Wycombe Half Marathon 2012

TimeaJTimeaJ ✭✭✭

Firstly, apologies, if I have just opened a duplicate thread (I did check the other threads but could not find anything veyr similar...)

Just wanted to find out who is coming to this race this year?

If you have done the Wycombe Half before, what is the most important advice you would give to someone who has done a few half marathons before but not this one? How would you describe the race terrain in one word, e.g. "vicious", "smooth" etc.?

«13

Comments

  • Im not a fast runner, Timi... but...

    Watch out for the hill..... after about 1 kilomotre, its about 70m in elevation..... Marlow/ Dawes Hill, if you are local!!.... check the course on mapmyrun, there is a similar downhill at mile 5/6, I think, for the Half. Not an easy course!

     

  • I'm in - not done this event before....image

  • I would say also..... brillant start.. its at the Rye (a park), and the first 200-400m or so are on grass. There is little or no delay to get over the line and its a wide stretch, so theres no having to stop/ slow down for runners once you are off, but do watch out for too quick a start, that hill will find you out!.

    Absolutely brilliant goody bag.... tech t-shirt, an loads of lovely little things, worth the entry fee in itself. The t-shirt is a good one, too, not too much advertising on it.

  • runlozrunrunlozrun ✭✭✭

    Ran it last year on my birthday, agree with Voley about the great goody bag and nice loud t-shirt.  The hill at the start is quite incredible, you go through clouds and everything, you'll love it Andy image  

     

  • Thanks for the info guys - I'd better bring some oxygen and watch out for nosebleeds then.

    Loz - if I'm late for Tony's wedding, it's because I'm still making my way up "that" hill.....image

  • yep agree on the hill its a killer so early on, very well organised race though and the widest start line ive ever been on ,great goody bag aswellimage

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    The interesting thing with this course, is that you can generally smash the first hill, even though it's a full mile long, because it's so early and you have the energy and enthuiasm still.

    What really makes this a tough course, is that there's so many slight ups and downs, a very steep 1/2mile downhill at about 6miles, and a last 5miles that climb about 100feet, nothing to the naked eye, but something your legs can certainly feel. Very hard to keep a rhythm I find.

    Done the half 6 times now, and the 10k 3 times. Weighing up this year's options...a hilly half in potentially hot weather doesn't always feel the best option these days image

  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭

    My 11th Wycombe Half in a row this year!

    I'd agree with Stevie. Definitely worth saving energy on the first hill though as you will pay for it later if you don't. Practice a steep downhill too if you can. Nice and relaxed is the way, or your quads will curse you in the later miles!

    The finish on the Rye is great, especially if its a nice day and the corwds turn up, but just be aware that you do a big loop around the park, so you can hear the comentator (and his cheesy jokes!) and feel very close to the end quite a long time before you actually get there!

    Oh, and lastly - hope there's not a headwind blowing down the valley! A few years ago, a combination of the last 4 miles very, very slightly uphill and a gale force, constant wind funnelled along the valley in the face nearly finished me off!

    While you're there, if its a warm day, you can take a towel and have a swim in the outdoor pool afterwards....

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Yep, remember that the race isn't to the 1mile marker, and ignore any old women saying stupid things like "they've done the hard part now" image

    Also, never smoke an imaginary cigar to a marshall pal at 7miles, as sods law dictates that a few mins later you suddenly won't feel so comfortable image

  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭

    A real one is ok though image

  • agree with that bus, you can hear the mc well before the finish, caught me out  treat on my first time last year when i upped my pace  thinking i was nearly  at the finish lineimage

  • I'm still waiting on my number has anyone got theirs yet ?

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    did 3miles of my 6miles at MP along a bit of the route today. Reminded me that the spell between Bourne End and Wooburn is pretty barren!

  • LRR - I've not had my racepack yet neither

  • No race pack for me either
  • Mine arrived on friday.  Looking forward to this one.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Still trying to decide on the 10k v half...

    The half is the bigger challenge with more esteem, but then the 10k is a good way to take part and not monster yourself.

    Have done the half 6 times in the past, but over the last 4 years I've favoured the 10k...(3times 10k and once half)

    Decisions!

  • pack arrived today. looks like a hard race.

