Greater Manchester Marathon

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  • 1st Manchester Marathon in 10 years. Hopefully organizers will sort problems out for next year.

    Bailed out at 23 miles. Feel like a complete loser. Listening to how cold and cramped everyone were feeling I should have dig deeper. Won't mind done 23 miles in training and felt fine.

    To everyone who finished on Sunday you did well and should be proud of yourselves.

    Thanks to all the local support, us Mancs are such a friendly bunch.

    Doing Liverpool marathon in October and 'finishing it'. Then back to do this one, again next year (unfinished business).

    Going now to have another cry. Feeling down.
  • Well I am in for Chester now.... bit addictive this marathon lark image
  • Ladyloulou no shame in bailing in such conditions. Well done.
  • They have offered a complete apology for the baggage and will post peoples kit out and try to sort out lost property. Thats good enough for me - not much else they can do after the event than put their hands up and learn from it so fair play.

    I didnt feel like that at the time when I couldnt find my kit and was bordering on collapse - and I'd still like to know why oit went so badly wrong but....

    Other than that the race had the kind of teething troubles I would expect for a first running. I would happily do it again next year on the assumption that most of the glitches will be sorted out.

    The water station near Altrincham when it narrowed to a pinch and we had to step up a kerb was silly and dangerous - needs sorting.

    A couple of other aid stations were too narrow - maybe keep the aid on the left instead of both sides as there was no clear route to run through when people stopped dead to collect a gel.

    More marshalls needed to keep the crowd back from some spots where they encroached on the course and narrowed it to much causing a bottleneck.

    More St.Johns / Race Officials out in the country section Partington / Carrington

    That mountain at mile 13 needs flattening

    Positives:

    If the people of Manchester can create support and atmosphere like that during a biblical monsoon - just what will they be like in good weather next year? Pat on the back folk of Trafford you were magnificent.

    It is a good course - picturesque in parts (Dunham and Partinghton minus the gales), impressive elsewhere, (Old Trafford and the Quays area), and so friendly

    The Marshalls were the best I have come across anywhere - ever - full stop.

    Aid stations were plentiful, well stocked that I could see and I like the water pouches instead of a bottle.

    The tunnel of doom at 25.5 miles - adds character to the race - why not - and I speak as someone who made it up the steps and then fell as my legs gave way at the top. Its a marathon - its supposed to be hard.

    Ace t-shirt, ace medal.

    If I dont get into London I'll probably be there again next year

  • Ladyloulu - I think it took more guts to be sensible and bail at 23 miles than it does to be stupid and keep going at that point just for pride.

    Anyone who stopped at 20 mile plus was braver than those of us who ignored common sense and kept going for fear of the failure.

    Well done - be proud of what you achieved and dont define yourself by a race time alone.

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Ditto Ladyloulou - in future you need to have some mental preparation for last 6 miles. It's all about convincing yourself to carry on, why you're doing it, what training you've done, only 3 miles left etc etc.

    Also, make sure you take on enough carbs during the race. I was well and truly loaded before this one. Had a Gatoride prime about 30 minutes before, then had 6 gels during the race (ever half hour - first at 20 minutes), and 5th gel was a caffeine one.

    Enjoy Liverpool - I ran it last year and really enjoyed it.. The support was amazing, and as for the tunnel...well...you wait!

  • Ladyloulu ^^^ what Kicked-it said, to get to mile 23 is an achievement and to have to common sense to bail rather than get injured takes strength, you will be back I am sure, chin up, be proud and enjoy Liverpool x
  • Now I'm warm, I'm starting to fancy it again.  Even as a first timer, I felt a bit flat after finishing, having missed all target times and 'settling' for surviving.

    If they don't avoid the Dun and I guess they wouldn't as they'd want to stay in Trafford, I'd like them to run it the other way. I think I'd have coped better in the second half, coming back through amazing Altrigham/Timperley/Sale rather than out in the bleak exposed sticks.  Might make it possible to close the road and avoid the subway as we'd need less time to get over at the start rather than the end.

  • Thanks for all your nice comments. Your all stars in my eyesxxx
  • Before the race, I said I was going to take 2 whole weeks off but I'm feeling much much better today and I'm starting to get itchy feet already (no, not from the Dunham mud!) and I might go and stretch my legs at the gym tonight. And to show off my t-shirt of course!

