My Forum

John R - Couldn't possibly exercise with other people. Same reason why I've never set foot in a gym in my life (the problem with gyms is they're full of full of people who go to gyms). I'm not much of a joiner of things either, so the local running clubs are also out. It's a life of running solitude for me - until race day that is. Blimey, I sound like a right barrel of laughs.

Love your theory about increasing distances. Could totally go in for that kind of self-delusion - in my head I'm now only a couple of training sessions away from my first Ultra.

Pug - It sounds a long time ago because it is a long time ago. I'm a '71 vintage myself, so I'll be 40 this year. I'll be sure to let you know what the view is like from the other side of the hill.

You guys are nuts. Inspiring, but nuts.

Never gone over half-marathon distance, and even in preparation for the five of them I've done I've never done a training run over 11 or 12 miles (so yes, my legs have fallen off in the last mile or so every time).

My 'mate' (and I use the term quite wrongly) bought me entry to the Chester marathon as a Christmas present. Simultaneously the best and worst present I've ever been given, which is quite an achievement in itself.

In fairness he's doing it too, but then he's a 'proper' runner, gives me a good 20+ minute spanking in the half's we've done together.

I was born in the West Cheshire Hospital (called the Countess of Chester now I think) so I'm coming home on October 9th. Looking forward to the pain already.

These clashes between local races are annoying, but you've gotta love the fact that there are enough of us lunatics out there to regularly fill the roster for both.

Gone for Leeds over Sheffield. I've done Leeds before and would like a crack at Sheffield, but I've got a couple of mates doing Leeds this year so that swung it for me.

When I did this last time I must say I didn't have any particular issues with the bigger hills, but the almost imperceptible upwards drag over the last mile or so really hurt.

New PB last week at the Brass Monkey - flat as a hedgehog on the M6. Not going to beat that in Leeds, but it's tempting to see how close I can get.

Got my name down for this one. Decided on the Liverpool half and the Chester full. As an Ellesmere Port boy living in Yorkshire it's oddly satisfying to get back 'home' to see me mammy and be able to avoid visiting relatives by spending my time running instead.

It's a shame the Liverpool and Chester marathons have landed on the same day. Got the same issue up my way with the Leeds and Sheffield half-marathons. I know there are only so many Sundays in the year, but - note to organisers - try and knock some heads together before next year could you, many of us would love to do them both.

Oh, and my two'penneth on the cost front: extortionate, rediculous, but also entirely justifiable. On balance I have to say I probably prefer the smaller events, so I think over time I'll be doing less of the thirty quid ones. I do wonder whether more and more of the talentless (but regular) plodders like me will step away from these costlier races: will these events just end up being full of elite athletes after a win and first and/or only timers after an 'experience'?

Picked up a PB in the Brass Monkey last Sunday, have to see how close I can get to it in Liverpool - flat as the Vale of York this one is not. Looking forward to a good day out, see you all there.

The Ripon Runners website indicates there's a tentative rescheduling of this event for 2nd April - a Saturday (oooh, the controversy, I get nosebleeds if weekend races aren't on a Sunday), and dependant on landowners permission.

I really hope they get this one sorted: comms since the cancellation have been, well, pretty non-existant, but it's a race I'd rather like to add to my collection. Just a shame it won't be Studley-in-the-snow (unless the gulf stream gets redirected in the next couple of months - don't tell me it can't happen, I've seen The Day After Tomorrow).

Only problem is I signed up for the Liverpool half yesterday evening, which will be six days prior to this. Sore legs await methinks. Curse you, running gods!