Luton Marathon

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  • I've just read somewhere that Luton is in for a heatwave this weekend!
  • Hi all just been reading the messages.Luton today is clear roads and paths clear.Did one loop of marathon this morning looks good.Our club has a big entry on Sunday Boxfit-Tri we have 8 teams entered and 10 members doing the marathon.So no matter what weather is we will be running.Remember it is a winter marathon.This is my 4th Luton marathon 3.12 last year one of our girls if she is on form should be chasing me down on the day.Look forward to seeing you all on the day.We meet up at Macs just round the corner from start next to train station for porridge and coffee from 7am all welcome.
  • Just need the snow in Sheffield to cane it down as it has been in the last 24 hours for the next and hopefully get it out of the way so can travel smoothly down by train to the positively continental temperatures of Luton, fingers crossed. Can't really allow myself to be excited until I know those trains are going run run fine on Saturday.image (thats me looking at the sky by the way)

     And where is Plum, I know he will be lurking on this thread somewhere???

  • Reading all this cheerful banter is good, had a race cancelled at the weekend just gone, so have been wondering how not to get too keyed up for this, just in case the weather wins again, lets hope the forecasters have it wrong and it warms up a day or two earlier...anyway if we do run best of luck to everybody and hope all the hard training is rewarded  
  • It better not get cancelled, the only other mara left in the calender this year (which I would have to do to meet a personal goal of at least one marathon a year) is the the Liverbird marathon which is being run on new years eve, and I fully intend to be drinking not running, but I suppose it is an extreme back up - and they so take entries on the day (can't believe I have checked!). However am sure this won't be a problem, I think the Luton marathon is made of sturdier stuff, its the trains which made me nervous.
  • Hi all,

    Hope everyone is well.  We had our first lot of snow overnight  and it's largely just ice now, a bit tricky for walking on never mind running.  Fingers crossed for Sunday.

    Woody, well done on your marathon and cross country, I've not done a cross country run since school, and think I'll probably avoid them all this year too.  How's your achilles?

    Wharfy, sorry to hear you're missing out, hope Mrs W's leg improves soon.

    Brookie, congrats on your sub-4, well done you!

    I really hope this is on as well, but got the Portsmouth Coastal the weekend after so I do have another before the end of the year.  Laura, I was looking at the Liverbird one as well, although I'm working on New Year's Eve so was contemplating the one on New Year's Day.  Not too sure about it for a couple of other reasons as well though (apart from the obvious date!), so I'm going to think about it a bit more.  Hope your trains are working ok.

    Assuming it goes ahead I intend to add all of the extra 3 miles at the beginning, having learnt from Newcastle that mentally I can't go again once I've crossed the line, so will be taking it nice and steady in the mara, I'll be happy with anything between 4:15 and 4:25. 

  • Thanks for the info Dave ....... I'll try to make it for breakfast at Macs.

    Laura there are one or two December marathons in Europe. Hope the Trains don't suffer from........I think they call it..... " the wrong kind of snow" image 

    All the best to you to Peter.

    Thanks K.P. I hadn't done XC since school but ran my first 08 > 09 season but missed last. I find It's a good way to maintain fitness over winter. I have another on Saturday but will try to jog round instead of racing it.

  • Hey KP - what are you running in?  Looks like we might be aiming for the same sort of times.

    Laura - I have all my fingers crossed for you for the trains.

    I tried running in London last night and even with the grit it was slippery and slide-y.  I might stick to the gym today even though I hate treadmills. 

    I have stocked up on my carbo gels and jelly babies, toenail check tonight, then packing race gear.  I am contemplating numerous layers.....! 

  • I'm all set. This cold spell has been the perfect excuse to taper on a grand scale though - I did my long 13.1er round Richmond Park on Sunday and will sneak out for a quick 5k on Saturday to check everything sort of works right. Then I guess I'll be gazing at the weather forecasts and this forum to see if its a go or not. As for my expectations, main challenge will be getting to the start line! Happy if I can run a nice neat consistent 8m/miler without the usual plunge of DOOM at mile 23!!

    Good Luck All.image

  • Woke up this morning to a second Sheffield snow dump which now means there is more snow here than i have seen in the ten years I have lived here, decided to battle in to work and walked about a mile and a half on main roads in deep snow. i thoroughly enjoyed the novelty of it  but it seems from the few who have made it in I am in the minority image.. Hoping it will clear b y weekend, but getting more nervous about getting down to Luton.
  • Woke in the night coughing and feeling nauseous, now loading with vit C hoping I can shift it before it develops into something more serious.

