London Marathon 2013

RacoonQueen

robinph wrote: »

The Coal Hole on The Strand.



Pay attention at the back of the class!
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=83831855&postcount=438

I don't think thats where the club are going. Thats a bit inconvenient for me.

robinph

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I don't think thats where the club are going. Thats a bit inconvenient for me.

You need to tell them they are going to the wrong place then.

Bahanaman

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

7:30 (with a generous bit of rounding) and 9:45 .
The sub-3:15 marathon target is all but dead now anyway, with the advent of the new Boston qualification method. Bit of a shame, as there was some history/tradition behind it. I remember when it was a lofty and exciting goal.

Oh dear! And here was I hoping to try and get under 3:15 for the first time in Waterford in June! Now I find its not worth it!!:(;)

Krusty_Clown

Bahanaman wrote: »

Oh dear! And here was I hoping to try and get under 3:15 for the first time in Waterford in June! Now I find its not worth it!!:(;)

It is sooooooo worth it... You can brag to all of your friends that you would have had a Boston Qualification time, if they hadn't gone and changed the qualification criteria!

It's still a damn fine target, as it's really the final hurdle before you start tackling Sub-3. Go for it and good luck!

Bahanaman

Ha ha! Thanks Krusty! I'm on a steep learning curve. 3:36 in Dublin in '11, 3:19 in Waterford last year and 3:18 in Dublin last year having missed about 5 weeks training with achilles issues. Only took up running in 2011 after a lifetime of playing hurling. Somewhere in the back of my mind the competitor in me is whispering sub 3 hrs. I broke 1:30 in last year's Wexford half but couldn't even begin to imagine keeping that effort up for double the distance! I turned 38 in January and think my physical make up just wouldn't allow me to dip sub 3.

Pronator

Anyone know anywhere decent to eat close to the Strand? Italian - pasta joint preferably.

Krusty - No Burger King or Chinese takeaway gags

Brianderunner

Pronator wrote: »

Anyone know anywhere decent to eat close to the Strand? Italian - pasta joint preferably.

Krusty - No Burger King or Chinese takeaway gags

Pizza express is fairly decent, there's one across the road from charing cross station. Almost a shame not to order pizza there but tis more than adequate. If you've been to Milano's in Ireland you'll know Pizza Express, i think they are the same company.

The Spaghetti House on St Martin Lane (not more than a 5 min walk) is very pre marathon type food too.

Bella Italia is close by, i'm not a huge fan but they do a lot of pasta dishes, perfect for pre marathon night.

One thing to be aware though, a lot of the restaurants in this area are all reserved or full around 6pm-7pm, as most people go for pre west end theatre dinners around then. I'd pre book if i were you. Saves traipsing around wasting energy.

Krusty_Clown

Brianderunner wrote: »

A lot of the restaurants in this area are all reserved or full around 6pm-7pm, as most people go for pre west end theatre dinners around then. I'd pre book if i were you. Saves traipsing around wasting energy.

TopTable (OpenTable) is pretty good for making bookings. Here's all Italian Restaurants within 0.5 miles of The Strand Palace, with availability between 5:30pm and 7pm. Probably worth cross-checking against reviews in TripAdvisor. (Edit* link doesn't work too well. May need to apply the search filters yourself).

I was going to book a table in one of the Zizzi chain of Italian restaurants Brian. Ever go to any of them? They seem pretty good.

village runner

I think Brian what people are actually asking here is are you feeding all of us in one sitting ?? After doing Thr hotel thing for years apartments now are a lot handier . Eat all meals there until after Thr race and save a few quid but more importantly know at start line I didn't eat anything I normally don't eat. My envelope finally arrived.......

Brianderunner

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I was going to book a table in one of the Zizzi chain of Italian restaurants Brian. Ever go to any of them? They seem pretty good.

No never been, they do look decent however.

Scary looking long range forecast there guys, 21-22 degrees. Hope it's wrong for you. Weather here at the mo is pretty much perfect for marathons.

village runner wrote: »

I think Brian what people are actually asking here is are you feeding all of us in one sitting ??

My primary function will be to grab a table or 2 in the cole hole for you before the crowds get there.

RacoonQueen

http://www.accuweather.com/en/gb/london/ec2v-7/daily-weather-forecast/328328?day=11

I know absolutely nothing about this race. Where I'm starting. How I get there. What my number is. :eek:

*didn't send that letter Brian

rainbow kirby

I have one of the magazines that arrived at Casa del Brian, if you're in town or around the park at the weekend I could drop it over to ya?

RacoonQueen

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I have one of the magazines that arrived at Casa del Brian, if you're in town or around the park at the weekend I could drop it over to ya?

That'd be handy ta' planning on going to watch the GIR though it might be hard to find you there?

Brianderunner

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I know absolutely nothing about this race. Where I'm starting. How I get there. What my number is. :eek:

*didn't send that letter Brian

The race is in London and is 26.2 mls long

Where are you staying, what airport d'you fly into? Robin posted all you needed to know to get to the start from Charing Cross

Send that letter today. I'm gonna head to the expo on Weds or Thursday.

Krusty_Clown

Brianderunner wrote: »

No never been, they do look decent however.

Scary looking long range forecast there guys, 21-22 degrees. Hope it's wrong for you. Weather here at the mo is pretty much perfect for marathons.



My primary function will be to grab a table or 2 in the cole hole for you before the crowds get there.

