Have faith Mike, wait until Monday morning.

The race is not tomorrow!

OH MY GOODNESS !! THOUGHT IT WAS TOMMORROW - I WOULD HAVE TURNED UP AND NO ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE!! WHAT A NELLY


Of course the problem is now my wife is working next weekend , so if EMMA is reading , if you like to meet me in Brum I'll bring the van , then we can leave it there and have at least 4 adult seats for return to wolverhampton .

I thought Trentham 10 mile was next week and was upset because it's my fsavourite race and I've already entered but its the 22nd!!

I have really taken my eye off the ball this week !!

Hi to all taking part.Being a local lad and using these canals at least twice a week for training I can offer a few words of advice.The canal splits into two at Tipton adjacent to the Barge and Barrel pub .The two canals are The Old Main Line and the New Main Line . The New Main Line is the northern one,it is as straight as an arrow and is reached by staying on the towpath and not crossing the bridge which would take you on to the Old Main Line. If you look in an A to Z map you can see which is which easily . I regularly run through the Coseley Tunnel without any torch - It's really not that bad .The floor is wet and slippy and there is a lot of water falling from the roof However there is a solid hand rail between you and the canal to stop you going in and you can see the end from the start. I would worry more about the towpath after the tunnel . It is very very muddy and wet for about one mile - the puddles are unavoidable .Spectators can watch at loads of points along the way-again look in an A to Z there is access to the canal at virtually every road bridge (and the one aquaduct) If anyone wants more info leave a message on the forum and I'll try to answer . Good luck

'The Wilfsta' above is correct. I use a section further down the canal and use the two main lines as one big loop for training.
People, I do not think you are going to do personal bests on this course, on the old mainline the path is not great and as Mr Organiser has said there is repair work on the new main line (which is almost finished, I can check if you like).

The race packs should be with you by now, can anyone confirm whether theirs has dropped through the letterbox this morning? I hope the Royal Mail industrial action has not affected us.

I got my number - 39 !! Cheers! - thank god it didn't come before or I'd have been standing at wolverhampton on sunday all alone!!

Anyone up for giving me a lift from brum so I can leave the van - it'll mean 5 adult places to go back to wolverhampton (three with seatbelts!)

No 44! Probably indicative of my position after a horrific half around Wyre Forest on sunday ... 1:4 hills are NEVER a good idea!
Mike Iam still going for the train option, given that's where people are meeting the other end, so if you want to catch train I can meet you in Brum. Am leaving my car at work

No 18 . Getting close now . Just one question - Do we rejoin the New Main Line under the motorway where the two canals cross over each other or follow the Old Main Line down the locks to where they merge into one . The reason I'm asking is it can be confusing as to which side of the canal to run on in Smethwick as some of the towpaths are dead ends ?????

Rejoin new main line and this takes you straight to Brindley Place via Galton Bridge.

There will be a photographer on the course so big smiles please as you may find yourself on either the RW or the BBCHM website!

Also try www.walkjogrun.net and search for 'Birmingham'. You should find the route marked on there.

Well if all goes well carol will drop me off at Wolverhampton after we leave my caravanette at Lighthorne avenue just up from the NIA , there is free road parking. Then when we finish it'll be the shorted distance to walk , I can't walk to New Street from the finish , it's too far.

If carol can't drop me off then I'll drive to the jewellery quarter , park the van for free then get the Metro from Jewellery quarter station to Wolverhapmton , they run every 10 mins and it's £2.40.

Either way I'll have the van if anyone needs it.

To be honest I feel really sick at the moment and one of the kids isn't well either! Just what I need!

What times are runners hoping for ? I've only done a half once before in 2 hours . Am I going to be running by myself ?

Based on the estimated times on your entry forms the pack will be spread out between less than 1hr30 and more than 2hr30.

I don't think you'll be on your own if you are near a 2hr pace. Not sure about the sub 1hr30's though!

Mike - hope you and the kids are feeling better in time for the race.

Runners,

It has been a huge challenge trying to get the race off the ground but with the advice and enthusiasm I have received from everyone both on the forum and via email, it looks as if we have set up something that will continue far into the future.

I have started planning next year's race in order to make it bigger and better, and I already have people calling me every day wanting to know how they can get involved.

A few of you have asked how to get sponsorship money in to me. I won't accept cash so please send cheques payable to The Anthony Nolan Trust to the race address, or bring them on the day. Alternatively use your credit/debit card on the website: www.justgiving.co.uk/bbchm.

There is just one change to the advertised details - there are no Goody Bags, but with the help of a friend I have something for everyone to take away at the end and show that they took part in the first ever Birmingham & Black Country Half Marathon!

There will also be trophies on offer for first Male/Female in the half-marathon and one for first place in the 10k.

More importantly I hope that everyone taking part has a great day, good luck!

Andy
just a quick note to wish you all the very best with sunday's run
about time there was a half decent event in birmingham, second city and all that.
hope to be there with you all at the start assuming i can enter on the day and profer my cheque
hope teething troubles are sorted, don't mind the nit pickers, as you say run from wolves to brum and that's it really
cheers

Just make sure there is some water and we'll be fine!

I'm well up for this now , I'm looking forward to exploring the canal as I run . I'm not going fast as I want to enjoy it and I have a challenging 10 mile at Trentham next week.

Good morning and good luck to everyone running this morning.
Looks like we have a wet one today, but that's no surprise!!
See everyone at the start.

It was raining heavily when we made our way in convoy to the centre of
Birmingham, we left the van then went onto Wolverhampton railway station, this being the first time I've done a point to point. I found that there weren't many there when we get there and I was worried the
now torrential rain would have put some of. But as the trains from New
Street Station pulled in more and more arrived . Possibly about 50
people I reckon , we handed in out torches ( I got laughs as I brought a massive torch whereas everyone else had little torchs things) we were all walked
through the streets to the start on the canal , the rain still pouring
down. It was hilarious really as there were so few of us.

Starting off , even though we'd all stood around discussing the risk of a too fast start , a big group sped off - I started slow discussing with a South African bloke the canals and what they were used for. 25 mins in and I've caught up with some who started too quickly, the rain going from heavy to light then stopping then heavy again. The race numbers were just ordinary paper as opposed the the more usual
waterproof ones , so it fell off , I kept hold of it and folded it up
in my pocket but it dissappeared later. Coming to the 3/4 mile tunnel we were handed our torches and this was where my big torch came in handy , it was good under foot and there was a handrail . I made good time and caught up with a few . After the tunnel the going got very
rough , very muddy , puddles linking together into great lakes . Now
you could try to run round them but the zig zag changes of direction
weren't going down too well with my knees so I opted for just ploughing straight through them - it was very muddy and my soaking trainers and socks really slowed me down.

I thought I knew the canals but it's hard to orientate yourself especially in the torrential rain. My slow start mean I had
plenty left for the end but by 1:47 I knew it was further than 13.1 , I knew where I was and thought it about another mile and half.

Finishing in 2 hours it was 14.5 miles or there abouts and this was confirmed by other runners.

Of course meeting Carol at the end (the Midwife)- holding my van keys I'd dropped
in her car !!! - sort of cancelled out the car convoy thing at the start!!

Great to meet everyone from here , great to see some had travelled a long way to take part too. Pity about the rain , it was cold at the end to hang around though I got to see most back.

All in all a cracking good run , very tough conditions making it feel
like much further than the 14.5ish it was. I'm _certainly_ up for this next year!!

Put my name down!!

well done andy