RunLiverpool Marathon 2012

Doc Pete-thanks-other than those 'hills' it sounds pretty flat or down hill.Does it go around Sefton Park as some of that can feel like a slow gradual climb especially towards the end of a race?

Good run yesterday plenty of hill work just 10k in 60 minutes but feeling alot better about the Marathon now ..going for my longest LSR of 16 miles on Friday,we have flood alerts for the weekend so should be perfect conditions

I ran the Marathon last year the incline out of the tunnel is not too bad (with a treat for you when you exit ) Parliment street slightly steeper if I remember

Gramck & 2ols - had a quick look on the UK Running Route Planner and it gives the Parliament Street stretch as being about 0.36 miles long and rising by 16 metres at a rate of 43metres per mile (make sense of that if you can!). I can't look at the tunnel exit but it is about half a mile and less of a gradient before the more gentle curving exit out of the tunnel.

Alan is saying that the Sefton Park section has been reduced / improved which is great but my sense was that the park was the highest point, although it doesn't really feel like you are climbing. The drop back down seemed more noticable on the way back as you head back down to the river and coming down Parliament Street is a very welcome stretch towards the finish! 

Alan - how many entries are there? and is there a closing date for entries?

Entries will remain open as long as we have places available. Entries from outside Merseyside are fine. Local uptake is poor!!!!!!!!!!!

We are on 5,000 at the moment compared to 8,500 last year. Most of the missing entries are from L, CH and PR (Merseyside postcodes).

The problem with people leaving entries as late as they do is it doesn't help with the planning of the event. If you were hosting a party at your house and you had no idea as to how many would turn up, how would you plan for it??

IT'S WHY WE HAVE A CLOSING DATE.

I expect increased take up in the next few weeks from the local contingent who will stroll in the shop and casually ask if they can still enter!!

Wirral 10K is on around 500.

Just looked at the stats on entries and they are 19% Liverpool and 6% Wirral.

25% is approximately 1,250 from Merseyside this year compared to just over half last year which was in the region of 4,500.

The low local uptake is really disappointing. Any ideas why? I would have thought that locals might be more inclined to although not sure if that applies for other marathons. I want to be cause it is my home(ish) city - fmo the Wirral (although I appear in your non-Merseyside stats living in Shropshire).

DP - no idea at all, apathy, done it once don't want to do another one, course too hard, entry fee too high, don't like the tunnel... who knows?

The fact is entries are down at the moment and we can only properly assess on October 15th when we compare figures on years 1 and 2.

I do think that a lot of people will have got the marathon off their bucket list last year. 

The chance to do the first local Marathon for decades ? Count me in. 

Just a pity that they didnt get the bug  - I guess a lot of people dont train properly, suffer all the way round and bow out of running once they have the medal. 

I'm back on the road to recovery at the moment getting me and my knee back in shape. I was hoping for a quicker recovery, but not to be. The joys of getting older.

Good luck to everyone and hope to join you next year,

ive heard the 10k bit has put people off!!!!!!!!!!!

Got my first 16 miler in this weekend after struggling with heat and a minor injury. Just had to start at 5am to try to get done before the sun came out and heat everything up. Felt great afterwards so Im mentaly more into the longer runs as long as I prepare better before taking off on them. And its good to read on here that the course is pretty flat, a few hills could really throw me off come race day,

james McCourt wrote (see)

Done 20 miles and half on Sunday and went for a 6 mile run today. Can't wait for the marathon now. I am having a bit of a problem with chafing on me groins so just bought a pair of compression shorts so hopefully that will help.

http://www.bodyglide.com/ Im sure youve heard of  this, I never run without it! 

james McCourt wrote (see)

Done 20 miles and half on Sunday and went for a 6 mile run today. Can't wait for the marathon now. I am having a bit of a problem with chafing on me groins so just bought a pair of compression shorts so hopefully that will help.

Hiya James, I'd also recommend Bodyglide too. I didn't like it at first as I wanted the greasy 'Vaseline' reassurance that it was on when applied but I prefer it now I'm used to having it on.

20miler for me on Sunday went well, although one of the hills was an absolute beast  . 4 nice easy miles today and I'm starting to feel I will be ready for Liverpool when it comes around

Hi Alan

Are High 5 gels available during the race and, if yes, which types EnergyGel or the new IsoGel? I'd like to use the same during training. Don't want any tummy troubles on the day!

Darren Brown 8 - I'm intrigued by the notion that a 10K distance in a marathon would somehow deter peopel from entering the marathon. can you expand on this theory?

Michael - I have no idea what kind of (High 5) gels are being provided but will endeavour to find out.

It will be EnergyGel and EnergyGel Plus. I can't confirm the flavour. 

I trust that is sufficient information?