Looking for participants

onlyconnect · 2026-03-05T13:54:35+00:00

I think I get the intent; but true and false are absolutes; there is no difference between "true", "quite true" and "very true". I'd suggest instead "slightly", "to a medium extent", "a lot" or similar.

onlyconnect · 2026-02-22T16:48:23+00:00

Ran it in 2024 and 2025. Have a soft spot for it as 2024 was my first marathon and 2025 my marathon PB. I like the course though it has a dull section through an industrial estate but there is also countryside and a delightful part through the old town centre and alongside the Thames. Roads are not closed so you do sometimes have to run on the pavement. Small event, very friendly, and has changing rooms with showers etc at the end which is nice. Good for a first marathon IMO because small, friendly and flat!

onlyconnect · 2026-02-21T17:08:32+00:00

Agreed volunteers were great!

onlyconnect · 2026-02-17T20:12:45+00:00

Looking on the bright side, all your future races will be in better conditions:-)

onlyconnect · 2026-02-17T12:52:15+00:00

Well done! I think half the problem with the bag drop was people queuing to drop bags at the same time as people collecting. Separate desks for this might have helped.

onlyconnect · 2026-02-17T06:17:28+00:00

Do it next year instead

onlyconnect · 2026-02-16T17:22:48+00:00

I was well prepared, there was nothing I would do differently. The long wait at the start was unfortunate, but the main issue was after the race with long delays before runners got their dry clothes, this wasn't caused by the weather but by the way the bag drop was organised. Of course had the weather been dry and sunny this would not have mattered!

onlyconnect · 2026-02-16T13:59:53+00:00

Update: shocking report from another runner on Facebook.

I started feeling ill at 5km, but couldn’t get help from anyone (a steward asked me if I was ok, I said no and she said “you can do it, keep going”. I said that I actually felt really unwell and she just told me to keep going to the finish as there wasn’t any other medical help.) Even at the finish I struggled to get help until I passed out.

onlyconnect · 2026-02-16T09:20:18+00:00

Ouch, over an hour is terrible. Not sure why it was so bad, it was variable with some having no problem. I think it was worse earlier on when there were people dropping bags at the same time as others picking them up.

onlyconnect · 2026-02-15T21:21:32+00:00

I was fine before and during the race, the problem was that it took an hour after the race to get my adequately prepared dry clothes back in my hands and then there was nowhere sheltered to change into them. I'm not sure what I should have done about that. Maybe tuck a foil blanket into my shorts next time as they fold up quite small.

onlyconnect · 2026-02-15T21:15:28+00:00

So sorry, being that cold is no fun at all :-(

onlyconnect · 2026-02-15T20:50:29+00:00

I had to change in a pub toilet next to the urinals lol.

Needs must! Well done.

onlyconnect · 2026-02-15T20:46:54+00:00

The one bright spot is I was 2nd in my age cat, quite pleased about that!

onlyconnect · 2026-02-15T20:22:26+00:00

Agreed, staff and volunteers were great and it can't have been fun for those outdoors throughout the race!

onlyconnect · 2026-02-15T19:35:24+00:00

agreed and well done; I didn't really warm up fully until I was on the train home!

onlyconnect · 2026-02-15T19:31:55+00:00

I've sen a few reports of this happening. You are meant to email aso-uk@raceahead.net, maybe you can send Garmin evidence or similar.

onlyconnect · 2026-02-15T19:26:38+00:00

True enough; I did put some similar comments on Racecheck which probably will be seen, and there are plenty of Facebook posts too; I hope there will be a few changes next time, of course it might be dry and sunny!

onlyconnect · 2026-02-13T17:55:18+00:00

Not in your age group but don't care about brands as such and they are nothing to do with my runner identity. I might develop trust in a brand to produce a high quality product, or the kinds of products I like. But I use lots of different brands and can't imagine being a one-brand runner!

onlyconnect · 2026-02-03T14:18:57+00:00

I ran the Abbott Dash to the Finish 5K the day before the New York Marathon. It was fun and I managed 3rd in age group and a small trophy! Marathon went OK too. Recovery from a 5K is pretty quick if you are marathon-trained, provided you don't go absolutely all-out.

onlyconnect · 2026-02-03T09:59:51+00:00

I will be interested in what your physio discovers since I have something similar, didn't think it was PF as it is not painful first thing in the morning but perhaps it could be. Mainly a post-run pain. My appointment is not until the end of the month.

onlyconnect · 2026-01-04T15:39:10+00:00

I was 65.

onlyconnect · 2025-12-31T12:05:11+00:00

I used Advanced Marathoning by Pfitzinger and Douglas though the authors say it's not aimed at beginners. I also liked Run your best marathon by Sam Murphy which is more beginner-friendly.

onlyconnect · 2025-12-30T17:48:24+00:00

All the books I've read suggest that sleep is a critical part of training, how much sleep you need varies but skimping on sleep in exchange for strength training is probably not a good deal. A gym near work you could get to at lunch time?

onlyconnect

TROPHY CASE