Preston Guild Marathon

Just done some more exploring of the Guild Wheel. The bit from the Crematorium on Longridge Road throught to Redscar Woods and the Brockholes Wildlife Park now has a definite path. It is only the base layer they have put down but you can definitely tell you are on the Guild Wheel.Far better than last time we went that way. Its not signed at all well from Broughton to this bit yet but I am assuming that is the last thing they will do. Looking good for long training runs for either the full or half marathon in October.

So how is everybody’s training going ? The sun is helping to motivate me to get out there, although saying that some days the heat has been a killer.

And is it me or are there more flies about ? :S

Going well for me!  After a decent block of foundation training (ie plenty of runs and a decent amount of miles plus regular gym work), I did some races. I did Eyam HM (WAY tough), my first fell race 2 days later and then 3 days after that managed to finish just outside the top 10 in a very hilly, local 10k. Glad that 2 of those races were in the evening so the heat was doable. Back to building miles now!

Perhaps we could do to be getting started with some long easy runs sooner or later. Maybe every 2nd or 3rd week starting at say 11 or 12 miles then upping it 1 mile each time between now and say early October.

Anybody up for any long easy Sunday runs at 9am along the Guild Wheel? Pace can be whatever's agreeable between us as it's a motivation and company thing more than anything, as my body sure as hell falls asleep after an hour's running.

I might be up for that Pete. However, we`re only occasionally over in Preston but I`ll keep an eye on this thread. It`s tough to train at MP here in Sheff as it`s so hilly everywhere.

The some good going E. Toe, i am going to do the Freckleton HM in a couple of weeks but other than that I’ve yet to decide on any other races to enter. But i am not for a 16 mile training run, as i am following a program i got out of the runners world book thingy. I know its a bit early to have started one of those, but i am thinking i will just re-start it when i get to 16 weeks before the big day.

Hi Pete, i would be interested in meeting up now and then, but i would have to wait till times that your distance matches the ones i am down for, not that im running massive distances at the mo. The 16 mile, i mention above will be the furthest ive run this year, looking forward to it mind. A few of us get together in our area, which is Walton-le-dale and usually just do the runs from there.

Yeah, that'd be good. I need to get my brain into gear at some point soon and start mapping out my long runs over the next 4 months and see if any match in with others. I certainly don't mind coming over to Walton-le-dale. It'll just help the long runs get done easier as come Sunday mornings sometimes last thing on my mind is a long run!

Pulled a hamstring after our first interclub race this year on 4th April and am only just getting back a few days ago after a forced two week abstinence, so gimme a coupla weeks and I'll do my summer plan and give you a link. Freckleton HM certainly needs to be on it. Not done that for a decade at least.

I'm thinking with the Guild Wheel now that the loop is fully connected up we could just meet at any agreed point on it then head out for 5 miles in any direction then turn back, then next time meet somewhere else then do 5.5 and back, etc, so that the overall run increases by a mile each time we tick one off.

If we start soon enough then there's just the right amount of weeks between now and early October to increase it by a mile each time and even do the full 21 mile loop a few times before tapering off. What do you think?

Fantastic for northerners to have another marathon without having to travel down south with all the expense that entails. Except the pre-event email tells us that race numbers are to be collected at the expo the day before with no provison for collection on the day.

So then - either we now have to travel to Preston twice in two days - or we have to stay over. Might just as well be in Watford. I'm really looking forward to Preston - but come on guys you're not London. 

CCSH - the email I recieved from the organisers says regarding pick up the day before:

'If you do have any issues with this, please contact us as early as possible at guild2012@preston.gov.uk'

Have you contacted them and have they said they won't arrange to send you the number? Or have you just not read all the mail

To be fair CCSH, we all know thats an age old trick to get you to an Expo to spend money. Otherwise, i suspect most of us wouldn’t bother, be it London or Preston.

Sorry to hear about the injury Pete nothing more frustrating than not being able to run hey!! If you just keep posting how many miles yours doing on the Sunday, each week. Im sure people will be happy to meet up. 9 is certainly in by the look of it and i will try and meet up and yer sure you can come over our way sometime if you want.There are four of us that meet up, of different ages and pace ability

Does anyone here ever run around Rivington Pike? I do have two 5 and a bit mile routes around there, but was wondering if anyone has mapped out any longer routes. Here is what ive got :

http://www.runningahead.com/maps/d003e1ed8e3c4685a84f9a8f9f8c9514?unit=mi

or

http://www.runningahead.com/maps/288893aec5f746cc87a39d6712518700?unit=mi

Maxpower - yes I have read the email and yes I have contacted them. And guess what - no resopnse whatsoever.

Have your tried this email address CCSH p.walsh@preston.gov.uk

Just noticed that this is a `hot thread` now!

Personally, I`m not a Preston native but I`ll be happy enough to toddle along to the expo the day before if needs be. It`ll only be my second marathon. Just need to enter now.

Entering is the first step to completing the marathon :P Your be fine E.Toe, this will only be my third marathon. Yes it is daunting , but yes you will complete it. There is something like 21 weeks to go and i see on your profile youve done HM before, so youve got the base to build on.

I didnt realise that this is now a hot thread he he. Hopefully it stays that way, although there is a long way to go, till the big day.

SJPC14 - yes. Same result - or lack of result.

Get yourself entered E.Toe - then you're committed and you will do it and you will love it! Even now after quite a lot of marathons it's the entering that makes me commit and keeps me training.

Cheers CCSH. I really don`t struggle for motivation for training; it`s more the cash and time (young family!). I intend to the whole series and that`s my main goal for this year .

ccsh - chill and give them time to get back to you.

pete - definitely up for meeting up on training runs, if you post on here I will pop along if I can.

sjpc - done lots of running around rivington when I was training for anglesarke amble a couple of years ago. My favourite run was from cricket groung at white coppice to top of darwen tour and back via great hill. Also set of from white coppice and went to rivington along tracks next to reservoir and then up to pike via barn. Never mapped any of the routes, just went where my feet took me.