Preston Guild Marathon

I am definitely not doing a full for the next two years minimum as am studying for a doctorate and the commitment scares me! A half seems the right balance of training without being life-consuming and I like the 10ks to dust off the cobwebs. 

Have sent you a message you may have more of a chance of spotting me tomorrow

Just seen your msg and replied

Studying for a doctorate, ok now that kicks marathon training into touch! very impressive. A HM is a good distance, its probably my favorite distance, not just because its only half the distance of a marathon either lol .

I am doing the full marathon, and have had a note through my door today, as i live close to the route, to say that 4000 people have entered the races. 1400 in the full and 2600 in the half, should make for a good mix. This will be my second full marathon having done London this year, this is going to be something different in many ways.

SIS you can get some of their stuff down at the Tescos at Capital Centre 9 - powdered recovery drinks £8 - for a bottle with 10 drinks in it.

1400 is not as many as i would of thought, but ive heard of a lot of people that have dropped down to the HM, so maybe not a shock.

Hi all, thinking about doing this one but can't commit!  Can anyone confirm whether this is chip timed - I'm assuming it would be but wanted to double check.  Also, does anyone know of any free parking close to the start?   Closing date is Monday so I best make up my mind soon!!! 

Thanks.

I don't know whether to be elated or in despair.   I did my peak mileage last night - 20.5 miles in incessant rain.

It was great to be able to plod on for so far... and it gives me a lot of confidence that, despite my legs feeling like hell, I have a very good chance of doing the distance.

But... OMG... How slow was that?   I'd decided to set off at a steady pace aiming at 10:10 per minute, with a view to keeping to that for the full 20 miles. I kept to it for the first 12 miles, then started to fade.  My last 5 miles took an hour... totalling 3:38 for 20.5

Any thoughts of doing 4hrs are gone... and I'll do well to beat 4.5hr. 

Forever Hopeful wrote (see)

Hi all, thinking about doing this one but can't commit!  Can anyone confirm whether this is chip timed - I'm assuming it would be but wanted to double check.  Also, does anyone know of any free parking close to the start?   Closing date is Monday so I best make up my mind soon!!! 

Thanks.

Yes... it's chip timed.  Don't know about parking..  there's been some discussion on this earlier in the thread.

Go on.. do it !

Thanks RW.  Regarding your last run, I wouldn't worry too much.  You put the miles in which at this stage is the most important thing.  As long as you taper properly your legs will feel much fresher come race day and you'll have to be reining yourself in in the early stages.  I started off way too quickly a couple of weeks ago and suffered big time which is why I'm considering another one to silence my demons!  That said, if I do this, I'll still set off at my optimistic goal time.  I'm sure I'd still slow even if I started off slow but that's just the way I race!  Have a listen to the Marathon Talk podcasts, last week's (26th Oct) and the week before that had training sections on pacing which you might find of use for race day strategies. 

Is there any chance of getting lost on this route?  If there is, I'll find it!!!!

Thanks for the encouragement Hopeful.  I'd never heard of marathon talk before. I'll try and listen tomorrow.

Do you really think there is ANY chance of me moving from yesterday's 20 miles@10:42 pace....  to 9:09 for the marathon itself?

I was also slowing badly yesterday, but I obviously hadn't tapered (doing a semi-brisk 6 miler the night before) - and nutrition/hydration weren't optimised.  And, of course, I was on my own in the rain - mostly in the dark!   I need to assess this, to help decide what pace to set for race day.

Not sure how difficult it is to get lost (do you have a story to share?)...  I come from the other side of Preston, so don't know it.  But with 1400 runners, you should have someone to follow.  Just make sure you don't hit the front until you can see the finishing line!

