Berlin 2010 - September

eliwallach · 22-04-2010 3:41pm

3 stars (average)

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

It'll be Weizen beers all around,at 11:48am on the 26th September.

Didn't realise the organisers were handing out beer at the 20 mile mark :eek::eek: :rolleyes:.

Patdusty2010 · 23-04-2010 11:57pm

4 stars (good)

Hi,

Whats the latest that anyone who has run this Marathon would leave it to book accomodation?

I feel I need to be booking it very soon (probably should have booked already) as there will be so many people in the city that weekend. I will be going over on the Friday.

If anyone has a link to a good place to stay that would be great.

How many people from Ireland did this last year, does anyone know?

Krusty_Clown · 24-04-2010 12:40am

4 stars (good)

Computer says 313. I came 17th.

Best was: 2:28:43 (55th place). Worst was: 6:31:52
14 Irish people finished Sub 3 (of which 2 are regular boards posters).

Accommodation depends on whether your travelling on your own, or in a group. If you're part of a two-some, I posted a link back a couple of pages for some solid accomodation.

CianMcD · 05-05-2010 7:39pm

Hi I missed the registration for Berlin - anyone know if there's a entry about?
Please let me know
Regards Cian

village runner · 05-05-2010 8:27pm

4 stars (good)

CianMcD wrote: »

Hi I missed the registration for Berlin - anyone know if there's a entry about?
Please let me know
Regards Cian

Try sports international

village runner · 05-05-2010 8:28pm

4 stars (good)

Patdusty2010 wrote: »

Hi,

Whats the latest that anyone who has run this Marathon would leave it to book accomodation?

I feel I need to be booking it very soon (probably should have booked already) as there will be so many people in the city that weekend. I will be going over on the Friday.

If anyone has a link to a good place to stay that would be great.

How many people from Ireland did this last year, does anyone know?

Are you going on your own ??

seanynova · 05-05-2010 8:40pm

Would anyone know of a link to the course elevation chart, there is one on marathonguide.com but I'm not sure it's correct as it looks quite hilly on that chart.

Can't seam to find one on the offical website also,

Thanks

Ath36 · 05-05-2010 8:46pm

Seanynova. Dont know about course profile but I ran this race before and it really is the flattest race you will ever run. No inclines worth mentioning.
I am also entered for this again this year. Hopefully sun stays away. A cool overcast day would be appreciated.

village runner · 05-05-2010 8:47pm

4 stars (good)

seanynova wrote: »

Would anyone know of a link to the course elevation chart, there is one on marathonguide.com but I'm not sure it's correct as it looks quite hilly on that chart.

Can't seam to find one on the offical website also,

Thanks

the biggest hill in berlin is a bridge. Its flat as a pancake. Done it twice and going again this year. I cant speak highly enough about it. SurfaCE is class and roads are so so wide.

Krusty_Clown · 05-05-2010 9:42pm

4 stars (good)

This is from my GPS tracklog from 09:

It really is the flattest marathon you will ever run. There is a reason why the world record has been beaten twice on this course in recent years.

CianMcD · 05-05-2010 11:19pm

Hi Village runner - thanks for suggestion. Sports travel international? Is it a travel group in Dublin or what? Do you think there will be another release of entries??

Patdusty2010 · 06-05-2010 12:28am

4 stars (good)

village runner wrote: »

Are you going on your own ??

Hi,

No I am heading over with a few friends. I am the only one running the Marathon though. Its my first one. I registered about a month ago. I said I would run Berlin as I could also have a bit of a holiday there rather than just running Dublin and then coming home afterwards! It seems like a flat course so this might make it a little bit easier for me on my first marathon.

Krusty_Clown · 06-05-2010 3:30pm

4 stars (good)

CianMcD wrote: »

Hi Village runner - thanks for suggestion. Sports travel international? Is it a travel group in Dublin or what? Do you think there will be another release of entries??

