the same first mile hill, and then a couple of ups and downs you barely notice, before a pretty steep 1//2mile descent down a nicely Wooded road. After this you have a few hundred meters before a little climb for say 200m, quickly followed by another 200m descent.

    The last 6miles look flat but apparently rise by about 100feet which explains why the pacing isn't quite as easy as it should be. Then just after 12miles you have a 50metre slight climb, which hits you a bit at that stage, before a nice similar descent that takes you within touching distance as will now be able to hear the commentator. You then have another 0.8miles to enjoy the river and longingly look over the water longing to finish!!

    One last park section and you're there!

  • Thanks for the info, it's always nice to know what you're up against.

    Have a good race.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    looking  nicely overcast ay 7:30 in wycombe....let's hope it keeps that way.
  • A cool 15 degrees, so should be lots of PBs today. 

    Word is out  Sarah Gee clocked a 1:16, an exceptional performance for a 45yr old lady.  More time training - and less time talking about training -  can bring great performances.

    Who won the men's race?

  • Well I didn't think it was possible considering the hills, but managed a PB, yay!!!  So I'm happy.  Hope everyone else's race went well.image
  • The winner of the men's  race got a PB too at 1:13!

    One or two on this thread have gone a tad quiet image 

  • tim dale, get a new thermometer, it was more than 15 degrees
  • A club colleague of mine ran today, his car gave him 15 degrees at 09:20, (and it's an 09 BMW so he doesn't need a new thermometer). Maybe things heated up after 09:30?

    But, the starting temperature was 15 degrees, fact!    

  • I didn't get a pb (but wasn't expecting one with that first hill!). Really enjoyable race though

  • Not a PB for me... I'll leave that for the flatter courses like Wokingham or Richmond but a couple mins off my course time so happy with that.

    It's nice to see more water stops on offer than advertised... perhaps there are a couple unofficial ones? The sponges are always welcome too. There must have been several hundred local supporters along the route, which is much appreciated.

  • Yeah the supporters were good, I missed the water station that was supposed to be at about 1 1/2 miles and thoughtfor a bit that it might set the tone foe the rest, but there were plenty of water stations, so much so that it didn't really matter that I didn't get over for a couple of them!

    I didn't expect a PB, especially after the first hills, but I guess it was jsut one of those days where it flowed!!  That and any half PB is 6 yearsb old!!

  • Excellent race - the usual fantastic organising by Handy Cross Runners, combined with unusually low(ish) temperatures.  Very glad Mr Sunshine chose to delay his appearance until the afternoon!

    I was aiming for a personal course best - so anything in the low 1:38's would have been great, but ended up surprising myself with a low 1:36 (my third best time anywhere) and even a top 100 finish - woo-hoo!

    Congratulations to everyone who took part - especially Sarah Gee, what an amazing time/performance.  Oh, and Stevie G - well done, a course best & a top 20 finish - excellent stuff.

  • "course best"....I like that, .next we'll be having a "course on mild day with porridge for breakfast" best!!!

     Well done to all the PB'ers, showing us all what nads-out progressive training is all about.

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