    Snow isn't to bad here in the northwest only got 1 or 2 inches  I'm a bit jealous really.

  • The Luton Marathon website says that they will carry out a risk assessment on Saturday, and then decide whether or not the race will go ahead.

     That's not too great for me as I'm flying (perhaps) from Edinburgh Airport (closed all day today) on Saturday afternoon - I'd hate to get arrive in Luton just before a cancellation is announced.

     I think I'll keep an eye on this page for the newxt few days - some of the updates from local runners are really useful.

    Hope everyone has a relaxing last few days before the race.

     Jamie.  

  • Oh no, same boat for me Jamie, travelling on Saturday but support your comment, any local runners who can comment on the state of the snow/ roads on Friday, feedback would be useful!
  • I'm sure we'll all keep you guys posted on the roads. So far it really is ok here. I only live 10mins from the course I'm pretty sure if it was today then we would have run the race.
    Not wanting to worry anyone but I fell whilst training on the course on Sunday morning, totally my fault! But it's a race against time to get fit. I've got grazes down my hips, sore knees and a bruised pride! Hopefully I'll make the 3 laps on Sunday.
    Forecast reckons 4 degrees on Sunday, I can't believe that is good news, but it is!
  • FoggoFoggo ✭✭✭
    Anyone live in or near Luton? Whats the weather & conditions liek at the moment. Much snow?
  • FoggoFoggo ✭✭✭
    Ooops sorry you've already answered my question
  • Just been on the phone with the friend I will be staying with, they said its not too bad, nothing like the snow they have got in Kent but at the moment its all compacting and turning to sheet ice but traffic etc is all fine in Luton apparently.They are expecting another blast though.
  • oh, last post crossed with A's Girl's.
  • Still forecasting 4°C for Sunday, BUT could be very cold Saturday night, so still chance of ICE.........keep watching image
  • Well I have everything crossed at the moment - this would be my final race in an unbroken "Marathon a Month" for 2010 so to get this far and then have it all fall flat would be a disaster. Having said that, I see that some folks will be running it whether the official race is on or not so hopefully I can join in if that is the case image
  • Edinburgh airport say that they hope to reopen this afternoon (although they said that yesterday) so I’m feeling more optimistic that I might make it. Any local weather updates this morning? I did wonder whether some people might run unofficially… That might be a good back up – I’m really worried that might flight is on, but that I get on the plane before the organisers announce their decision on Saturday, and then arrive in Luton to find the race is off.
  • I can see the back part of the route from my lounge.  There has been some snow overnight but only a couple of cm.  It would be gone quickly if it rained or got above freezing.

     Of each lap I would say that :

    20% is run actually on the road from Streatley to Sundon - This is a busy road so it will be clear and ice free.

    50% is run on footpaths inside luton - These recieve some foot traffic so should be clearish.

    30% is run on Footpaths outside of luton (A6 towards barton, road from Lower Sundon to Sundon Park)- These recieve very little foot traffic so could be frozen snow on Sunday.   If they are not gritted it would be almost impossible to run on these and I would say too dangerous to run on the road.  

    I'm still positive that the paths will get gritted and we can get running..

  • maybe the front runners could grit from the front  for the rest of us. image,  level the racing field a bit.
  • Could always wear trail shoes if looking icy (or I've got some of the things you put under normal shoes from last year).

    Can anyone give me a post code for the start? Where is it in relation to the Thameslink station as this is my alternative to driving.

  • In ref to 'things you put under normal shoes'? where can i get some and whats the cost please, am liking the sound of that?
  • yak trax? go out doors do em i think, bout £13. wouldnt want to run a mara in em though.

    stop flapping everyone, ive told you, theres a heatwave coming image

    positive thinking and all that image

  • I got mine from Clas Oulsen and have seen them in every paper recently so assume many outdoor shops will stock.

    Like the snowmobile idea!

    Any response on how close to Luton Central train station start is?

  • depends which luton train station you mean, i think there are two?....from wht i know of luton and last time ran the marathon its a few miles away. not walkable.

    theres been quite a bit of snow over night, wondering if it melts or freezes into ice...hmmm!

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