Clicking on that link gives me a high of 16'C, with a max of 13'C that morning, which would be absolutely perfect (and some nice beer garden weather in the afternoon). Am I looking at the wrong thing? *edit*: Yeah, I was looking at RQ's link, which looks like perfect conditions.

robinph

I didn't have any problem with getting a feed of pasta at an Italian just round the corner from The Strand last year without any pre-booking or planing. Lots of places were busy and they absolutely crammed people into them, but it is just another day. London is a big place and a couple of thousand people looking for a plate of spag bol isn't really going to make much difference to the busyness of the place.

RacoonQueen

Brianderunner wrote: »

The race is in London and is 26.2 mls long

Where are you staying, what airport d'you fly into? Robin posted all you needed to know to get to the start from Charing Cross

Send that letter today. I'm gonna head to the expo on Weds or Thursday.

Just outside Paddington and I don't know, which airport did you and RK tell me to fly into? cos thats the one I'm flying into

EauRouge79

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Just outside Paddington and I don't know, which airport did you and RK tell me to fly into? cos thats the one I'm flying into

Sweet Jesus, and I thought I was bad!

EauRouge79

Pace band printed and ready to go. s****ing myself already! :eek:

robinph

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Just outside Paddington and I don't know, which airport did you and RK tell me to fly into? cos thats the one I'm flying into

You are flying to the correct London aren't you?

menoscemo

robinph wrote: »

Just spotted in a Runners World email their pace times and they have me a bit confused with the times they have picked:
2:59 - Fair enough, aim a minute fast for a bit of a safety cushion and print that time on the flag to prevent questions from the pacees
3:15 - So why have they not then selected a minute fast for each of the other times?
3:30
3:56 - Oh, now they are going for 4 minutes fast instead. Huh!?!?! And what happend to the 3:45 group?
4:15 - Back to exact times again
4:30
4:45
4:58 - But why now only a 2 minute cushin for 5hrs?
run/ walk

They seem to have over thought the pace groups a bit here and just come up with a daft set of times. Maybe they let each group of pacers decide on what time they wanted to run at, but if you end up with the 3:56 group running at a couple of minutes faster than that time again to ensure they make the 3:56 time then that is hardly fair on the people running with them.

Just saw it announced on FB that they are using the standard pace times of every 15 minutes between 3 and 5 hours.

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/event-editorial/virgin-london-marathon-countdown/9478.html

Clearlier

random piece of useless info.:

One of the sub 3 pacers is the owner of Xempo - the place that gives you different colour running tops based on your times.

Emer911

Brianderunner wrote: »

My primary function will be to grab a table or 2 in the cole hole for you before the crowds get there.

Hey Brian (and other tag alongs...) I'll join you bagsy-ing tables at the pub. What time you planning on getting there? I'll be trying to Klown spot along the route but would be planning on getting to the pub early enough too.

Sure PM me on this... I don't want to be sullying up the runners thread with this social/ beer drinking nonsense

robinph

Emer911 wrote: »

Hey Brian (and other tag alongs...) I'll join you bagsy-ing tables at the pub. What time you planning on getting there? I'll be trying to Klown spot along the route but would be planning on getting to the pub early enough too.

Sure PM me on this... I don't want to be sullying up the runners thread with this social/ beer drinking nonsense

When did anyone say anything about running in this thread? It's all about the social/ beer drinking afterwards. The running only comes in to it regarding how long it takes each of us to get there.

Pronator

Emer - If all goes to plan I will be in the pub fairly soon after the finish;) I won't have far to stumble afterwards:D

TRR let me down with a supply of Dutch Gold which is very upsetting but I'll get over it:eek:

eliwallach

eliwallach wrote: »

Left hip/thigh giving dull ache when running.
Might just be a sightseeing tour of London for me
Few rest days might see me right.

Spent an intimate evening with a sliothar, and things are looking better already
Will give it another lash tonight.

Brianderunner

Emer911 wrote: »

Hey Brian (and other tag alongs...) I'll join you bagsy-ing tables at the pub. What time you planning on getting there? I'll be trying to Klown spot along the route but would be planning on getting to the pub early enough too.

Sure PM me on this... I don't want to be sullying up the runners thread with this social/ beer drinking nonsense

Nah may as well make it public so others can see the general plan.

Yeah no bother. Myself and Rainbow Kirby will be watching the race from mile 25 ish at Embankment tube station (across the river from London Eye). Will head to Cole Hole from there (its only about a 5 min walk). Might wait for the 3'45 group or so we'll see (Younganne this means you ). You've met us both before so you'll spot us. I doubt we'll catch the rest of the race. We're slow movers in the morning

Headed up last year after the 4hr group passed and the pub was nearly empty so that should be safe enough.

Younganne

Emer911 wrote: »

Hey Brian (and other tag alongs...) I'll join you bagsy-ing tables at the pub. What time you planning on getting there? I'll be trying to Klown spot along the route but would be planning on getting to the pub early enough too.

Sure PM me on this... I don't want to be sullying up the runners thread with this social/ beer drinking nonsense

I'll have a tag along if you can babysit include him in your plans!!!:)

Younganne

Brianderunner wrote: »

Nah may as well make it public so others can see the general plan.

Yeah no bother. Myself and Rainbow Kirby will be watching the race from mile 25 ish at Embankment tube station (across the river from London Eye). Will head to Cole Hole from there (its only about a 5 min walk). Might wait for the 3'45 group or so we'll see (Younganne this means you ). You've met us both before so you'll spot us. I doubt we'll catch the rest of the race. We're slow movers in the morning

Headed up last year after the 4hr group passed and the pub was nearly empty so that should be safe enough.

no pressure then:eek::eek:

Krusty_Clown

Jaysus, I wish it was the 21st already. Getting sick of all the waiting.. I just want to be standing at the start line, with my race gear on, waiting for the starting pistol. But I've to sit and wait another 9 days. Gah!!! Hurry up already...