Preston Guild Marathon

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  • I live the south side too, Miller Park in fact, so running along the rivers, parks, docks and tram routes is just ace. I don't think they'd let thousands, (if there will be that many!), run past where I am in the early part of the race but hey, they could always reverse your route no problem. What frustrates the crap outta me is that there's is just soo damn unimaginative and pathetic, sending us out into the countryside for more than half of the course without running through Preston's communities, main roads and great little tracks like yours, but uhm, don't get me started again! Ha ha! Grrrr...

    I went to check out some of the new Guild Wheel last week and managed to get a good 5 miles east along the river as far as the Brockholes Nature Reserve. It was brilliant to run on. Note that the tarmac stops there though cos we hit fields and had to scramble through a fence and an industrial estate to get back onto Longridge Road to get  home via Ribbleton Ave, so we'll just have to be careful whilst it's under construction.

    It's supposed to come to about 21 miles I think when it's finished so it'll be a great training track for lots of us prior to the marathon but I think it'll be much nearer July when the full wheel is ready.

    There's tarmac down now out for us out to the docks as well so we've now got a good 7-8 mile stretch along the river out to Brockholes from the very end of the docks. Come summer I can see lots of us doing long runs around the Wheel, but I'm certainly gonna do miles 9-24 of your course for sure, and at some point I'll be doing a few 15-16'ers around their "middle of bleedin nowhere part" . image

    Haven't checked out any of the northern parts of the Wheel yet but maybe someone else will fill us in when parts of it are ready to run on. By summer we'll be able to handle long runs on it too.

  • Your right Pete, it is a tight squeeze down there, but thought it a be nice to get the run down there on my fantasy route, so saved it off for a bit, in my mind the pack would of thinned out a bit by the time we get there. But maybe your right, perhaps it should reach that point later on.

    You know, we have probably past each other a few times then if you use the river walkways too. I usually, try and greet every runner i pass, but im not the only one that does that so i guess that wont help you identify me! hehe . 

    I think, i might wait till the wheel is finished before tackling it then. I did once run down that path that heads away from the Capital Centre, towards to water treatment place and it was closed off, i think it still is, i had to climb up a big fence and jump down the other side. It made the run more interesting, but i dont think its something you want to do every week hehe. 

    I think everybody will agree with your grip about the course. But I'm sure they have their reasons such as costs and H&S. End of the day, cant really miss this one can we as there may never be a Preston Marathon again, so for us locals its a must. 

  • Hi SJPC

    Got your mail. I think it is a great idea!!!  image I am interested in doing it "all" myself (long enough after VLM for me) now I am mara fit (sounds like a pea) and 3 stone lighter and unstressed -lolimage

    Hi Maxpowerimage I have been after your real name for the Coasters  book -could you  message me , thanks.
  • well hello Stu, long time no hear. Ah i forgot you were doing London. How is that going ?

     Has any one else ever thought with Virgin sponsoring London, shouldn't that have a focus on getting as many first timers in it as possible. I mean it seems an obvious PR avenue to explore to me.

     Either way, your going to love it Stu. 

  • Not too bad at all SJPC :_) Done a couple of 20 milers already image

    I am trying not to do much work now book is more or less finished (bar editing and editor is on it -no hurry)

    Lovely to hear from you and some of tothers who forwarded me the message -WHY? -lol

    I have booked it on Barry's Fanclub page and mentioned it there. You may get some entrants through that too. Anyway some may wanna spectate. We can make a day of it (and have the odd drinky after)

    https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/BazBat/

  • Ah yes it will be good for everybody to get together.. I'm nothing to do with organising this event, but fingers crossed it fills up fast and they change the route , which is what a few people on here would like to see and as a results we have been coming up with our own fantasy routes for it. Buts a one of event and it a be great to have Barry attend the Guild he he 

    P.S sounds like your good and ready for London image - One tip dont take too much money with you to the expo he he 

  • Just let who is doing it know that they have a celeb in Barry coming (if we don't lose him by then). Barry was made in Lancashire, started and finished in Lancs and all that, so it seems appropriate to have a re-union in Lancs I say image

    I hope they select an unhilly course-lol

  • Ha sounds like another thing to add to the list of excuses as to why we should have a re-union he he.

    Is he still travelling around different races ?

    Dont worry the course, that is being talked about is quite flat i believe. 

  • Yes he is. I am taking him around VLM and Bazza is going to Australia after that. You will have to join his facebook fanclub you know image Most seems to be done through that.

    When are entries gonna open and close?
  • Austraillia really?? he he - The world famous Barry!!

    Entries are now open for this even Stu and i believe there is currently a limit of just 5000 runners. 