    Apart from the baggage issue, I didn't see much wrong with the organisation.

    I queued for less than 2 mins for the loo just before the start; much less than I thought I'd have to. The marshals were great and there were no problems at the fuel stops.

    Dunham was a bit narrow but the mud didn't bother me. We had been running for 15M, soaked to the knickers and beyond so there was no need to worry about a bit of mud or a puddle!

    I really hope the organisers listen and make improvements because this race has got huge potential and I'd love to do it again.
  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    I think they should do the loop the other way as someone else mentioned. Be better to have all the support in the 2nd half of the race.

    The loos near the carpark to the SE of the park didn't have any queues. Loos is always a problem at these events it seems to me. They need urinals for men.

  • ladyloulou - my congrats for getting that far as well - I am an experienced marathon runner and there was a time at 23 miles when I considered bailing out that wether was worst I have ever exoerienced.

    maxpower - agree with you re: Marshalls and Support - well nearly all though the support was the 2nd best I have ever experienced (better than London) it ws still not as good as GNR (have run this 6 times). I have to say though the bit going into Altrincham was noisier than anything I have ever experienced and was so uplifting. I cannot believe how many people braved the weather to come out and support - you sort of expect it in the city sections but out in the country to have 50-100 people suddenly appear on a little country lane was awesome.

    I am going to try and get a thankyou put out on Radio 2 tomorrow morning on Chris Evans show for Marshalls and Crowd. (I know Vassos -sports guy I will e-mail him and see if he can arrange it - hopefully he will as he was running the Milton Keynes marathon at same time and knows what it was like.)

  • Great idea about the 'thank you' Bearsted.  I'll listen out for it tomorrow
  • What happened to runners voting for the area that provided the best support? I'm sure the organiser mentioned this but can't see anything on the website at the moment. I'd like to vote for Altrincham as that was the stand-out moment for me in terms of atmosphere.
  • MartznwMartznw ✭✭
    Think everyone that got to the start line where brave under them conditions, irrespective if you finished or had to pullout for whatever reason.
  • It was my first marathon and I'm delighted with my 4:01 time but never want to be that cold and wet again in my life. My motivation to keep going was simply to get to the end and make it all stop, and get warm again. I ran for Macmillan so had my name on my shirt and it was unbelievable how supportive the crowd was and how many people shouted my name - I just found it hard to smile and thank them all when my face was frozen. I couldn't get my glucose tablets out due to frozen fingers so asked a marshal at Carrington to rummage in my pouch and find me one - to him I am eternally grateful. Without the marshals and the crowds it would have been a different story - the people of Trafford were amazing (I'm still trying to work out how you clap while holding an umbrella) and seeing my kids at 11 miles and our club supporters at the Rope & Anchor in Dunham gave me such a huge boost. I think I will picture that finish line in my head forever and have already bought my official photos.

    Yes the baggage drop was a shambles and the mud & puddles were an extra challenge (I run round Dunham a lot and have never seen the paths in that state). I just hope all runners have recovered now and live to run another day. And yes I'm putting in for London 2013. Surely it could never be worse weather than last weekend!!!!???? image

  • Hi Everyone,

     I thought it was a great race,lovely fast course and well supported. The baggage area wil be sorted next time. I hope time event grows and get bigger and bigger.If I dont do London will be back next year flying the flag for Wimbledon.  Well done to Simon Hill the RD

    I've been thinking and wondering how much time did the condition really put on my time. It was my tenth marathon I was 7 min off a pb and 10min off my goal time. Anyone had any thought on there race???

  • Hi there everyone

    I must say really enjoyed this run. I have to say I didn't really notice any poor organisation but that's probably because I live just down the road so luckily I knew where to go, didn't need the baggage storage etc. I really feel for those affected and I can see why it would change your perception of the day.

    I didn't mind the run through the Dunham Massey mud too much. I can see why people were irritated at a bottleneck forming but I quite appreciated the chance to get my breath back. Same with the underpass - that was ten seconds out of the rain! The stage from around 14-20 was brutal - never run in anything like that before. If we can do that we can do anything. Like everyone else I was bowled over by the support - I can't believe so many people came out in those conditions. I felt quite emotional going through Altrincham.