Well I managed to complete the Rivington Trail Marathon yesterday having upgraded from the half on the day and not done enough training due to holidays and overseas working. Managed 4.47 and the knees are sore, but they sent us up a climb at the 17 mile point whilst the half marathon stayed on the flat trails, so this finished me off. Bit of a anti climax to finish a Marathon with no one at the finish to cheer you over the line. Anyway probably 18 miler on the road next week and then looking for a 3.30 to 4 hours at Preston.   

I've just joined the forum to get a few last minute tips before the big day. I did my last big training run yesterday morning on the lanes of Rivington and Anglezarke - partly on the route of the half marathon that Number mentions above and completed 22 miles in exactly 3 hours. My question is does anybody know a method of prediction of marathon finish time based on the last long training run ? I'm familar with the race prediction software on the internet but they all seem to be based on races times - my last one was in July - a 10 miler in 70 minutes. I am worried about gooing off too quick in the race as my last marathon was nearly 10 years ago in Blackpool and I suffered badLy in the last 5 miles and finished around the 3.40 mark.

Place for sale! Still recovering from stress fracture. Anyone?

RW, what were you other long runs like?  The general consensus is that they should be done 60-90 secs a mile slower than marathon pace anyway.  I run on 3 days a week so my long runs are generally closer to marathon pace because I'm not racking up miles during the week.  As you taper, marathon pace should feel easier.  Get a couple of 10 milers in at marathon pace and see how they feel.  I do feel if you had a quick run the night before your body wouldn't have had enough time to recover for a quality long run anyway but that's just my opinion!  You need to make sure you know what your goals are before you start.  To finish, to finish in an acceptable time to you or to try and break that 4 hours - if sub 4 hours is the key then go for it!!!  I start off too quick and then try to hang on in there when the going gets tough.  There are loads of marathons out there so if all doesn't go to plan this time, just enter another

PureManic you've got it the wrong way round!!!  You're supposed to decide on a goal and then pace your long runs accordingly!!!  You should hammer your previous time though!!  Tell me your goal and I'll tell you what my schedule says you should be doing your long runs at - but as I've stated above, this assumes that your doing less mileage so you're running your long runs hard.  If you do a high mileage week with a couple of quality runs in it as well then you could be capable of a better time than my schedule suggests ...

Just signed up for this for the same reason as Hopeful mentioned above. Went round Chester this morning about 10 minutes slower than I'd planned. Some demons to be addressed on the 28th in and around Preston.

Jo, no pressure then!!  Discipline is my main focus this time, I'll be interested to see whether the net result is a pleasing one!  I wasn't overly unhappy with my time but I was 'hanging on' for about 12 miles!!!  No doubt, I'll be the one sobbing on the finish line at Preston!  At least with 3 weeks, you don't have to get another long run in - I'm trying to decide whether I should or not ...

PureManic - just to give you a bit more background.  I'm following the Furman First schedules.  The idea is that you run one interval session, one tempo and one long run - you then are supposed to cross train for two other sessions.  Lots of people don't agree with this schedule but it works for me.  On a 16 week schedule it gets you running your first 20 just 4 weeks in and you will do 5 20 mile runs in total.  For these 20s pace is as follows. 1.  MP + 60 secs a mile  2.  MP+45 secs  3.  MP + 30 secs 4.  MP + 30 secos 5.  MP + 15 secs.  Hope this helps you make some decisions but obviously put it into context with the training you have done.

ok, i'm in. and yes, for same reasons as jo an dhopeful. Marathons this year have gone: blackpoool 3.04, antwerp 3.08, windermere 3.12, and loch ness last week at 3.14. Need to turn my times back around!!

Welcome to the Guild Marathon Simon and Jo.

Sp are you going to be a last minute entry then FH ?

Your times are really impressive Simon, well done you.

Sorry to hear about your bad news Egyptian , hopefully your find some to take your place. I am hoping for a boost in numbers over this weekend as 1400 seems a little low for a marathon so fingers crossed there will be lost of last minute entries.

I did 18 miles, it went well , I think im going to do a 15 and 12 as my last two Sunday runs .