http://www.shakespearemarathon.org.uk/ check out their FAQ's and it will give you most of the info you'll need for the day. Good Luck on your first one, just watchou you don't pee yourself listening to "Tonyiiiiies Trials!!!"" LOL! And Def - watch out for the Gingerbread Man!!! (Listen to episode 51 if you're not sure what I'm on about!! www.marathontalk.com).
Seriously considering doing this as my 2nd marathon, got rejected from London again. Has anyone got a Garmin Connect map of the course, would like to see the profile. Only thing putting me off is it's the week before the Great Manchester Run and I'm targetting that to go sub 40. Think I'll still be feeling the marathon then!
Cheers D2D, think it would irritate the crap into my ears being in for 4 hours anyway, be far more fun with the camaraderie on the day anyway. Hoping for a sub 4 hours, (or more realistically to finish the race)
Up to 16 miles now on my long run, Timbrell 20 in March and a 2 or 3 halves in the next couple of months, hopefully, I'll be in decent enough shape
Well here we are again , Marathon time, I did this last year and didn't do another marathon at all. The year before (2009) I did 4 marathons and 4 ultras but I changed my job and now drive most of the day and not walk all the time.
But having tried to keep to halfs I really feel I could grip this marathon again and put to rest the bad run I had last year. I've put a bit of weight on even with regular weekly runs, but I feel more positive now and have made a solid new year start with a new years day half.
The thing is the 20+ milers I like - Rhayader round the lakes 20 and Milford 21 are really set around VLM in april whereas Stratford is now in May . Thats going to leave April a bit of a *zone* plenty of time to lose any benefit from the 20's races.
To be fair too - the greenway is only once , on the second lap when we join it at about 21 miles, before that we take the road and only do a mile or so on the greenway.
Not they say *water* only this year - remember when they did lucozade? than last year they did some water diluted drink but you could hardly taste it.
I wonder how late I ought to leave it before entering?
GraemeK - but the easiest bit of the greenway, then only 3 at most, it's the joining at 21 miles is the thing.
No lets not dwell too much on the greenway though, it tends to grow as a worry in new runners, the thing is the hill at 18 tends to sap energy then reaching the tricky 22 -23 mile point and the energy is gone.
As to the weather it's best to point out that it's always warm at Stratford, usually after being cold/wet for weeks before - unseasonally warm often. But with a later start like May we'll ALL have got used to slightly warmer weather and it won't be such a problem.
The Bald Assassin - I did this some years ago as my first and I keep coming back, it's a well supported, beautiful course passing thatched cottages and lovely rivers. It's easy to get to, dead easy to park - there is stacks and stacks for the family of all ages in Stratford (in fact it's one reason why I'm up for this again , my family love the day out!) It's the best value least hassle marathon in the spring I reckon.
I entered last week. It will be my second marathon (London 2010), I only live 20mins away so hopefully I will be able to run the course during training sessions.
I did a 10k race in Stratford last year and ran down some of the greenway, I think its mind over matter, I quite like the fact that when you are running on the greenway it is totally flat. I'm now worried by the hill at 18m!!!!!
Managed an 18 mile run today, furthest I've ever ran, was hurting by the end and have the slightly scary prospect of another 8 to add to it. Hey ho, 4 months to get up there
D2D - I was thinking exactly the same thing (running the Greenway) nearer the day, so I'd be up for it. We could do with a few all at different training paces so it's not a struggle for anyone. Anyone else interested?
D2D, It was OK, training with 2 lads from Stockport Harriers who are doing London, pace wasn't fast, did it in around 2.53. a lot of it was off road, on canal paths which were very boggy. Done a lot of running in the snow and hills. Want to make the training as hard as possible so the run itself won't be harder. Probably going to do another 18 next Sunday (or 3 hours) got 4 villages half the following week, Trimpell 20 in March and a couple of other halves after that. Only concern is that London is 3 weeks before Shakey and don't want to lose fitness. Hopefully by then all the ground work will be done
D2D - Ive started training on a treadmill this winter for the first time, sweating like a pig is an understatement! I find it much harder than being outdoors. I read some where that to reproduce the closest thing to outdoor running is to put the gradient at 1%. What are your thoughts?
Training has started as ive entered the 'RSM'.
Im optimistically going to start the sub 3.30 program. This is my first marathon.
I did my first 'park run' in Finsbury park on sat. And I have to say it was really good. If you havent heard of it its a non profit organisation that help organise 5km sat morning running events across the country. You simply register then print out a bar code, turn up at 9am and run.
If you google 'parkrun' you'll probably find one nearby.
Its a 2mile warm up (and back down) for me to get to Finsbury Park so its an ideal litttle tester that im hoping to keep as a regular part of my training.
