The Great Cumbrian Run

What's occurring peeps?

Less than two weeks before the Great Cumbrian Run and the honour of starting the thread has fallen to me!

Being a four time veteran of this race, I remember some active and well contributed forums for this race -which have been in full flow for some months beforehand - but clearly this has not been the case this year?

I truly hope that the lack of contributions to the forum for this event is not a reflection on the level of interest for the race itself, because from my experience it has always been a good event, well organised, good facilities and with a decent amount of support.

Despite not having been able to run this race since 2008, I'm hopeful that my abiding impressions will still be the case and that the fact that a forum has not been started until now has no bearing on the event?

What say you??

Doing this - did first one in 1982 when I was 13 - still my best time 1:35 - trying to beat it this year though 30 years later! Was in April back then so actually 30.5 years later.

Was 2008 on the new course out to Cumwhinton or was it still out to Crosby Lodge - I've done this new route once but was running with my daughter so a nice stroll - done it a few times in training and miles two to four are quite hard work but miles 6 to 8 are great to run - nice and flat and slightly downhill. Would think on race day that miles 2 to 4 will zip by in the early buzz of the race (hopefully).

It is a great race and always lots of support in the villages - this will be my 8th time in all - 3 back in the 80's (when route was from Brampton to Carlisle) and rest in the noughties.

I'm hoping a good turnout too because it is 30th Anniversary, and the start in the Castle is really special - just love crossing the dual carriageway and the drivers having to stop and let us cross - and finish on track at Sheepmount stadium is always good. Just worried they have brought it too close to GNR as numbers were down a little last year too.

Cheers, Skinny

Greetings Skinny - it's nice to know there's someone else out there - let's hope there are many others too (who perhaps just enjoy being quiet??)

Wow - when I said I was a 4 times veteran of this race, my endeavours only reach back into the relatively recent past (2005 - 2008) - you go all the way back to the very start and so have a far better idea of the rich history of this event!

I can't remember if the route of the course changed in 2007 or 2008. I know that I ran the new route at least once (and possibly twice) but I have to say that I much preferred the course in 2005 and 2006 which was more of an out and back route (and quite flat)  before the change to the more circular course (with more hills!)

You might already be getting an idea of my preference for a course!!

I'm sure Millster will put me right on this point whenever he joins in (having emerged from his hibernation)

i'm in, did it last year and year before

Got my race number yesterday so I'm deffo in, which will be my first. As a newbie, a question for you vets please...what is the situ with the timing chips? Do I need to collect beforehand or can I race without? I am a little confused from previous yrs threads when I've read the info..thanks! Training going well I think but on the countdown now and need to make sure I have everything in check!

Kylie - these are picked up at Sands centre on the Saturday between 2pm and 7pm or can be picked up early on the Sunday morning between 7.30am (ouch) and 9.15am - you need to take your race number with you to pick up your chip - although I have been focussing on this event for nearly 12 months I only got round to entering last week so still not got my number and any info that comes with it but info above is on the booklet that I got my entry form out of.

Good luck on the day - hoping weather is decent and the strong winds have died down.

Any other veterans out there I have a query - I have run this race 8 times over 3 different routes - in 80's Brampton to Carlise, mid noughties out to Crosby Lodge and back and late noughties out to Cumwhinton and round the villages. However I have a gap in my history between 85 and early noughties. My recollection is that the race moved as the popularity dropped then plummetted and it finished up either starting or going round Carlisle Race course? Does anyone know all the routes it has been run over?

It regained popularity when Sands Centre/Carlisle Leisure starting pushing it again and then changed back to the Crosby Lodge route which was a great PB course.

Skinny - sounds like good advice you've given there to Kylie about the chip timing collection. Although I've missed the last 3 GCR's, I do seem to recollect that this was the process I followed last time round - although knowing me it would have been a Sat evening collection (not at my best early on a Sunday morning!!)

Kylie - the other part to your question was can you race without? I would think that the short answer would probably be yes....I think the race number is the only "must have" to take part in the race....but given that your timing chip will have been one of the things that you have paid for in your race fee.....and given that this will give you an accurate finish time (and possibly even split times too??) and will avoid the need to have to stop your watch as you cross the finishing line.....you might as well take advantage of it! From memory the collection point at The Sands Centre is not all that far from the race start at Carlisle Castle so a short detour will give you the assurance of having a "blob on" time recorded!

Sorry Skinny, can't help you with your question, clearly I was one of those who was picked up under the Carlisle Leisure push for popularity!! I'm sure some kindly soul will be along soon and be able to help you out.

Hey Iam doing the GCR for the 3rd year running this year, my experience of the race is very positive and I hope to go under my last best time of 1:52, Training going reasonably well between giving up smoking n I only hope its not gonna be raining on the day! 

Kylie - got my race number today and a letter. re Chips - picked up at Sands on Saturday as stated above but on Sunday picked up from Castle (where start is).

I knew you'd surface eventually Millster - once you get the faintest whiff of a GCR thread there's just no holding you back!

Welcome aboard matey - glad you've been able to join the small but select band of contributors - at least you've not had several pages of posts to plough through to catch up!!

I've just been for my first run tonight since completing the GNR some 11 days ago - I managed an enjoyable 7 miles at my usual super slow pace! It certainly appears to be a truism for me in saying that I'm getting slower with age - which is quite worrying really because I was slow when I was younger as well

But you know, I'm really not at all fussed about times, I'm just pleased to be running again after 4 years of not having done so! The GNR was my first HM - indeed my first event of any description since the GCR in 2008 - so times are completely immaterial to me - it's the taking part that counts! (hmmm - seem to have heard that last part before - best check in case I get done for plaigarism!!)

What makes you say that my little Cumbrian correspondent? Are you making that fatal mistake again of employing a common sense approach and applying logic, reason and established runners training regimes to your assumption....because as you well know, I tend to steer clear of any such trivialities and stick to my tried and tested way of doing things....i.e. winging it....usually much to my cost, it must be said!!

Are you over analysing me and thinking "he's just done a HM 2 weeks ago and has only done one run since...therefore he won't even be thinking of doing GCR 2012"

Unlike me, who will probably decide on Fri night after work whether I feel up to it or not, and if so try to book a b&b for Sat night and sort out my race entry on the morning of the event!

You musn't get the impression that I'm disorganised - heaven forbid - I just prefer to think of myself as being "spontaneous"

Let's see what the coming week brings......

Seamus - it is laughable that someone even mentioned the 'off road' bit!

It is about 200 yards along a path which gets you from one road to a tarmacced path through the park. The path is a hard surface a bit like a farm track but is absolutely no problem to run on.

You will enjoy it provided weather is bearable - start in Castle is great, route is fast after miles 2 to 4 which are okay, and finish through two parks and then round athletics track is excellent.