Belfast Marathon 2008

mckenna45

Just coming out of my winter break, training programme in place and a tough 4 months ahead in preperation of the Belfast Marathon 2008.Aiming for sub 3 and a half hours.Anybody else hitting Belfast this year?

Slogger Jogger

Hi,

Sadly not this year - did it last year for the first time and loved it, as I did a PB of 3:21. Doing Conn on 6th April and got talked into doing the 3 Peaks race in April in Yorkshire so Belfast is not on the cards this year. A friend of mine is looking to 'overtrain' for Conn half marathon with a view to being in shape for Belfast through. Best of luck mckenna45.

gaf1983

If they had a half-marathon I would definitely enter. I'm running Connemara, that'll be my first full one, do you reckon one month after that would be too soon to enter another full one?

Slogger Jogger

You picked a great marathon for your first!

2 years ago I ran Paris 2 weeks after Conn and it went well.

Last year I ran Dublin a week after Amsterdam and it went badly.

I would think a month is fine for a regular marathoner but it could take longer physically and psychologicaly to recover from ones first marathon. Best of luck.

rigormortis

I banged out 8 miles last night, 12 last sunday, another 8 tomorrow and then hopefully half marathon distance on sunday. No injuries so far.:D

Jason_77

I have entered the Belfast marathon.

Ran it last year (my first) and really enjoyed it.

How is the training going?

Jason_77

Anyone else running Belfast marathon?

How is the training going at the moment?

louthandproud

Jason_77 wrote: »

Anyone else running Belfast marathon?

How is the training going at the moment?

Don't think my training is far on enough yet to consider Belfast this year unfortunately, however I don't want to wait till Dublin either, soooo.... Does anyone know of Marathons in or around June/July (preferably not in a very hot location )?

--amadeus--

How about Cork in June or Longford in August?

louthandproud

--amadeus-- wrote: »

How about Cork in June or Longford in August?

Thanks for that, will now strongly consider Cork. Does it come recommended?

--amadeus--

Last year was it's first running and it was very well organised. Good crowds, plenty of refreshment stops, well marshaled. The start is good because it kind of winds and doubles back so if you have friends and family they can see you start and at a couple of miles in without having to go very far themselves. Route goes out of the city and through the tunnel before coming back in again. Not madly scenic, some nice parts. HUGE hill at about mile 18 followed by a very long straight road which is quite mentally tough, also happens to be the only part of the route where support is a bit light but generally much flatter than you would expect a marathon in Cork to be.

I'd def recommend it.

louthandproud

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Last year was it's first running and it was very well organised. Good crowds, plenty of refreshment stops, well marshaled. The start is good because it kind of winds and doubles back so if you have friends and family they can see you start and at a couple of miles in without having to go very far themselves. Route goes out of the city and through the tunnel before coming back in again. Not madly scenic, some nice parts. HUGE hill at about mile 18 followed by a very long straight road which is quite mentally tough, also happens to be the only part of the route where support is a bit light but generally much flatter than you would expect a marathon in Cork to be.

I'd def recommend it.

Just looked at the course profile, mile ~17 to ~21 look really tough, just at that tough time in any marathon too. But at least last 4-5 miles look like they could be rolled home. :-). Will have to ensure I get plenty of hills into my long runs in the coming couple of months before entering. Cheers for the info...

TheRoadRunner

louthandproud wrote: »

Just looked at the course profile, mile ~17 to ~21 look really tough, just at that tough time in any marathon too. But at least last 4-5 miles look like they could be rolled home. :-). Will have to ensure I get plenty of hills into my long runs in the coming couple of months before entering. Cheers for the info...

You are right miles 17 to 21 are a little tough but nothing too extreme. I ran the relay last year and I took in those miles. Friends of mine said the course was great overall however

robbicosta

Damn relay people last year really put me off. The race itself was great but the sight of fresh runners you know you would have no problem outpacing in a 10k overtaking you after every change over was a little disheartening.

--amadeus--

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

You are right miles 17 to 21 are a little tough but nothing too extreme. I ran the relay last year and I took in those miles. Friends of mine said the course was great overall however

Believe me, after 17 miles that hill leading up to the guide dogs for the blind centre was pretty hard-core! It's not impossible but I'm not sure I would base a judgment on how hard it was off how you found it having started a mile or two down the road.

100% agree about teh relay runners. One of teh motivators in a marathon is getting your pacing right so that - in teh closing stages - you pass more runners than pass you. With the relay marathon runners were fighting up a steep hill 18 miles in and people who had started a few minutes up the road were bouncing past, fresh as kittens. Very disheartening. That said they need the relay runners for the numbers and to make it viable so not much we can do about it.

martino

Hi all, When you talk about a huge hill around mile 18, are you talking about Cork or Belfast. I am running Belfast this year. Do you know what the course if like?

hunnymonster

The hill is in Cork. I can't remember any significant bumps in Belfast

Jason_77

No significant bumps in Belfast?

There may be no big hills, but there are a lot of long slow inclines on the course. Gradient may not be major but it does impact the legs. Having said that I really enjoyed the run last year.

robbicosta

Hillview Road from mile 10 to 15 is a bit of a giveaway! Really enjoyed the race last year but will be in Scotland this year so can't make it.