    If I could change one thing it would be to wear an extra layer...something with pockets so I could try to get the feeling back in my hands. Or gloves. I never thought it was possible to get that cold running.

    Anyway, first marathon aged 41 and I got around in 3.52 which I was really pleased with...and I don't think I would have done much better in good weather. Reading through the posts, somehow the awful conditions don't seem to have affected most people's times much. Guess we were just desperate to get it over with.
  • Green PeteGreen Pete ✭✭✭

    Hi all, few of us from plymouth came up for this one and make a weekend of it and all of us enjoyed ourselves immensely. It was only my second ever marathon (my first was 4 weeks ago) so kinda knew what to expect pain wise. All i wanted was to run in ok conditions so imagine my horror to find the weather to be worse than appalling, me and my friend spent an hour under a tree in Londford park thinking to ourselves "what are we doing here" i have never experienced cold like it.

    The actual race was very good with a lot of positives, water pouches, gels etc were great, the people of Altrincham were absoluletly fantastic, infact everyone who came along to watch and support us were a credit. I even enjoyed the country roads/tracks, it added something a little different. Also special praise to the people in the massage tent, i came in totally shattered and close to freezing to death but they did a brilliant job on my aching legs.

    But the baggage area was a total shambles, i finally found my bag after an hour, how on earth i didn't collapse i don't know...Was just so cold and wet. Looks like someone went into my bag but nothing was missing..Thank God. 

    Last note though, i got a PB of 3 hours 25 mins so i was over the moon with that...

  • CC - I was 12 mins slower than my PB and would have guessed about half due to insufficient training/half due to the weather, however 3 of the 8 running from my club got PBs so perhaps I'm just making excuses.

    Agree with Maxpower that the race was generally well organised but the 2 problems they had (number collection and baggage collection) were major ones.  Certainly won't do this next year but if these problems are sorted in 2013 will look at it for future years. Put this in my review and I hope the organisers take note of the reviews. Was one of those who suggested they put an apology on their website for the baggage collection fiasco and that they have done so and e-mailed apologies is a positive sign for the future.

  • hi you lot

    As a marathonfirst timer, I had nothing to compare it with, ad can't really say if the weather meant I went slower than I ould have done in different conditions ...I suspect so cos t was around mile 16 hat the coldgot to me, as we swung into the headwind

    My question is, any thoughts on the " no shows"; are they likley to have been seasoned marathoners thinking " what the xxxx!..save it for another day  / not gonna get a decent time ", or newbies thinking " i'm gonna die " ? Any thoughts ( ps no criticism of either camp implied !)

    Also, what is the usual turn out rate at a marathon ( percentage wise ) ? If all 100% had been there, the problem bits would , presumably, have been much worse

    Cheers you lot

    Not sure if I fancy another, but 4.00.50 is a bit of unfinished business !

  • Hi,

    My first Marathon and I just wanted to thank everyone from the stewards, supporters and fellow runners on the day to you good people on this forum who gave me motivation before.

    The support was amazing I had a custom shirt with my name on and everyone was so extremely supportive. I had a message about my weight loss over last 2 years and other runners where taking time to encourage me all the way around which was very motivational and kept me pushing on.

    I did 4hr 29mins and 44secs but most importantly for me I ran it all no walking and as others have said I was as cold as I think I've ever felt in my feet and hands.

    I would do it again it would be interesting how much time those conditions actually add to the time.

    Ewen
  • Not sure where it was a busy area, she was in a red coat and black running tight things 3/4 length, I had to take a triple take she was on the left right next to me, early on maybe mile 7 ish but not sure cause I spent most of the time looking at the road!
  • It was my first marathon as well (although I've run further, e.g. London Ultra 50K). Based on other recent race results (20 miles, half-marathon) I should have been able to go faster and certainly to go under 3.45. However, I also got injured recently (piriformis syndrome) and missed the last 3.5 weeks of training - which didn't help physically or psychologically. I DO think the conditions made a difference, because I find it difficult to believe that (a) being that cold; and (b) running into a headwind for so long, WOULDN'T make a difference to my speed. I made mistakes, and I learned a lot which should help me in running trail marathons and ultras in foul weather in the future (during which such mistakes would be more dangerous).

