Stockholm Marathon June 2018

Itziger

Looks like I'll be doing this. Flights booked and was finishing registration when I realised I'd need my bank token thingy for the Credit Card security step. This evening hopefully. I see it has a new course for 2018. Hmmm.

Anyone know the city well and could maybe have a peak at the course. I'm thinking fairly flat but with a longish bridge at km 33/34.

Anyone else on for this?

Zebra3

Have been tempted by this. Afaik it’s on a Saturday so would give the chance for a night out after!! But June in Stockholm can be very hot.....

Itziger

Zebra3 wrote: »

Have been tempted by this. Afaik it’s on a Saturday so would give the chance for a night out after!! But June in Stockholm can be very hot.....

Early morning, early June. Fingers crossed. Love the Saturday factor. Few scoops that night (credit card, but hey!!) We have friends we can stay with so shouldn't be too expensive a weekend.

gawker

I have signed up for this too. The new course seems a bit flatter than 2017, with the main challenge being the Västerbron bridge apparently which is quite the slog - I think it comes around 30km in. I'm in Stockholm next week and hoping to run it to see what the big deal is all about.

Here's a map with the inclines included - looks accurate to me: https://runkeeper.com/race/asics-stockholm-marathon-6354/132056

Itziger

gawker wrote: »

I have signed up for this too. The new course seems a bit flatter than 2017, with the main challenge being the Västerbron bridge apparently which is quite the slog - I think it comes around 30km in. I'm in Stockholm next week and hoping to run it to see what the big deal is all about.

Here's a map with the inclines included - looks accurate to me: https://runkeeper.com/race/asics-stockholm-marathon-6354/132056

Any feedback much appreciated. The bridge looks like a bit of a bump alright. You'd want a small bit in reserve for it and to be in good shape so that it doesn't knock the remaining stuffing out of you.

gawker

So I can report back on the bridge

I did a 7k run around Stockholm during the week, taking in the bridge everyone says is the toughest part of their marathon.

It's not too bad - the climb to get to it was actually tougher, but it is a very long bridge with a gradual slope for almost a km, which I'd imagine is quite a slog after 30 or so KM.

Here are some pics:





It gives a nice view, even in terrible conditions..


Three runs in Stockholm last week reminded me how great a city it is to run in. Very excited for June.

OOnegative

Looks fantastic, one for the to do list.

Itziger

Gawker, one question. When you say "the climb to get to it was actually tougher", will we have to tackle that same climb in the marathon or was it just the way you were approaching the bridge that day?

The bridge itself looks a longish 'gentle'* drag. Thanks for the pics.

*Probably not the word I'll be using in my race report

gawker

Itziger - it's the route during the race. It goes through Sodermalm, and there are a few sharp enough (but not very long) climbs on the route in that area that probably make the bridge an unwelcome sight. It'll be fine on the day - apparently they have people holding up signs saying "F%*k the bridge!"

Itziger

Just seen this in the Course km by km description........... Hmmmmmmm. Km 34 no less.

We continue to THE CLIMB of Västerbron, Sweden’s largest arched bridge. Here you will find the toughest ascent of the race, so take it easy!

The capitals are not mine.

gawker

I think they hype it up a bit much after running it myself. Although I imagine my opinion might be different after 34kms

Hope training is going well for everyone.

Itziger

WTF!! I thought this started at 8.30 or so. Turns out it's midday. Fingers crossed it's not hot then.

Zebra3

Itziger wrote: »

WTF!! I thought this started at 8.30 or so. Turns out it's midday. Fingers crossed it's not hot then.

Madness!!!!

Itziger

So, as all eyes turn to Stockholm (ok, and Cork too) I've been having a peek at the weather conditions. Fook that lads, we're going to have to get lucky especially given the midday start and all those horror stories from London re heat. I see there are a few 24/25 degree days next week with the coolest being 18. Please Marathon Gods can we have the 18 max.? I'll be a good little runner for the rest of the year. Promise.

gawker

All my Stockholm friends are talking about this being a heatwave currently. We will be unlucky if it hangs around until the marathon. I guess next week we will have a better idea of how it will be.

I'm into tethering now. It's my first full marathon after a bunch of halfs, and I hae stuck to my plan religiously. I did find the 20 miler at the weekend tough going, especially in the last 5 km or so. Hopefully it'll stand to me on the day. I hope training is going well for everyone!