  • I will have to wait til end of month -how much is it?
  • believe its £35,  but you do get a t-shirt and medal ooh and aparently some food afterwards and the usual goody bag of free samples and leaflets no doubt. 

  • mmm- sounds OK image I am sure vit wont fill in by t'end of month image Just that I am only doing limited work now and most voluntary. Have to ask the "her in draws"image

    Be lovely to see others again and those who are just a name. Some will see 1/2 of me too -lol
  • 1/2 half of you.. ok he he

    Yer you should be ok till end of the month. I think interest is just starting to build now. Although i dont think the event has been advertised that much to date. 

  • image Can't wait tbh . It will take a while to fill I guess being a new 'un. I may have lost another stone and half by October -lol All this trainingimage
  • Ah i get you now, your be the new streamlined Stu hey he he well done its a good achievement , esp with your illness and all you can be very proud of yourself.

  • I am SJ. I have been running 5 mins, wlking 1 min. Seem to be able to go on forever like that. Was comfort eating during coasters and got to 16 stoneimage Now 13 1/2 stoneimage Will have watch running past grids-lol
  • we'll have to stop hijacking this thread or we will have an Egyptian Toe up our behinds -lolimage
  • True , cant have it becoem a coasters thread.

    This is the Preston Marathon and a few posts back i have challenged people to come up with their fantasy Preston Marathon Route

    I came up with 

    http://www.runningahead.com/maps/366c528313494b9d8106e893a66de6a5?unit=mi

    I got a few good comments on it and hopefully some others will post up their idea of what the course should be 

  • Keith OBKeith OB ✭✭✭
    Pete Lovick wrote (see)I went to check out some of the new Guild Wheel last week and managed to get a good 5 miles east along the river as far as the Brockholes Nature Reserve. It was brilliant to run on. Note that the tarmac stops there though cos we hit fields and had to scramble through a fence and an industrial estate to get back onto Longridge Road to get  home via Ribbleton Ave, so we'll just have to be careful whilst it's under construction.

    Hi Pete we did the same and had same problem finding Longridge Rd near the Crem after leaving the Wetlands bit as you.

    Left a car at Shawes Arms and went on from there, Can't wait until its finished though. The bit near us at the bottom of Longsands Ln to Midery Mountain is being finished at the moment.

    Trainers took a week to dry out.

     KOB

  • Hey Stu! Barry's coming to VLM? Make sure you bring him to our get-together the night before (I assume Kim's mentioned it!). I want a reunion image
  • image Will do PF . You doin' this bugger too?
  • I'm intending to as long as I survive London! I'll enter once that's out of the way. I'll deffo be there to cheer folk on if I'm not running image
  • Ha ha. Yeah Keith, I know what you mean!

    It was real muddy wasn't it! We got some funny looks too clumping through Roman Way and along Longridge Road, lol.  Doesn't half take it out of your trainers.

    I think the best run on the Wheel at the mo on my south side is to not park at Shawes Arms but to park right at the very end of the Docks, then follow the wheel all the way east along the river until you get to Red Scar Woods, then turn back when you hit that 50 metre stretch of steep steps upwards. I haven't measured it but I'm guessing it'd be a 12 or 13 miler there and back, so just park further back east along the river from the docks to suit where your long run is up to. I'm only at 11 at the min so it'll work ok for me for a month or so.

    I don't know where you mean by Midery Mountain, but let us know when it's connected from those steps in the woods right up to Longsands Lane. My schedule takes me west on the wheel before the end of this month and early April so I'll let you know where it's been tarmaced up to after leaving the Docks.

    Come August and September if we plan it right we should be able to loop it fully together every 2nd or 3rd Sunday to keep us motivated. We could also do the Guild Marathon "Middle of Nowhere 14-15 mile part" by May/June whilst we're waiting for the wheel to be finished. That'd be an easy park just at Cottam village.

  • Pretty sure I`ll target this one. However, should training not go to plan, can you `downgrade` your entry to the HM?

    Also I think a trick`s been missed; it`d be sensible to be able to enter all the races in one go. There could be `perks` offered for this like same race number in each race or something similar or a small financial saving. I realise that each race has a different organiser but it would have been a nice touch imo.

    ooh, btw, hoping to get over for the Lytham 10 in a couple of weeks. Anyone doing it?

  • There's definitely no discount for entering all the races at once. I asked at our committee meeting as our club is hosting the 5K. I'm always after a bargain so was disappointed to hear that news but I suppose it wouldn't have been workable with different organisers. It would have been quite a sizeable financial outlay so early in the season so with hindsight, I don't think I would have entered them all in one go anyway. I'm too injury-prone!
  • Isn't the half on a different day?? I could be wrong
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