How many hills do there have to be for a course not to be flat? Veterans of the Henley course either love or hate the hill just over half way round. Perhaps because it's so long you forget you're going uphill!!
Runs out on the fens are described as flat - they have only a couple of bridges over dykes/roads as 'hills'. Blackpool marathon was described as flat, but there was a definite hill in the last 5 miles from the lower promenade to the upper promenade, although it onlly lasted about 100m, at that time it felt like a mountain.
Flat my Ar$e. I ran this course last year and Fawley Hill is a veritable cliff face! Someones made a mistake there. Runners World/RNLI... 'Sort it out!'
Thanks Mike. I run mainly 10Ks but maybe one Half as well. I prefer to do that in the autumn, hence Kingston was ideal for me. The more I here about Henley, the less fun it sounds
Having run Fawley Hill for the last two weekends I can tell you it is quite hard! It is about 0.8 of a mile but seems like 1.5 miles. The rest of the course is flat-the trouble is the hill is after 8 miles. It could kill off a good time!
Half of Marlow is downhill, if I recall correctly. Oh alright then, the other half is steep uphill. I finished it last year almost on my hands and knees.
The difference between the two is that Marlow is up and down throughout. Henley's up and down bits come in one serving, about 8 miles round.
You lot know how to put someone off!! I have just had to watch the counter tick down to the 1pm start to the Windsor half Marathon on the website, having just spent the last 2 days trying to recover (in vain)from a bout of food Poisoning. Looked through my copy of runners world that came through the post yesterday (that didn't add much salt to the wound!!) and saw that Marlow and Henley are comimg up. Windsor would have been my first Half, so which of these 2 are most likely to give me vertigo??
The SAM organisers are able to hold the 10K race in the grounds of Wellington College(?) in Crowthorne so don't need road race police stuff. It is now held early in July to fit in with the long vac at the College.
It's an excellent race on a double loop course with a drink at the 5k point. Afterwards a medal and a Mars bar.
I can definately say that Marlow was the most hilly half-marathon I've ever run. If I remember correctly, there was a hill just after the 7th mile marker which almost made me cry! It was steep as you like (or dislike) and didn't show any sign of ending.
The Wokingham half though, now there's a flat course. They had to cancel this year's race because of a landslip out on the course but it's back on for next February and is a good opportunity for a new PB!
The Henley's almost totally flat apart from one big hill - which you could walk if you needed to. It's a great race. Give it a whirl! Marlow is hard, but if you enjoy the Henley ...
Both are relatively small, well-organised races and you can usually enter on the day. Come on mate, support your local events!
i beg to differ.......i've done windsor and marlow for the past couple of years and i'd say that windsor, the old course and the 'new, faster, flatter course (??)' of 2001/2 is merely a warm-up for marlow. marlow is tough! but having said that, i look forward to it all year!
cep
ps yes, there i am writing this from the psychiatric ward!
I think most runners would simply put it down to experience and make a note not to do that event again if it was either too hilly or not hilly enough. Trying to get your entry fee back is a bit tight and wouldn't do the sport a lot of good in my opinion!
Comments
Blackpool marathon was described as flat, but there was a definite hill in the last 5 miles from the lower promenade to the upper promenade, although it onlly lasted about 100m, at that time it felt like a mountain.
Excellent !
The more I here about Henley, the less fun it sounds
But if you want flat, you could try the Marlow half ...
Mutley!
Flat halves Wokingham, Milton Keynes & Harrow
The run along the beach and the breeze halfway round is a life saver.
I hope you're joking, I think I'm still recovering from the hills at Marlow last year.
Surely Henley is no hillier.
The difference between the two is that Marlow is up and down throughout. Henley's up and down bits come in one serving, about 8 miles round.
Cheers.
Sadly, the Great Sam half marathon is no more. I think they've replaced it with a 10K. Maybe someone knows the reason for the change.
It's an excellent race on a double loop course with a drink at the 5k point. Afterwards a medal and a Mars bar.
The Wokingham half though, now there's a flat course. They had to cancel this year's race because of a landslip out on the course but it's back on for next February and is a good opportunity for a new PB!
The Henley's almost totally flat apart from one big hill - which you could walk if you needed to. It's a great race. Give it a whirl! Marlow is hard, but if you enjoy the Henley ...
Both are relatively small, well-organised races and you can usually enter on the day. Come on mate, support your local events!
i beg to differ.......i've done windsor and marlow for the past couple of years and i'd say that windsor, the old course and the 'new, faster, flatter course (??)' of 2001/2 is merely a warm-up for marlow. marlow is tough! but having said that, i look forward to it all year!
cep
ps yes, there i am writing this from the psychiatric ward!