Itziger

Well, taper started. Last two big workouts were Lux marathon on May 12th (3.16 controlled) and a 2x10k @M pace last Saturday. I badly need this taper to work its magic cos I'm feeling wrecked at the moment. Saturday went ok though. Might do one more short number on Thursday but nothing too long.
Gawker, that weather still hasn't changed............. We're going to the wire with it I reckon. 
Anyone else doing this?

gawker

It does seem like Factor 50 might be in order alright. I'm holding out hope for a balmy 17 degrees or so - or at least cloud-cover. Luckily, there is a water/energy station every 2.5km or so. Yr.no, one of the more reliable weather services for the region, shows a dip in the days before the marathon. Hopefully this is correct: https://www.yr.no/place/Sweden/Stockholm/Stockholm/long.html SVT, their 'RTE', is showing a similar trend - high temps midweek but falling to 17 or so at the weekend.

Hope tethering goes well for everyone!

Itziger

Gawker, is there a specific Swedish reason why you call tapering tethering or is it an auto correct thing?
We might just about get lucky with temps. I've seen high 20's falling to 20 or low 20's around the weekend but of course the long term stuff is fairly unreliable. I can do up to 20. After that I'd have to start compromising, which would be a shame as this has been a target race. June is full of social stuff as well so it's not as if I can use the training to have a good lash off a Half as I've done before. I have 6 or 8 parties pencilled in for June so far. Eating and drinking.

gawker

I might need to be tethered to someone if current forecasts are correct, with most now showing 30 degrees heat for the afternoon now.

I'd imagine if that stays the same, they may even move the race forward an hour or two? That really would be exceptional heat for Stockholm.

I guess I should just stop checking the forecast until midweek next week, when it will be more reliable.

Itziger

Ah FFS, let's just hope that's wrong. I'll say one thing, I'd consider simply not doing it at all if it was 30 degrees. That's the temps they had in Lux marathon last year and a few friends struggled around the Half and one or two I know attempted the Full. One was carted off to hospital and another was DQ'd for switching to the Half when the courses split. What's to be gained by 'running' a marathon in those temperatures? 
Our only hope is that they've gone from 21 to 17 to 31 in the forecast over the last 24 hours. You can't believe anything more than about 3 days out normally.

gawker

Sorry for the daily weather update, but things look better now with temps of around 17 and maybe even some light rain after 2pm. That'd be more like it. Emergency averted hopefully.

Last long run tomorrow (16k) - getting a bit nervous now as it's my first marathon and every KM after 32 is an unknown to me.

Itziger

Gawker, we're going to have to wait and see man. But I think it's definitely moving towards cooler. Just depends on whether it comes in time. The BBC weather is saying 22 for the Sat and the following days 21, 20, 19. Know what I mean? So fingers crossed. Did a mini session yesterday and all short and easy stuff now till the big day. Take it nice and steady for the first half. Try not to get caught up in the madness and euphoria cos with that size crowd you won't realise how fast you're running till it's too late. In the recent Lux marathon I did easy, not so easy, hard and you wouldn't believe the number of runners I passed. Some of the positive splits I saw in the results were eye watering. Keep it under control. Relax and you'll be fine.

gawker

Thanks for the tips, much appreciated.

Itziger

Well Gawker, not much time left now for that forecast to change. I haven't given up hope quite yet mind. But the window is closing! It goes without saying that the 'take it handy' advice I was giving above would be multiplied by 2 if temps are 27 degrees. Might check out ice-cream joints around the course and treat myself if i5 doesn't change between now and then.

gawker

So what's your usual sun-screen routine for marathons Itziger?

Itziger

gawker wrote: »

So what's your usual sun-screen routine for marathons Itziger?

A cap!! And water over the head regularly. Almost more important than drinking the stuff. I'll rethink the strategy early on if it's silly warm. I'm half thinking of seeing what sub 3 pacers do and going with them for a few kms. We'll know after 5 or 10k if we can keep the pace or we have to dial it back a little. 
Gawker, Boardsies normally meet for a few beverages after foreign marathons but I'm not sure how Saturday is going to work out. For starters Mrs Itz will be there and the friends we're staying with as well. Don't know how they'd react if I told 'em I was off for a couple of jars with some random stranger from the Interwebs!!! Then you obviously have mates there as well that you'll be linking up with. Keep me posted.

Aarnikotka

Hej! 
In keeping with my (unintentional) boardsie tradition of lurkage, I'm just popping in now to say hi to you fellow Stockholm runners! Sounds like you're both ready to go, and adjusting plans accordingly, since it now looks like it might be 28C on the start line...
As for me, well, I'm currently slightly chunkier than I'd like, more than slightly undertrained (pesky kids - contagious feckers!) and wondering how I'll cope with the kryptonite heat on Saturday... :O I have the good fortune of living in neighbouring Finland, so I've had some weeks to acclimatise, but I remain convinced a leaden-footed hell awaits me :(
Anyway, I just wanted to wish you all 'lycka till', remember to bring sunscreen and maybe see you out there on that damn bridge or some other course landmark...

gawker

Itziger wrote: »

A cap!! And water over the head regularly. Almost more important than drinking the stuff. I'll rethink the strategy early on if it's silly warm. I'm half thinking of seeing what sub 3 pacers do and going with them for a few kms. We'll know after 5 or 10k if we can keep the pace or we have to dial it back a little.
Gawker, Boardsies normally meet for a few beverages after foreign marathons but I'm not sure how Saturday is going to work out. For starters Mrs Itz will be there and the friends we're staying with as well. Don't know how they'd react if I told 'em I was off for a couple of jars with some random stranger from the Interwebs!!! Then you obviously have mates there as well that you'll be linking up with. Keep me posted.

