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Halstead & Essex Marathon
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Others may have other suggestions but that's what I'd do.
Forecast is a little warm now
http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/dayforecast.asp?zipcode=halstead&day=4
Very excited now - having trouble concentrating at work. This'll be my 2nd marathon - the 1st being 7 years ago and riddled with injuries since. Can't wait!
All seems a bit hot for me. What's the chances of having a following breeze the entire way round?
It looks like I'm going to be heading out at the crack of dawn (or earlier - when does the sun come up these days? - I'm usually fast asleep at that time) and driving over on the day from Maidenhead. If anyone needs a lift from there, or points along the way (M4, M25, M11 etc) then let me know.
This is my first marathon and after starting training hoping for a 4-hr-ish finish (now completely unrealistic), I will be happy just to finish.
Just a couple of logistical questions for the experts:
1. Are there a lot of car parking spaces - I would hate to turn up at a reasonable time and then have the stress of finding somewhere else to park.
2. Looking at the route, the best place for friends and family to watch me hobbling past would seem to be just after mile 4 on the way out, near Levit's Corner?? Is this the case or is there a better one? Is it easy for them to drive there, park and watch or is this normally heaving? Also, once they have seen me go past the last time, is it an easy drive to get back to the finish line for them?
Thanks for your help guys. If anyone wants to give me a piggyback for the last few miles, let me know.
Mark.
mark34 - I'm interested in answers to question 2 as well?
There is usually loads of parking available - there is a field next to the start that has been opened up for cars in the past.
Levitt's corner is a good spot for spectators, but I don't know how busy it will be now this race is getting so popular! There are usually maps available from the information desk for spectators who don't know the area.
Our local weather forecast on the TV today was for rain on Sunday.
Hope that helps.
Ho hum. I guess this is all part of the Mara-fun!
Keir so sorry to hear that. Really hope you feel better tomorrow. Not easy getting to the start line of a marathon 100% fit and healthy. Definitely adds to the challenge!
wild@heart many thanks for the information. I too had been wondering about the car parking
Hi Mark
I ran last year and there was plenty of space in the car park, which as wild@heart said is a field near the start. My family drove to Levitt corner after seeing the start and they parked there with no problems, Levitt corner is a great place to spectate as the race passes it 4 times.
Hope the weather is going to be OK for sunday.
Good luck everyone for the race
My only disappointment is that no-one offered a piggy back.
Good luck all for Sunday and I hope the sun stays away.
Good luck everyone for the race Sunday. I wish I was going to be there to join you all for the 'fun' but alas I am now 2 weeks into a 6 week recuperation from a medial knee ligament injury.
So wanted to be fit for the race but the physio says 'no way'. Still the organisers have deferred my entry until next year, so all being well I will join you all on the start line next year!!
Hope all goes well and it stays cool for you all.
Keir so very disappointing for you
GWS
Gary Craig same for you
Hope you're back to running soon.
Very excited here even though the forecast goes from good to ok to eeek
Still it's the same for everyone and am just itching to run now.
Thanks Blueski35, that's what I thought I'd read somewhere too
Going to go for 330ml (or maybe 500ml) bottles of water at a few of the stations then and carry 3 or 4 lucozade gels with me to knock back just before I reach these stations. Never really tried this before although I have experimented with the gels so I know that I can stomach them.
Similar to my strategy. Gels at the water stations early in the race, a luco sport for halfway and a couple magic potions for later in the race. I find I can't stomach the gels passed halfway
Bound to work!
I've been trying the luco jelly beans in training. Not convinced yet. Chew them and they stick your mouth shut. Limits conversation, but I'll carry them anyway
I tried carrying some run-of-the-mill jelly babies in one of my training runs a month or so ago with the intention of having a few here and there along the way for a bit of a boost. Problem was that they were too nice and once I'd had the first one, I couldn't stop eating them so had nothing left for later!
I'm guessing conversation will be pretty limited with me anyway - need to concentrate on more important things like breathing and putting one foot in front of the other. Unless I'm at the walking stage of course.
I figured 4 gels should be more than enough - never tried more than 2 on a run though. If it upsets the belly, I may have to carry on running through the finish line straight to the loos...
I had a look at the website last night to check where to leave drinks. Limit is three per runner and facility will close when they can't distribute anymore. Think I will try and get there early due to the increase in entries.
Blueski magic potions sound interesting