30th Shell Four Villages Half Marathon

HampoHampo ✭✭✭
Just entered this half. I only live local and cannot believe I have ran it before. I have heard it is very well organised. Is it really hilly in the middle. More so than the New Balance Half?
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Comments

  • I've run both Hampo, and both are great races.  I would class the 4 villages as undlating, with a couple of steep up and down bits.  There is more 'hill' to the hills than Warrington!

    There was a thread for this race last year, somebody posted a profile, have a look here

  • There's a map on the Helsby site at http://www.helsbyrunningclub.org.uk/halfmarathon/halfroute.htm

    If you know the route there's a drag up from the Motor Museum to the turn at Mouldsworth, a bit of uppy-downy and then a more sustained hill to Manley school at mile 10. Magnificent freewheel drop to the golf course a couple of miles later.
  • HampoHampo ✭✭✭

    Cheers Ian and Steve, Would you guys say that it could a PB Course then. I have found flat sometimes tougher in a wierd way. I am also running my fav half which is Wilmslow in March.

  • ...While you're on the subject of this half marathon... Can somebody verify if it's true that they dont actually close the roads during the event ???
    Around this time last year I was considering doing the 2010 event but then heard this rumour which kinda puts me off a little.
  • It's not 13 miles of closed roads no, only the first mile or so. But it's effectively closed with the weight of numbers on country lanes. I wouldn't worry about it though, we've never had a problem with traffic. It's *my* PB course, but I reckon you'd add maybe a couple of minutes over some other courses? Dunno.
  • Thanx Steve,
    I've just had a nosey on the Helsby website and I'm thinking.... "image yes, I'm gonna do this !"
    I did the recent 'English Half Marathon' in Warrington and also did it in 2009.   And now I'm thinking about doing another half sometime soon. January sounds the ideal time for me.
    Just one quick question for ya....(just out of curiousity)... How did the 2010 event cope with all that weird white stuff which descended from above during the Winter months ???
  • Weather? It was touch and go, but the weather gods timed it perfectly. The weekend before it was big drifts, gradually thawing through the week and a tiny bit of spadework ...perfect morning on the day. Kept the website person busy with updates (ahem).

    Get in!
  • Helsby is definately a PB course, my 3 fastest times at HM are all at Helsby. The type of course to just get your head down and get on with it. Remember, for the inclines up there are fast slopes back down or as I prefer to think, hills are just flat bits that rise a little.
  • The website was great last year, regular updates keeping us all informed.  My PB isn't from this course, but I was only a couple of minutes off it. 
  • Hi Folks. If anyone has a spare entry or cannot make it, please let me know. many thanks. David
  • Hi all, did this race last year and back for more this year!  Loved it, well organised but I have a score to settle with it timewise!  I hadn't done any hills or hill training when i ran it last year but i have just (2 weeks ago now) dont Snowdon Marathon so feel that i might just be a bit better round Helsby this time round!

    Must be a good one as i'm travelling 200 odd miles to it, i live in south west wales but my parents are local to helsby (ish).. my dad's in Wirral AC and running it as is my mum....it'll be my first race ever with both my parents in it!!! (And the first one ever that i should beat my mum, I would love to say beat them both but my dad's a bit of a running machine)!!!

    Just hope the weather in the weeks running up to it are kinder this time round......was so touch and go last year and with the distance to travel was very uncertain............all adds to it i guess!!!  Oh and the park and ride is very well organised etc so would recommend to anyone instead of trying to park at the event!!!!

  • Gutted I've missed out on this one. Was gonna reserve my place today but its all full up image
  • Dunno about it being a PB course - dont think I've ever PB'd on it ! Liverpool is faster unless you get that nasty headwind down the river.

     Sorry you've missed out EF - but you have to get in early with these races. They fill up quickly. Check out the calendar and get your entry in for Lpool or Wilmslow before they fill.

  • Cheers Cougie. I've got Liverpool pencilled in...infact, I might even book my place right now if its open.
  • Or...................

    the village bakery half in Wrexham in February

    Flat and fast .

  • If anyone has a problem and can't do the run,  I'll happily buy your place off you (I hoe the reason you can't do it isn't a very serious pone)

    Steve

  • I too would like to join the 'unofficial' list of willing place takers, only if requests posted above me have been exhausted of course. Just planning my calendar for next year & hadn't spied this one till now!