Hey Itziger - seems like a smart strategy, although you are a good bit faster than me. Enjoy the sunshine with family a friends, I'll raise a glass to you over the interwebs! It's a beautiful city to visit.

Aarnikotka wrote: »

Hej!
In keeping with my (unintentional) boardsie tradition of lurkage, I'm just popping in now to say hi to you fellow Stockholm runners! Sounds like you're both ready to go, and adjusting plans accordingly, since it now looks like it might be 28C on the start line...
As for me, well, I'm currently slightly chunkier than I'd like, more than slightly undertrained (pesky kids - contagious feckers!) and wondering how I'll cope with the kryptonite heat on Saturday... :O I have the good fortune of living in neighbouring Finland, so I've had some weeks to acclimatise, but I remain convinced a leaden-footed hell awaits me
Anyway, I just wanted to wish you all 'lycka till', remember to bring sunscreen and maybe see you out there on that damn bridge or some other course landmark...

I'm clunky too, don't worry!


I have been at my (first) marathon training plan since December and sticking with that has given me some confidence to feel I can do this, but the weather certainly has me wondering a little. It's been around 18-20c in Dublin the last couple of days so I have gotten out in that as much as I can to prep for the heat. We'll see.





I see there's a good few Irish signed up, we'll be able to spot eachother from the sunburn: https://registration.marathongruppen.se/StartList.aspx?LanguageCode=en&RaceId=51&RaceVersionId=795


Looks like they have put in extra refreshment and shower/spray stations as of today:

Km Place Shower stations
2 Vasparken Yes
5 Hornsbergstrand Yes
7 och 35 Rålambshovsleden Yes
9 Stadshusbron Yes
10 ocxh 38 Strömgatan Yes
11 och 39 Strandvägen/Styrmansgatan Yes
13 och 41 karlavägen/Grevgatan Yes
15 Valhallavöägen/Patentverket Yes
17 Djurgårdsbrunnsvägen/Sjöhistoriska Yes
18 Djurgårdsbrunn No
19 Djurgårdsv, innan Biskopsudde Yes
21 Djurgårdsvägen/Skansen Yes
23 Blasieholmen No
24 Skeppsbron Yes
27 Söder Mälarstrand Yes
29,5 Folkungagatan Yes
30 Götgatan/Medborgarplatsen Yes
32 Hornsgatan/ringvägen No
33 Varvsgatan/Lkundagatan Yes


Good luck in the final few days of prep!

Aarnikotka

I'm actually categorised as Finland rather than Ireland, even though I marked my nationality and club membership, so I think they just looked at my address and decided I was Finnish! 
So this is your first time at this distance? Here's hoping it won't be a baptism of fire for you :) I'm sure we'll be fine (I just really need to accept my limitations in this weather); no doubt the additional water stations will be welcome! 
Last couple of short runs ahead and then jump on the ferry on Friday :D Good luck!

gawker

Aarnikotka wrote: »

I'm actually categorised as Finland rather than Ireland, even though I marked my nationality and club membership, so I think they just looked at my address and decided I was Finnish!
So this is your first time at this distance? Here's hoping it won't be a baptism of fire for you I'm sure we'll be fine (I just really need to accept my limitations in this weather); no doubt the additional water stations will be welcome!
Last couple of short runs ahead and then jump on the ferry on Friday Good luck!

Yes - it'll be my first full marathon. I've done just over 20 miles in the plan. What could go wrong. :P My new aim is to finish the thing and try enjoy it, I won't be chasing times in this heat.



Careful on that ferry - isn't that the party boat where everyone enjoys the opportunity to have affordable alcohol. Take it easy on the carb-loading

Aarnikotka

Yup, I'm all set for today's party-boat! I'll just have to miss out on all the fun until the return journey tomorrow evening ;)  (Says me, I'm sure I'll more than likely be passed out from exhaustion in the cabin by 9pm!)
Forecast is showing 28C for noon tomorrow; my attitude now is just to go out and enjoy myself as much as possible and keep a close eye on how the body is feeling. 
Have a good one!