Reading Half Marathon 2013

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Comments

  • What's the zone thing about??????  *worried now*

  • I was just teasing DF3. You are allocated a zone based on your predicted finish time. Elites at the front, then yellow, red, blue ......    Elites are sub 1:20, Yellow sub 1:26, Red sub 1:45 ..........etc.  The marshalls are quite strict at Reading in stopping anyone going in the wrong zone. This will be interesting as DF3 may be wanting to jump into the Elite zoneimage Its nothing to worry about, honest.

  • Ah I see. Are those times you said the actual ones?  Only I can't remeber exctly what I would have said my predicted finish time would be, but if Red is between 1:45 and 1:26 then there's no way I'd have put anything but that!

    Still recieved no racepack and I can't find the 'check you are in' link on the website they said would come?

    I really need to chill out!!!!

  • Havent received yet anything either - I'm sure it will turn up next week

     

  • yeah loads of time yet.  They usually spread the mailing of packs over a period of time.  I've done this event many times, and my pack arrives between 4 weeks and 1 week ahead of the event.

  • As I'm getting older, it's getting steeper David image

  • agree - If you do decide to drive, the best option for me is parking in a park just off the Basingstoke Road.  I think they charge about £7.  The Whiltey Wood Recreation Ground.  It's a walk along Bennett Road then to the Mad Stad.  Easier for getting onto the motorway after too.

     

  • Sorry - not Bennett Road, Acre Road.

  • baldblokebaldbloke ✭✭✭

    any tactical advice from veterans of this race - is is dead flat, any tricky bits of the course to watch out for?

    I'd like sub 1.40, but would be happy with anything sub 1.45

  • pack just landed through the post.

    bb - start can be slow/crowded for first mile or so. Hill as mentioned by a few just after 2 miles but not that long....then downhill into town.  The last couple of miles can be tough along the dual carriageway but you head downhill onto it and you can just keep going.  

  • baldblokebaldbloke ✭✭✭

    thanks, Steady. Stevie G - any advice?

  • probably should have couched the slowish start comment to include anyone in Red zone backwards.  Even for the 1.30 to 1.40 guys the start can be a little crowded but not too bad.  The yellows and front of red are probably fine

  • I started towards the front of red last year, and ended up tripping over people who had stopped to walk within the first mile or two,and i was only looking towards a 1:30 so not amongst the faster runners. There were loads of non red runners in the zone, just clambering over the fence.....Really frustrating, so this years Bug Bunny is running...he isnt so pre-occupied with getting a PBimage and i can just enjoy the day...
  • Place available for Reading, im unable to do it, 325 donation for charity please, message me if you want the place for you or a friend
  • JindaleeJindalee ✭✭✭
    Not long to go now image looking forward to it.



    ... Even though my race pack hasnt turned up yet image
  • Place available for Reading, im unable to do it, 25 Pounds donation for charity please, message me if you want the place for you or a friend
  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭
    David Falconer 3 wrote (see)

    Im going to speed off at the start to catch up to Also Ran and then tag along next to him the whole way.

     

    That's excellent. I'm in Iceland for 8 days, so no running for a bit (cue Iceland jokes). Next week I will "reverse taper" and then you can pace me around to the Madjeski for a sprint finish to hit that target that is talk of the forum!

  • I'm doing this too. Is there a hill/hillock in mile 13, does anyone know? According to the official map it's flat, but the walkjogrun profile that DF3 posted shows a short up-and-down hill there. Otherwise, they look consistent. I like to plan my pacing to the nth degree, so I don't like surprises on the day!

  • there is a slight climb up from the roundabout to the stadium itself, but nothing of note.
  • That last part is a real test for me, from the downhill towards Matalan at (I think) around mile 10/11, then the drag along the dual carriageway - very slowly moving towards the Madejski - then knowing that you've got that last little loop and the slope up to the stadium is quite mentally challenging.  You've got the pain of seeing the faster runners about a mile in front of you going the other way, then a few minutes later the schadenfreude of seeing the slower ones behind you as you are on the final part of the loop! 

    All made up for the feeling of being olympic champion as you are roared to the finish by the atmosphere in the madejski - love it!

  • Karlsp, thanks and good luck in your Bugs incarnation.

     DF3 also, thanks for the reassurance. Don't worry, I've already calculated gradients for each mile (I said I like to planimage) and I figured it's reasonably benign. All going well, I'll be pushing for sub 90, (I'm starting in red) but it'll be touch and go: I might need all the flatness I can get.

  • Well i`ll be looking for around 1:45 in Bugs, DF, so watch out for my giant carrot, it has a habit of bashing people that get in my way ;-p
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