Official Running Thread

[Blue&WhiteSea]

Good for age just got harder!
https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/
Sub 3 minimum for under 40 men, and that doesn't even guarantee entry!

 

[Artie Fufkin]

Good for age just got harder!
https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/
Sub 3 minimum for under 40 men, and that doesn't even guarantee entry!

Yep some pretty significant qualifying process changes for the men for sure. No longer guaranteed entry. Now capped at 6000 places - the fastest 3000 men and 3000 women within their respective age splits. Qualifying times have shrunk and age group splits have also tightened up. Plus it's now based on your age when you ran your qualifying time, not the age you will be at the time of the race next April (as was always the case previously). A combination of the new qualifying times, new age group splits and new "age at running a qualifying time" means I'm no longer eligible

 

[Badger]

Good for age just got harder!
https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/
Sub 3 minimum for under 40 men, and that doesn't even guarantee entry!

The women's target seems comparatively easy compared with the mens. Are there that few women who try and get into London through qualification? I know quite a few women here who've done sub 3.45, with a pretty standard training schedule. The only sub 3 guys I know do some serious training miles.

Talking of sub 3 hour marathons, I've been tracking a few people I know in the Boston Marathon today. One guy from my running group has just come in at 2.59.16 Made even more impressive by the fact it's raining and the entire run is into a headwind.

Anyone here done Boston?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Yep some pretty significant qualifying process changes for the men for sure. No longer guaranteed entry. Now capped at 6000 places - the fastest 3000 men and 3000 women within their respective age splits. Qualifying times have shrunk and age group splits have also tightened up. Plus it's now based on your age when you ran your qualifying time, not the age you will be at the time of the race next April (as was always the case previously). A combination of the new qualifying times, new age group splits and new "age at running a qualifying time" means I'm no longer eligible

I think all of the Majors have tightened up their GFA guaranteed times over the past few years now. London have gone a few step further and changed the entire process though. I don’t like the idea of capping it.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Anyone here done Boston?

Yup. 2011

 

[Guinness Boy]

I suspect I may have come across as being a tad grumpy when I reported in yesterday. I think that was probably because my bath wasn't as hot as I'd have liked, and the lovely Mrs Orange had just abandoned me with the kids to go to her marshalls briefing for next weekends VLM. At that point I just wanted a nap and to be fed, but feeding the kids and reading bedtime stories it was.

As I'm sure everyone else is I've been reflecting on the run itself:
* I was comfortable until about twenty miles.
* I think I'm more comfortable on undulating routes as the change in gradient keeps me changing my stride pattern, the worst part of the course for me yesterday was Church Road as it just never seemed to end, Basin Road in comparison didn't seem as long.
* I didn't like the bit along the prom where there weren't any barriers to keep the crowd back, that felt more intimidating than supportive to me. Having said that, I am most grateful to those spectators who helped me towards the end when I was suffering from cramp by providing support advice, gels and water. That made me feel part of the community, and did spur me on to get in under 3:30.
* I'm not convinced I was well enough rested or hydrated in the run up to the day, lesson learnt.

I'll reiterate that I didn't enjoy my first marathon experience, I am disappointed to have missed my target, but I'm well aware that actually achieving the time I did at my age and on my first attempt is very good indeed. I have no regrets about taking part.

Will I do it again? I'm not convinced I will, I found weekends rather draining as on top of the long runs I found that I was always doing some of the early morning kid duties that Mrs Orange and I usually alternate on. So I'm looking forward to getting my weekends back... and my parkrun times down.

Looking back on my first two years ago I loved the first 16 miles and loathed the last 10. It’s the deeply unsatisfactory time I got that’s seen me sign back up. But watching yesterday I had the greatest marathon envy ever. Even though I’d done 10k I wanted to vault the fence & join in. I’d take it easy, go back to your routine and see if you get any inclination at all in the next year or so. If not then your one and only was a bloody good run you should be proud of.


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[jonny.rainbow]

Lost me thousands on my tricast at the bookies. I had delete beep, Curious and Ninja 1,2,3.

Sorry. I hadn’t put my 2013 marathon PB of 3:24:38 on the leaderboard, so I was unlikely to be in anyone’s trio.

I’m another pondering over whether to sign up for next year. I want to get closer to 3:15 but the training is so time consuming and I’m tempted to spend a year trying to get faster at 10km and half marathons.

 

[Blue&WhiteSea]

I think all of the Majors have tightened up their GFA guaranteed times over the past few years now. London have gone a few step further and changed the entire process though. I don’t like the idea of capping it.

All so they can squeeze more money out of the charities for their guaranteed places? Seems the only easy way to get in these days is to raise a truck load of money for charity! Not an event for casual or club runners.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

All so they can squeeze more money out of the charities for their guaranteed places? Seems the only easy way to get in these days is to raise a truck load of money for charity! Not an event for casual or club runners.

I’m not sure any have reduced their GFA guaranteed places to facilitate more charity spots ; I think it’s more managing sheer demand on those existing places. Could be wrong.

 

[knocky1]

Sorry. I hadn’t put my 2013 marathon PB of 3:24:38 on the leaderboard, so I was unlikely to be in anyone’s trio.

I’m another pondering over whether to sign up for next year. I want to get closer to 3:15 but the training is so time consuming and I’m tempted to spend a year trying to get faster at 10km and half marathons.

Still would have had you out of the medals. Top competition. Great run. Silver medal, I believe.