    As above, hopefully not due to any serious reason but any unforseen holidays/work commitments, bad weather etc. get in touch.

     Cheers.

  • Hi guys

    Like a few of the above, I missed out on a place in this race as I didn't realise it filled so quickly.

    If anyone has a spare number, I'd happily buy the number off you and offer you any prize money I might potentially win (having finished 15th in this years London Marathon I'd probably be in with a shout but you never know who will turn up or how you'll go on the day - think of me as a scratchcard you may find lying on the floor!!).  I'm pretty keen to run it as part of my preparation for London 2011 and there dont seem to be any alternatives with Brass Monkey Half also full.  In the interests of fairness, you should probably offer any place to the guys who have posted before me though!!

    Hope everyone's training for the race is going well.  Oh and another date for your diaries if you haven't seen it yet is the popular Trafford 10k on Sunday March 13th which I am involved in organising and was added to the website today.

    Thanks

    Dave



     
  • Unfortunately I cannot do this now, so if anybody is interested let me know.

  • Weelsy

    Both STFC & TheOvenglove posted ahead of me with requests, as such I think it fairer if you try to get in touch with them first. If unsuccessful or they have changed their minds I'll happily purchase your place off you. This is assuming you don't take up the interesting offer of davenorman which you are of course perfectly entitled to do.

    By the way, I can match davenormans offer in fact I'd be willing to treble any prize money I won as an offering! (Does this give you an idea of my confidence of not winning any?)

    I'll keep an eye on the forum & my inbox.

    Cheers.

  • Ah ! Too Late again !!

    If anyone else finds they can't run then I'll gladly take the place (legal transfer of course)

    Thanks

    B.

  • I'd love to take your place!  I'll PM you and see what the state of play is.

    ( Obviously STFC is first on the list!)

    Thanks,

      Steve

  • There's a transfer mechanism on the Fabian website which is pretty straightforward and it's better for the organisers. Please try and keep it legal folks! http://www.fabian4.co.uk/competitor/viewentry.aspx

    If anyone's injured, ill, or otherwise busy, please think about releasing your place. There's always several hundred no-shows - which is kind of inevitable at this time of year - but there's also a queue of people desperate to snap up any spare places.

  • I can't speak for ither but I would be usung the official transfer system (I get to have my actual name on the list then,  I'm only using this as a tool to find people who are now unable to take part.

     image

    A quick question, I was going to send Weelsy a message asking if he had spoken to STFC and what the stae of play was.  However there isn't an option to send him a message.  i presume this is because Weelsy selected not to in which cas'r we will have to wait until he reads this thread.  Im I correct?

     Thanks,  Steve.

  • Looks like they haven't ticked the box to allow people to message them privately. Arranging transfers on here is a brilliant idea though - no problem with that!
  • Mr 2Mr 2 ✭✭✭

    I ran this in 2010 year for the first time and loved it - cant beleive that I missed the entry for 2011 image

    If anyone has a place that they no longer need - then I would be very grateful if it could be transferred to me - within the order of this list of course.

    fingers crossed......

  • Just a gentle request... If anyone's injured, ill, or otherwise busy, please think about releasing your place. There's always several hundred no-shows - which is kind of inevitable at this time of year - but there's also people keen to snap up spare places.

    You can arrange a transfer privately, here or elsewhere. You need to use http://www.fabian4.co.uk/competitor/viewentry.aspx 

    Or if you want to keep it simple email  support@fabian4.co.uk  (small admin fee). We'll release a few cancellations at the end of the month, the date will be on the Helsby website. http://www.helsbyrunningclub.org.uk

    Of course, if you're not ill, injured or otherwise busy, we look forward to seeing you. Good luck with the training and we hope you have a cracking race!

  • Like a few others, I have just seen that entries now full, so happy to put my name at the bottom of this unoffical transfer list - via the official route obviously.

    Agree with comments re Wrexham and Liverpool halfs being good for PB (Wrexham cancelled last year after I had made a 3 hour journey! and Liverpool had the terrible headwind at end). So desparate to get my PB sorted for this year!

  • Please, another to add to the "didn't pull my finger out" . If any one wishe's to conduct a legal transfer then please let me know.
  • Looks like I'm bottom of the unofficial transfer list now.

    If anyone does wish to conduct a transfer, please let me know.  

    I ran this race last year and it's fab (ie downhill to the finish)!

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