Comments
Thanks again for the advice. "Happy New Year!!"
http://www.shakespearemarathon.org.uk/ check out their FAQ's and it will give you most of the info you'll need for the day. Good Luck on your first one, just watchou you don't pee yourself listening to "Tonyiiiiies Trials!!!"" LOL! And Def - watch out for the Gingerbread Man!!! (Listen to episode 51 if you're not sure what I'm on about!! www.marathontalk.com).
Only thing putting me off is it's the week before the Great Manchester Run and I'm targetting that to go sub 40. Think I'll still be feeling the marathon then!
Cheers D2D, think it would irritate the crap into my ears being in for 4 hours anyway, be far more fun with the camaraderie on the day anyway. Hoping for a sub 4 hours, (or more realistically to finish the race)
Up to 16 miles now on my long run, Timbrell 20 in March and a 2 or 3 halves in the next couple of months, hopefully, I'll be in decent enough shape
But having tried to keep to halfs I really feel I could grip this marathon again and put to rest the bad run I had last year. I've put a bit of weight on even with regular weekly runs, but I feel more positive now and have made a solid new year start with a new years day half.
The thing is the 20+ milers I like - Rhayader round the lakes 20 and Milford 21 are really set around VLM in april whereas Stratford is now in May . Thats going to leave April a bit of a *zone* plenty of time to lose any benefit from the 20's races.
Why is it so late this year?
Not they say *water* only this year - remember when they did lucozade? than last year they did some water diluted drink but you could hardly taste it.
I wonder how late I ought to leave it before entering?
Would anyone recommend this as a first marathon? I'm only a 10-12 miler at the moment will I have enough time to train.
Or should I aim for the 1/2 first.
No lets not dwell too much on the greenway though, it tends to grow as a worry in new runners, the thing is the hill at 18 tends to sap energy then reaching the tricky 22 -23 mile point and the energy is gone.
As to the weather it's best to point out that it's always warm at Stratford, usually after being cold/wet for weeks before - unseasonally warm often. But with a later start like May we'll ALL have got used to slightly warmer weather and it won't be such a problem.
The Bald Assassin - I did this some years ago as my first and I keep coming back, it's a well supported, beautiful course passing thatched cottages and lovely rivers. It's easy to get to, dead easy to park - there is stacks and stacks for the family of all ages in Stratford (in fact it's one reason why I'm up for this again , my family love the day out!) It's the best value least hassle marathon in the spring I reckon.
I'll enter in the morning !!
Mike, did you enter?
I entered last week. It will be my second marathon (London 2010), I only live 20mins away so hopefully I will be able to run the course during training sessions.
I did a 10k race in Stratford last year and ran down some of the greenway, I think its mind over matter, I quite like the fact that when you are running on the greenway it is totally flat. I'm now worried by the hill at 18m!!!!!
if you have google earth put these coordinates in and look between the seat ibiza and the landrover.Might give you an idea.
52°07'44.79" N 1°46'30.05" W
D2D, It was OK, training with 2 lads from Stockport Harriers who are doing London, pace wasn't fast, did it in around 2.53. a lot of it was off road, on canal paths which were very boggy. Done a lot of running in the snow and hills. Want to make the training as hard as possible so the run itself won't be harder. Probably going to do another 18 next Sunday (or 3 hours) got 4 villages half the following week, Trimpell 20 in March and a couple of other halves after that. Only concern is that London is 3 weeks before Shakey and don't want to lose fitness. Hopefully by then all the ground work will be done
Entered Sunday night after several attempts to get that secure card thing to work .
Busy all week though - might get a run Wednesday,
D2D - I can't run on a treadmill at all, then again if I had the time to go to the gym I may as well go out for a run!
D2D - Ive started training on a treadmill this winter for the first time, sweating like a pig is an understatement! I find it much harder than being outdoors. I read some where that to reproduce the closest thing to outdoor running is to put the gradient at 1%. What are your thoughts?
Training has started as ive entered the 'RSM'.
Im optimistically going to start the sub 3.30 program. This is my first marathon.
I did my first 'park run' in Finsbury park on sat. And I have to say it was really good. If you havent heard of it its a non profit organisation that help organise 5km sat morning running events across the country. You simply register then print out a bar code, turn up at 9am and run.
If you google 'parkrun' you'll probably find one nearby.
Its a 2mile warm up (and back down) for me to get to Finsbury Park so its an ideal litttle tester that im hoping to keep as a regular part of my training.
Bye for now
Well I've been putting off entering this as I signed up for 2 marathons last year and almost immediately picked up an injury and couldn't do either
This should have been my first ever marathon last year but had to drop to the half which I only had 8 weeks training for so I found the half tough.
Looks like entries are filling up fast though this year so I'm going to have to take the plunge and hope all goes well.
Certainly not looking forward to doing the hill and the greenway twice!