 

[Curious Orange]

Good for age just got harder!
https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/
Sub 3 minimum for under 40 men, and that doesn't even guarantee entry!

Ha! The GFA for my age group has gone from 3:15 to 3:05! I would have been REALLY pi$$ed of if I'd actually hit my target yesterday!

 

[Artie Fufkin]

I think all of the Majors have tightened up their GFA guaranteed times over the past few years now. London have gone a few step further and changed the entire process though. I don’t like the idea of capping it.

Revising the GFA qualifying times is understandable - more people are getting quicker... and I think they normally set aside around 6000 GFA places anyway but now you're not absolutely guaranteed a place and they've capped it evenly to 3000 men and 3000 women to ensure gender parity.

 

[Artie Fufkin]

Ha! The GFA for my age group has gone from 3:15 to 3:05! I would have been REALLY pi$$ed of if I'd actually hit my target yesterday!

Yep I feel sorry for those that were using the previous London GFA qualifying criteria as a target time in their marathons last year and this year so far (Manchester, Brighton etc.), thinking they'd nabbed a London 2019 GFA place (me included ) but now the GFA qualifying goal posts have moved today and they don't make the cut... if you want to try again you have until August 10, but still it's not a guaranteed GFA place.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

What a kick to the guts.

 

[Artie Fufkin]

The women's target seems comparatively easy compared with the mens. Are there that few women who try and get into London through qualification? I know quite a few women here who've done sub 3.45, with a pretty standard training schedule. The only sub 3 guys I know do some serious training miles.

Talking of sub 3 hour marathons, I've been tracking a few people I know in the Boston Marathon today. One guy from my running group has just come in at 2.59.16 Made even more impressive by the fact it's raining and the entire run is into a headwind.

Anyone here done Boston?

It looked horrendous conditions today at Boston with so much rain, bitterly cold and driving wind. Crazy to see all the elites running all wrapped up with rain jackets on. Pleased for Des Linden winning the women's race and Yuki winning the men's.

 

[jimhigham]

Apologies for repetition. I posted the following question on Sunday evening along with marathon observations. However, it got lost amidst the volley of other marathon content so I thought I'd give it another try now the dust is settling...

A question for the running community here. My wife recently got her first pair of Runderwear. She absolutely loves them and I was looking to get some men's boxers. However, my wife says she is a size larger than her usual with Runderwear, as they are tight around the thighs. I checked the sizes at the event village and they seemed as per my usual size but I was wondering if any of you guys had bought some? If so, what are your thoughts on sizing?

Over to you NSC runners.

 

[Capricorn]

Must be using sandpaper somehow [MENTION=17139]Capricorn[/MENTION]. 17:11 excellent and worthy leader of the table. Maybe the injury lay off has been a bonus?
Just fail to take the Age Grade of me. 0.07% needed. Good luck with sub 17 effort.

Thanks mate. The injury set back could well have helped me out. It certainly changed my focus from intense marathon training to taking the pressure off with training and enjoying my running again more generally (once I'd recovered). I'm lucky to have only really been out of action for 2-3 weeks as well, especially considering it was damage to my achilles! But I'm only 24 so my age probably helped me out a bit there.

Well done to everyone who ran the Brighton Marathon - you're all inspirational... and slightly mental.

 

[dazzer6666]

Revising the GFA qualifying times is understandable - more people are getting quicker... and I think they normally set aside around 6000 GFA places anyway but now you're not absolutely guaranteed a place and they've capped it evenly to 3000 men and 3000 women to ensure gender parity.

Interesting though.......couple of online running groups I follow are raging about it, including the women that are posting who see the GFA for them as (direct quote) “embarrassingly soft compared to the men’. The disparity is way too much.......suspect they are working towards some ‘participation targets’ by gender.

 

[soistes]

Apologies for repetition. I posted the following question on Sunday evening along with marathon observations. However, it got lost amidst the volley of other marathon content so I thought I'd give it another try now the dust is settling...

A question for the running community here. My wife recently got her first pair of Runderwear. She absolutely loves them and I was looking to get some men's boxers. However, my wife says she is a size larger than her usual with Runderwear, as they are tight around the thighs. I checked the sizes at the event village and they seemed as per my usual size but I was wondering if any of you guys had bought some? If so, what are your thoughts on sizing?

Over to you NSC runners.

I have no idea, simply because all my running shorts have built-in internal sections which carry your “bits” so separate underwear is redundant and I never wear any to run.

In the winter, I wear running tights, under a pair of shorts, but again they’re so close to the skin so underwear not needed and never worn. I have enough washing of running gear to do every week without adding unnecessary items.

Seems like a waste of money to me, but maybe I’m missing something. Different for women runners though, most of whom I know do wear underwear.


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[knocky1]

Apologies for repetition. I posted the following question on Sunday evening along with marathon observations. However, it got lost amidst the volley of other marathon content so I thought I'd give it another try now the dust is settling...

A question for the running community here. My wife recently got her first pair of Runderwear. She absolutely loves them and I was looking to get some men's boxers. However, my wife says she is a size larger than her usual with Runderwear, as they are tight around the thighs. I checked the sizes at the event village and they seemed as per my usual size but I was wondering if any of you guys had bought some? If so, what are your thoughts on sizing?

Over to you NSC runners.

It's a pants question.
I wear stretch lycra boxers and they are great for every day use, running and trekking. Marathon 2 years ago I only wore swimming shorts with a mesh inside. Great for air movement but got extreme chaffing, which was no worse than the normal pain I lovingly associate with marathons.