  • I have my pack - ready to plod now  image

     

  • Dear Runners

    Sorry for the intrusion on your thread, I am a PhD student focussing on Exercise Induced Asthma in athletes. I am looking for volunteers with Exercise Induced Asthma or Suspected Exercise Induced Asthma to take part in a study. As a keen runner myself I thought local races may be a good place to advertise the study.

    The study includes an initial screening visit with a full check-up of your lung function. Depending on your response to the initial tests, you will be invited to come back for two additional visits.  These will take place at Brunel University (West London).

    We are looking for recreational or professional athletes, aged18 to 50, who get wheezy or short of breath during or shortly after exercise, and who train at least 4 hours per week.

    No prior medical diagnosis of asthma is required to volunteer for the study.

    The tests will tell us if you present ongoing airway inflammation that deserves medical attention. You will be provided with a report of your tests results at the end of the study.

    If you would like the full participant information detailsplease e-mail me at Andrew.Simpson@brunel.ac.uk

    Best of luck in the race


    Andy

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Andy, if you find a "professional" runner who get wheezy or short of breather after exercise, i'd suggest they've picked the wrong profession!

    back to the race...

  • Stevie, you would be surprised, Exercise-induced asthma (EIA) is a common medical condition in elite athletes, (roughly 8% of Olympic Athletes suffer EIA). Moreover, research is starting to suggest that EIA has a tendency to develop later in an athlete’s career and top level athletes can begin to suffer respiratory problems.

    Point taken though, this is not relevant to thread.

    If anyone wants more information please contact me at Andrew.simpson@brunel.ac.uk or click http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/health--injury/do-you-get-exercise-induced-asthma/202517.html (I have just started a discussion on a seperate thread)

    Best wishes and good luck with the race.

  • I would imagine that after the first big hill everyone will be very short of breath!!

    Stevie - as a "veteran" of this event and the Marlow Half, how do the hills compare?

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Andrew, fair play, set up a new thread though pal..as not many will stumble on this thread...

    Andy, Marlow is definitely the harder course, 3 main hills compared to Wycombe's one.  Also their biggest hill at about 8-9miles outdoes Wycombe's in toughness, especially being that late compared to Wycombe's first miler, which means you can smash it on adrenaline. The other 2 hills aren't huge, but aren't a doss, especially the one about 10.5/11miles. However, you get an amazing last mile downhill!

    Wycombe breaks down as follows

    • Steep hill beteen 0.25 and 1.25miles
    • Undulations with 2 or 3 50metre inclines 1.75 to 4m
    • Steep 0.5mile downhill at about 6miles
    • 1/4mile slight climb around 7miles
    • 300m short small descent at 7.5miles
    • 8miles to 12miles 100foot gradual incline
    • 12.2miles, 150metre very slight climb that feels more at that stage of the race!
    • 20metre slight down!
    • Last
  • Thanks Stevie - I'll psyche up on Saturday evening then image

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    having re-read that Andy, i might pysche down...and do the 10k instead image

    Best bits of the 10k are when you turn up, you're quite cool about doing the shorter one, and the pressure is off as the 1mile hill kills times. Also after the slight climb after splitting for the 10k route at 5k, there is a terrific downhill, and you're suddenly on the run in to the finish.

    But the half has more esteem...

    garhhh..decisions..

  • runlozrunrunlozrun ✭✭✭

    Sounds like you need to run the Marlow half Andy to do a fair comparison.

    I think you'll have recovered by November, just! image

     

  • I'm going to do the Half but will probably regret it when the race splits and the 10k runners head down Spring Lane, especially since I've done so little training.

    This will be the 7th year on the bounce that I've done the Wycombe half and it's still my favourite race of the year - great organisation, testing route and generous goody bag.

    The thing is, even though the race is in the middle of July, I can't ever remember it being really hot.

  • Im a slow runner. Over the years I have done both the Half and 10k (not at the same time, obviously!)..... yes, Lucas, it has never been hot or even sunny........ one year it chucked it down from start to finish.

    Dont think this year will be any different!!

  • Def sticking with the half Stevie image

    Last time I did Marlow Loz was 2000.  I can only remember feeling jelly-legged at about 5 miles, then the fast downhill to the finish (I still have the t-shirt too!)  That said, I am tempted to do it again this year image

Sign In or Register to comment.