Great Welsh Marathon 2013

Been checking every now and again for months to see if the 2013 thread had begun (I think it's started in August in previous years!), so thought I'd start it myself.

Signed up for the Llanelli Half in March, and after another rejection letter for VLM, I'm considering doing the Great Welsh Marathon in April. For those who weren't regulars on the previous years threads, I did this as my first marathon back in 2011. I fell apart at mile 18 and had to walk most of the rest coming home in 5:04:08. Very pleased I completed a marathon distance, but I've always felt I should give it another go and try sub 5 and hopefully have enough left in the tank to run more of the latter miles.

I'm sort of 'secretly' training for it as I don't want to commit to it 100% just yet and want to see how I get on with some of the long slow runs. Did 14 miles this morning and felt reasonably good at the end but obviously still a long way to go.

It's been a friendly and very helpful thread the last couple of years. So hope to hear from some of the GWM regulars on here and hopefully a few newbies as well.

Hi legend, I also ran this in 2011 & fell apart about mile 18 .  

I won't be doing it this year as I was lucky and got a ballot entry into VLM, but have signed up for the Half as a tune-up race.  

I'd say you should defnitiely sign up for it! If you were followng the Pfitzinger & Douglas schedule this week's long run would be 15 miles,  so your "secret" training is spot-on for getting you prepared for the GWM.  

I've entered this one for the first time.  Better start some training.

Though of course there can only be one 'Great Welsh' marathon which I'm afraid isn't this one.

T Rex wrote (see)

Though of course there can only be one 'Great Welsh' marathon which I'm afraid isn't this one.

??

I can only assume you mean Snowdon? or is it that our Capital City should be putting a marathon on?

I signed up for this having done that London one 4 times, last year I found it too overcrowded and the finish was appallingly organised (in that there was no organisation or consideration for those that had just run 26.2 miles).

This was my first marathon in 2011, missed it last year but did the Llanelli Born to run Ultra instead. Thinking of doing both this year. Have to say I have never applied for London nor do I intend to

Hello!

Just seen this thread & thought I'd post, even though I won't be running it this year.

I remember some of you from previous forums - lovely to hear from you again (Stutyr, TF, YoD and Legend)

Historically, I haven't have much luck with this race - ran it in 2010 (first year running of the event)... struggled with a bad stomach and finished well over 4 hours, 2011 & 2012 I was a 'DNS' due to injury.

Although I 'd love to have another crack at the marathon am struggling this year with energy levels due to various things, so I'm going to race up to halfs this year, & will be doing the llanelli 10m and half in March, but not the full.

Good luck to everyone doing this & will be great to hear about your training progress. Hopefully see some of you in Llanelli half. all the best!

LTS

was I the only one to have a great race 2011..............it was a bit hot though.I believe it was the hottest day of 2011.......despite the heat i got a 28 min PB............and hubby got a PB last uyear as well.........

would love to do it this year but decided i'm not doing marathon 2013....

Sue..T-Rex means Snowdon.which is amazing............but for a PB LLanelli is the place to go 

Oops.  Hope I'm not upsetting anybody ..

I chose this event because it covers a bit of the Wales Coast Path the entirety of which I intend to run before I hang up my running shoes.  A couple of short sections are missed out which I'll have to go back to after the marathon, or perhaps before, to warm up.

this one only covers a small park of the coiast path as it does 2 figures of 8 along it..

T Rex wrote (see)

Oops.  Hope I'm not upsetting anybody ..

 

not at all T Rex. I do think it's a shame that Cardiff don't stage a marathon, it's possibly the only capital city in the known world who don't 

Snowdon looks to be the business I agree, if it weren't for all those hills I may even be tempted myself!

i done this in 2011, got burnt and mentally scarred for a year. hence maybe a return this year and try and beat the 4hr 30 min slog of last time. bit worried i left it to late tho, only up to 10 miles at mo. Have i got enough time to train these 45 year old legs to run for 26.2 miles?

keith c - you'll be fine as long as you get at least one 20+ miler in.

Did all 5 Cardiff marathons 2002-06 before it was pulled because of local opposition.  It was a two-lap route and only the one lap is now run as a half marathon.  It is a shame.  Finishing in the Millennium Stadium was quite something.

Must try to focus on this but got a couple of ultras first and I haven't run since 14 Nov!!  Badly broken collarbone and some nerve problems down my left arm.

Keith - I think you still have time. I was at a similar stage to you in 2010 & completed it. Ok it wasn't in a pb time, but I still finished it near 4 hours. As T Rex says if you can fit in a couple of long runs in the next month & build up the mileage of the long run. Good luck!

Just entered Llanelli 10 mile & half

T - Rex. Injury/accident sounds nasty - hope you recover soon.

Hi,

Ive just done 6 months training for my first marathon marathon and never got to the race due to a bereavement. Was thinking of this race as its fairly local and fairly soonish - not sure I can coax myself to keep going past April. Can anybody please tell me hoe  'undulating' the course is

Thanks

Thanks Kev, thats encouraging. Im sure I ran a 10k down there in a previous running life

very very flat 

I'd better get registered then. Will be a little different to the marathon that I was meant to be running in Florida last week!!