Greetings All,
looks like the Turky Trot is just about full (see here). Just wondering who was going to be there Sunday and whether anyone wants to say "hi" before the off.

Yep, I'm in it, I shall be wearing a carnation and carrying a copy of The Times. Not really.

Is it going to be freezing? I normally run in a club vest - don't want to appear nesh but should I be nipping out to get a technical Tshirt on Saturday?

I should be there i have a bit of a cold at the moment but sunday is 3 days away so who knows can not remember my number will post it later

Great,
I think it might be well chilly on Sunday so I'll probably go for a long sleeve with club shirt over the top.

I'm #1237, go by the name of Ben everywhere except here and will be wearing a Notts AC vest (see here for club shirt), white, green + gold.

Looking forward to meeting you, hope you feel better by Sunday Carl.

Good luck MM and others. What are your targets? Look forward to your race report.

I believe Achilles is the man to ask about suitable running attire, don't go letting the side down now will you.

Thanks Laura,
well up till Tuesday I was planning on trying to get under 1:22, but then after discussion with some club mates about the Keyworth course (the general consensus was that it is a bit more challenging than either Robin Hood 1/2M or Worksop 1/2M), I'm planning on going relatively steady until after the "killer climb" between 2.5 and 4 miles then I'll take it from there. I'll be sure to post the epistle of pain after the race ;-)

Call me sad but I drove round the course on the way into work this morning.

Think I may have lost a bit otherwise it is a mile short!

The start is mostly downhill so you are going to be well up on time after a couple of miles. Then the killer hill which comes after a right turn for a village called Bunny. It is very long and quite steep so don't think you are going to attack it all the way up.

However after that hill there were no other real hills until near the end of the course - a couple of little ups and downs but plenty of long straight flat sections where you can get into a rhythm. Quite exposed if it's windy or rainy though. Towards the end (assuming I wasn't lost by this point) there was another long hill but nothing like as severe as the first. This last hill is also a fairly constant incline so you should be able to get into a constant pace - the earlier killer hill has lots of little very steep bits just to make it harder.

Apart from that one hill I would say easier than Notts, if you did the Leicester then Keyworth has fewer short inclines but the big hill is worse than anything in the Leicester. Overall I would put it somewhere in between Robin Hood and Leicester but I might change my mind when I run it.

Popsider,
THANKS A MILLION!
I don't think you're sad, I think you're a star, a good recce of the course is really useful and you've certainly put my mind at ease somewhat.

OK, the revised race plan, go out at a decent pace, get through the "killer hill" without going too beserk and then go hell for leather!!!!

See you Sunday and thanks again.

ran this last year in 1hr 32 this was 2 weeks after Clowne in 1hr 35 so be warned

Just for a reference point, I ran both Leicester and Keyworth last year, when they were 2 weeks apart.

I did Leicester in 1:24:25 and Keyworth in 1:23:11. In my opinion it is a faster course than Robin Hood, but I guess it is just how you feel on the day.

Think you have the tactics just right MM steady till you are over the big hill then flat out till the finish. Going by your times recently I would say you have a great chance of going under 1:22.

Gareth

Ironman,
thanks for the confidence booster. So it's definitely looking like an "eyeballs out" attempt on a sub-1:22 to round out the year.

Will you be there this year Gareth?

MM

I have just ran an easy 5 and a bit miles
and dont feel to bad so all being well i shall be there sunday i will be wearing my club vest which is light blue and has Desford Striders in red failing that my no is 1162
see you sunday

After just sneaking under 1:30 (1:29:59 in the official results) at Leicester, I will be looking to get close to my PB of 1:28:21 from the Robin Hood. If anyone is aiming for a similar pace my number is 1175.

1349 - white long sleeved saucony running top OR blue and white vest depending on weather. Possibly will be just outside your time Richard - did 1.30.48 at Leicester.

I regularly run down the killer hill on one of my training runs. Ran up it in the 4th Turkey trot when it was even harder as it had a thin film of ice covering it. Can't remember my time then but I'll look it up as it may have been respectable.

Ran Clowne in 1:35 a couple of weeks ago and would be delighted with 1:32 on Sunday as Clowne was my pb for the year to date.

Hope to see some of you there. Charnwood AC vest and a green and yellow tracksuit with satey pins.

PS Charnwood vest is green with a yellow fox on it. If anyone has an entry form for the Notts county XC champs I would love to get hold of one. Any good pubs near the finish??

Alrighty then,
so we've got:

Everard
popsider
richard billington
Carl Rutt
me (marmite/ben)

Anymore for anymore?
Looking forward to meeting you all tomorrow. If I don't see you before the race, best of luck and give it hell!

Race no. 6034

Good luck all.

Possible covering of snow forecast - getting better all the time - are skis legal footwear?

Skis won't get you up the killer hill. Bring crampons.