2012 Cheshire Oaks Chester Half Marathon

Thought it would be good to start a forum thread for this year's race. 

With a new fast course for 2012 there are already a record number of entries and the race is sure to be full well in advance of race day, so don't delay entering.  For full information and online entry see race web site

We have monthly training runs from Total Fitness Chester, the next is this Sunday (4th), we meet in the cafe by reception ready for a 9am start.  A number of different groups from 7:30 pace to run walk, all welcome to join us for a social run with coffee & flap jack afterwards.

Any questions please ask away & will get back to you.

Chris (Race Co-Organiser)

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Comments

  • Deff. looking forward to this. I will be there on Sunday (no ice this time)!!!

    I'm hoping to improve my half marathon time this year, I don't belong to a club so looking for some valuable input from others. See you on Sunday..image

  • Think there may be a bug on the link above.  When I click onto 'Cheshire Oaks Half marathon' above it takes me to the subsriber page and asks me to put my runnersworld subcriber number in.  Might be just me but worth checking out.
  • Thanks Deva , I have spoken to RW & hopefully this will be sorted quickly.  Chris
  • might do next year as doing Leeds half this year on same day
  • Hi Colin, hope your training and fund raising are going well.

    Fab. to see everyone at the training run this morning, great turnout (65 of us) & good running by all. Was good to chat in cafe afterwards & share training tips & hints. Thanks to all who came along.

    Next training run will be from Total Fitness Chester on Sunday 1st April 9am. Target will be 10 miles for most groups (7:30 to 11:00 min miling, 7 different paced groups).

  • RACE NEARLY FULL image

    With double the previous number of entries the race is going to be full very soon.  We are now down to the last 500 places, so if you are thinking of entering please don't delay and enter now

    Thanks

  • Nearly full, it's going to be a nightmare getting off the Racecourse car park this year, last year went into town, shopped, had a meal, walked back and still had to Q to get out of Racecourse.

  • Colin - Parking on the racecourse will be different this year, we will be marshaling cars on the way out to speed things up plus have police on the exits.  Also there will be a special park & ride plus all the city centre car parks to cope with the increase in numbers.  image

  • looking forward to this one, Brought a fellow runner from the club's place.
    Set my PB last year at Chester and having had a disappointing Liverpool half today am now looking forward to my next half.

    Seems to be more through the city this year Chris? great work.
  • Really looking forward to this, desperate to go sub 2 hours after my first HM @ Brighton in Feb. Good luck all.
  • Hi Paul & Jake.   The City centre finish (outside town hall & Cathedral) will be great for atmosphere and a relaxing and well earned coffee & cakes in the cafes afterwards image
  • coffee & cakes!!

    After a few months of abstinence, would be hoping for a pint seing as wifey is on driving duty image

    Sounds like we need to be practising our sprint finish.....
  • Entered this as my first half marathon and can't wait! Hoping to do around a 1hr 50 time as friend I run with is aiming to improve on his last half marathon time and do a 1hr 45. Is 1.50 a little ambitious for a first half marathon?

    Any advice on how often I should be out running in the build up to this?

    Planning to come along to the next training session so looking forward to meeting some of the other runners
  • I downloaded an app for my iphone called Run Keeper and its help my cut 7mins off my 10k time in one run!

     You can set a pace and it can notify you every half a Km.

    Really reccommend it for cutting down times

  • Think you will find that no phone can take time off your running, Moving your legs quicker does that
  • Race fully booked...

    How is everyone doing with their training?

    Ten day holiday upcoming here but running gear will be packed (much to the annoyance of er indoors!).

    Good luck with your training folks image
  • First ever half marathon for me really looking forward to it.  So far so good with the training, 11 mile long run scheduled for Sunday.

    Good luck Jake and everyone else who has enteredimage

  • Said I was going to retire after lasy years marathon , but new course for the half has tempted me to race again . Also 5000 entrants ( probably 4000 starters ) make it bigger and better than before ( hopefully ) Always been a favourite of mine . Just intend to plod round this time , but will my competitiveness get the better of me ?
  • Love this HM - did my first one in 1996 - 1.36 which remains my PB to this day

    Last did this in 2010 and did 1.47 which is my PB as a V50. Last year as a V50 so hoping to finish off with a new V50 PB. Did 1.48 at Blackpool in Feb so hopefully do better than that. Training suggests about 1.45/1.46

    The new finish sounds good too - although I have always liked the finish on the racecourse.

    Never had any problems with parking - it will be interesting to see how that goes on with the increased numbers. Everything I have seen so far has been well organised so I am sure all will be fine. Anyway I will be parking there.

    Last HM for me this year - going on holiday to Italy after this and then start the serious marathon training after that - intending to do Loch Ness marathon in September - anybody done this before? Any comments would be great. Will almost certainly be my last marathon, mind you I said that after Liverpool last year!!

  • Quiet on the thread, hopefully everyone is enjoying their training and staying injury free. Counting down the days now, have booked a hotel to stay over Saturday night, all nice and fresh for the race image

     Still dreaming of sub two hours, reduced mileage today, a m8 wanted to run eight miles which we did @ nine min miles. Back to normal mileage next Sunday.

     Good luck with training, everyone, would be good to hear how others are doing, target times, I need to follow someone who knows what they are doing image

  • Rest day for me today -I did a 14 miler on friday, nice and steady at 8.30 pace. Hoping to get near to 8min pace on the day.

    Signed up to do Loch Ness marathon in September so as soon as Chester is over will start the marathon training in earnest.  Already done 4 14 mile runs traing for Chester so that's a good start

    3 weeks to Chester so ready now - just 1 more week of full training then start to ease off a bit.

    Happy training to everybody - always loved this one!!

  • it is my first ever half and am hoping to get round as close to the 2 hour mark as possible. 

    Have managed to fit a long run in every weekend for the last six weeks, including a 13 miler, a 14 miler and am planning 15 for this weekend.  Will scale back after that. I know I can get round it is just how fast I can go on the day which is the question.  I have been doing some shorter fasters runs in the week and have tried some hills and intervals but am new to all this speedwork stuff.

    I have never run a race of more than 10k in the past so until I actually get out there on the day I have no idea how I will feel and how much faster my race pace will be than my training pace.

    Hope everyone's training is going well. It should be a good atmosphere especially at the finish which is at the town hall instead of the race course this year.

  • 10 miler yesterday, Run4Rescue 10k in Mold next Sunday, 10 miler Sunday after then Chester Half.    A few 5/6 milers scattered in between.
  • Looking forward to seeing what the new course is like ... currently suffering taper madness ahead of Manchester on Sunday, so hoping legs survive sufficiently to be OK for Chester 2 weeks later.
  • I have already posted out to see if there is anyone who is unable to run and would like to transfer their number as I am looking for an entry, the race was fully booked up by the time I tried but so far no luck image ...  I live in Birmingham but my daughter lives in Chester and so I would have loved to have a go as it seems to be a flat course.  So if you know of anyone who is unable to run please let me know image  Many Thanks
  • It's a costly option, but have you looked at / considered a charity place, Barbara?

    Good luck for the weekend, Bruce image

  • Thanks JakeUK, unfortunately I'm doing a charity event in the summer and times as they are......

     Appreciate your reply though image

  • Have you put out a plea on the facebook page as well - that might be seen by more people.

  • Thanks Deva Duck - Bit of an oldie and hadn't considered this image  Will try this as well image
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