Hanley Building Society Potters Arf Marathon - Events

Barney Wales

22/02/2011 at 13:59

I did this last year for the 1st time and have entered it again this year!

Its a great event (IMO) i was warned about the '2 hills'..............boy o boy!!! The first one is a long long incline in my opinion, granted it does take it out of you a bit but the 2nd one!!!! You are expecting it at so many miles and i did a bit of a hill and as i got towards the top of it i thought that wasnt to bad then you look up and see the 2nd hill and bloody hell its a proper hill.

To be fair though there is ups and downs all the way round and the last mile is flat or down hill if i remember correctly. Well worth having a crack at this one.

Any one else doing this one this year?

phil toft

22/02/2011 at 18:45

i will be doing this one, my first half marathon probably

mugpunter32

22/02/2011 at 18:52

Tough half marathon for your first.

Great race though

Ive entered already

pottermiss

22/02/2011 at 19:41

I've entered, I did it for my first half marathon last year too.
Looking forward to it, the support along the way was brilliant!

James Hancock 3

07/03/2011 at 12:29

I've entered, first half marathon.

I cycled the route a couple weeks back and there are some big hills!

Are you guys from the area? What training are you doing for this? When do we get sent the event details such as numbers etc?

Edited: 07/03/2011 at 12:31

pottermiss

07/03/2011 at 18:17

I think that last year they sent the race pack out in mid April.

I am doing the London Marathon before this, but last year I only managed to get up to 10 miles in training in the weeks before the race due to injury. My advice, obviously, practice some hills and find a training plan that you can stick to.
I was forced to walk the steeper hill at Milton Road I think it was, and my strategy to get round was to walk through the water stations. Aiming to do better this year.

micknphil-marathonlads.com

07/03/2011 at 20:04

we hope to return this year - we 've done the HM several times, and the old FM once in 2003 clocking 4:58 in soaring heat

The current HM. its a good race, tough but good

it takes in part of the old TOUGH Potteries full marathon course

Potts course is tough, some steep hills and some long drags in it, but they are good for stamina building,

though its a warm time of year, all more reason to prepare properly

a race not to miss - ample crowd supprt, as a matter of fact, i cannot really remember too many races like it for crowd support TBH

samantha muir 3

15/03/2011 at 17:57

i am doing the hm this year as my first full hm. i did it last year as part of a relay team. i am currently have serious mental problems and am feeling as if i cant complete it. any one got any advice on how to overcome this??

Stephen Savory

20/03/2011 at 20:22

@ Samantha Muir 3
I would recomend a read of "The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer"... you can find it on Amazon, loads of really good mental prep stuff in here, or look into the other forums for recomended reads, sounds weird, but reading can really help

compo 1

20/03/2011 at 20:27

did this 2 years ago and entered again and looking forward to it

Barney Wales

30/03/2011 at 15:00

Got my race number and chip in the post today. On the sunday just gone i did the liverpool half and my time was 2 mins slower than the previous year and once i got home i thought thats it !!! The stoke arf is the one i break the 2 hour mark...... off the top of my head the stoke arf i think i clocked 2hrs 5 min or there abouts. BUT after reading the course again and where it says milton st/rd steep hill, that brings you back down to earth!!!

WINGS OF FIRE

26/04/2011 at 12:50

This is a local race for me and a must do half finished in 1.58 last year,hope to beat it this time,Stafford half in March was 1.52 a quicker and flatter half,this sunday 1st may, I will be at uttoxeter half ,love this race too,not the support of the potters but still enjoyable in the country lanes with a fast finish to the race course . finished the london marathon in 5.02 dressed as a crusader,very hot did a 8 miles training run after a weeks rest and going for 12 miles today nice and easy.Just entered London marathon 2012 ballot,fingers crossed.

many runners walk up those potters hills ,no shame in that as it is usually very hot on the day with a good hosepipe waiting at the top,great these supporters are,very friendly.

enjoy your day

katy sanderson

10/05/2011 at 10:36

Ok so after reading all this i am very nervous about doin this race!!! Its only my second HM race and first one back after having a baby. I did Great North in 2009 in 2hrs 2 mins and wanted to beat that but dont thinks its going to happen. I did hell runner in Feb in cannock but you cant really call that a race.lol

I have been hill training and do a long run evey weekend so fingers crossed i will get up Milton Rd.

@ wings of fire- good luck with london Ballot. I have entered too!!

Good luck to everyone who is doing the potters arf.

andyc209

10/05/2011 at 16:07

i'm in now - ran it last year trying to pace the missus around to sub 2 hours. Want a proper go at it now. Just started training again after running Paris and London marathons on consecutive weekends - just got my legs back so hopefully a crash training course will be enough. I used Milton Road in my training runs for the marathons, nice little challenge.

compo 1

10/05/2011 at 19:20

can not wait for this one

WINGS OF FIRE

11/05/2011 at 18:09

I think you get a gold medal if you finish the potters in less than 1.30. a silver under 1.45 and a bronze for under 2 hrs, so motivation for a bronze.all finishers get a medal though and t-shirt.

Keep fingers crossed Katy for London..I think you will break 2.00. It took my over 2.00. at great North because of the vast numbers,you can run with more freedom in the Potters,and still have plenty of company.My number is 979 there will be at least that many in front of me.

I am thinking of running the Wales marathon in Tenby a week before,hope I recover alright.I just booked the Lockness Marathon in October and it happens to be the Chester Marathon the week after ,dare I do a double for the first time ? It looks Like Andy has,well done.The Loch is a tough one but beautiful scenery.Chester is flat and fast.

katy sanderson

11/05/2011 at 21:33

My race number is 1733 so if you see me give me a push!! lol. Fingers crossed for sub 2hr, however will just be glad to finish it, like any race!!

wings of fire, you should go for it and do a double!! I just have my heart set on london i havent even looked at any others!!

andyc209

12/05/2011 at 09:39

Wings of Fire - do the double, even though i did not set a PB in either you can at least tick that big box and say you have done two in a week. From my point - Paris was very hot, 26 degrees in places so in the last few KM i backed off to save some energy and set a 3.47 - then i had a couple of massages tuesday and wednesday and then went for a gentle 3 miler on the thursday just to get things moving. During London my legs where a little heavy for the first mile but then they felt quite 'spongy' for the next 19 miles - they felt really good. The last 6 miles where pretty draining though as a mixture of heat again and fatigue set in. Happy though at the end as i did a 3.37 so to knock 10 minutes of a week later was a bonus. Only just started running again though after three weeks off - hopefully i can get back to fitness again in three weeks.

WINGS OF FIRE

13/05/2011 at 18:02

Well done Andy those are great times for a marathon, you have both pursuaded me.If you don't see wings of fire after October you will know why.

I will keep an eye out for you Katy 1733 we may have to pull each other in.

. I am doing the Trentham Donna Louise 10k on sunday,a nice little run.I don't do many less than a half marathon so it will make a nice change.

.Hope I don't have too many beers tomorrow watching Stoke in the Cup Final.

katy sanderson

13/05/2011 at 20:13

Gotta have a beer tomorrow!! Im a potters fan and my folks are both off to wembly in the morning!! I ran Hell runner in feb @ cannock after a drinking session the night before and didnt do to bad!! However a session to me is only couple glasses of wine.

Good luck eveyone. As long as im not last i dont care!!