    I'm not criticising the organisers for the conditions during the race - that was, obviously, out of their control. But I think if cold wet people had finished and been pointed straight to large marquees, marked by race number, with their bags easy to find, and warmth provided by lots of other bodies, it would have changed the comments to "atrocious weather - great efforts by the organisers in difficult circumstances" rather than "atrocious weather and the organisers really messed up."

    I got under 3.50, so I'll be applying for a GFA place for London for next year, so I hope not to be back for this one next year. After that - perhaps!

  • Tom scott 6Tom scott 6 ✭✭✭
    I agree with all the comments that have been said, and well done to all who entered. Like many it was my first marathon nd like a lot I was on course to do my sub 4 and was feeling good. That was until mile 15/16 after Muddy Massey and the lane that was a lake.

    it's funny but i was talking to some people at my physio who had done it in 3 hours or 3 1/2 and they said both those bits were fine, so it must have rained a lot and the masses running on it must have made it worse.

    The bag(gate) was horrendous, I have mainly done small events, but the big ones I have done have had the bags down to a T. all they needed to do was look at how Liverpool did theres.

    My other bit criticism was at the end, there was no where warm, I knew it was going to be cold and wet and I work in theatre and do a lot of out door events and open air theatre and when we see the weather could be bad we dip into the extra funds and get some industrial heaters and some big tents so people have a place to go to keep dry and warm. I was shocked by how cold I got the minute i stopped running. i was already shivering before the finish.

    The final criticism is also the meet up place, because of the wet my old phone got water damaged and I could phone my family or friends, now at Bupa events and so other events they have a family meet up point. Why couldn't there be one of these. There was enough room in the charity village

    Positive are great crowds, glad i did it, it hasn't turned me off Marathon running but i do wonder if the weather had been like London could I have done a sub 4 (my time was 4.22 the wheels came of at mile 16 where I was too cold and wet to think let alone grab a gel with my numb fingers that refused to grasp anything)

    A big congrats to all those who took part, and more so to those who came out and cheers us on esp the last 3 or 4 miles where the crowd knew we needed motivation and jelly babies, plenty of jelly babies. Makes me proud to be from Manchester with supporters like that.
  • Going back to Toms question. Why all the pull outs? where they on the day given the weather or people who's training hadn't gone to plan?
  • I'm finding it hard to understand the pull of the London Marathon, I did this one and have done several before with Chester being the biggest, that was exceptionally good because it was very well run in every department with a fantastic finish (and my place is booked again) but given the choice, I go for the smaller marathons, I find they're well run (club organisers) generally in nice places, good scenery, and have a good balance of the course, Hilly vs Flat. Maybe I'm missing something, what is it about London? it's never entered my head to try for entry, is it really that good?
  • AC1971AC1971 ✭✭

    Well said MaxPower.....Way too much moaning.

    The course was fab and real PB potential. I am sure they will learn from the baggage situ.

    This was a cracking first event and good on the organizers to have the balls to get this event back on. Manchester is a great city and should have a marathon, it is shown by the spectators fab support what a great city it is.

    I emailed the organaizers but to THANK them for making a great event.

    If the weather was OK there would be NOWHERE near this level of moaning.

    Cant wait for next year. 

    Andy (No1476)

  • Pulls outs:  I reckon a large proportion were newbies who would have been properly put off by the condition and they probably made the right choice.

    Having said that - if I ever turn up at a marathon in those conditions again - I'm not running! On that basis maybe quite a few were runners who had done other races and knew better!

    Paula Radcliffe: that description does sound an awful lot like a lady I know who was at mile 4 or 5 ish wearing red running jacket and black tights shouting on everyone who went past. Shes a runner so looks the part, ...and she's a dead ringer for Paula if you are running past with the rain in your eyes!

  • Hi all,

    Congrats to everyone who participated - an experience never to forget. That was my first and last marathon, finished in 3:32 and did not enjoy the last 6 miles. Just one question for people before I retire from this forum. Was there lightening around 20-22 miles or were the flashing lights just my own personal experience (need to clear that up) Thanks

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