They are a group that charge a premium for an all-inclusive marathon package (including guaranteed marathon entry). Here's their Berlin site. Typically they require you to book either flights and/or hotel as part of the package.

There won't be any further releases of entries to the Berlin marathon, so going through operators like the above, or taking a charity-based guaranteed place are your only options.

Peckham · 27-05-2010 1:27pm

Anyone yet to book accomodation for Berlin, and is looking for cheap and cheerful, here is an option for you:

http://www.hotel-centralinn-berlin.com/

I've just booked in at €160 for a single room for 3 nights (Fri-Sun). It's about halfway between Mitte and Tiergarten so ideally located from the point of view of marathon and post-marathon.

Basic, but fit for purpose

Krusty_Clown · 27-05-2010 2:34pm

4 stars (good)

Peckham wrote: »

Basic, but fit for purpose

What's a 'a snugly beer garden'?

Looks like you're around a street away from where we're staying.
Training starts in 3 weeks.

Peckham · 27-05-2010 4:19pm

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

What's a 'a snugly beer garden'?

Pop round on the Saturday and I'll show you....don't bring Mrs Clown though!

3 weeks? I'll be using a 12 week plan which gives me another 5 full weeks....targetting Clontarf Half on July 4th, so plenty of shorter speedier stuff for that, but maintaining a 13-15 miler once a week. After Clontarf it's full steam into Berlin.

Have a week holiday with little running likely on week starting 16th August, which falls nicely as a recovery week. Trying to find a decent race in Dublin area on Saturday 14th before I fly out. Frank Duffy 10 miler would have been perfect, but that's the following Saturday.

Haven't booked flights yet, which are currently showing at €200 plus booking fee & baggage charge. Am banking on Aer Lingus doing some kind of promotion at some stage......that could come back to haunt my bank balance!

Krusty_Clown · 27-05-2010 4:39pm

4 stars (good)

Yeah, you're right. 5 weeks. I'm just over-eager. I'm also planning a break of a week, but will keep it floating until I know what I'm doing.

I'm averaging around 40-42 miles per week at the moment, with lots of speed-work and hills, so ticking over nicely. Any idea what plan you're going to follow?

Peckham · 27-05-2010 5:01pm

Took a while to get back into it post-London, but last week and this week will see a total of around 35 miles each. Will move up to 40 miles next week using something similar to the Hal Higdon 10k/Half marathon plan ... with weekly longer runs thrown in to keep the legs accustomed to the pounding, and probably a good few 5-10k races (next week it's a duathlon on Weds and 10k race on Sunday).

For the main show I'm going to switch focus to Daniels (but the Pfitzinger structure won't be far from my thoughts!). I like Daniels' thinking on long runs and speedwork sessions, as well as his VDOT approach. Am going to map it all out this weekend if I feel so inclined.

A schmorgesborg of marathon gurus!

Not sure I fully understand Daniels though - am going to start a thread about it and see what others think. You've read his book haven't you?

Krusty_Clown · 28-05-2010 9:38am

4 stars (good)

Peckham wrote: »

Not sure I fully understand Daniels though - am going to start a thread about it and see what others think. You've read his book haven't you?

Nope. Not in the least bit familiar with it, so will be keen to see how you get on in Berlin. I think we're getting to a stage where we have a consistent set of posters/marathon runners who have tried various approaches. We'll soon be able to include training plan review polls (are you watching Woddle?!).

Woddle · 28-05-2010 9:46am

4 stars (good)

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Nope. Not in the least bit familiar with it, so will be keen to see how you get on in Berlin. I think we're getting to a stage where we have a consistent set of posters/marathon runners who have tried various approaches. We'll soon be able to include training plan review polls (are you watching Woddle?!).

Sure am and not a bad idea

although I have tried to read Daniels and there is some good stuff in there but overall I actually hated the layout of the book and also the training plans, just tell me what I'm suppose to run on Monday, I don't want to have to figure it out, 3 stars from me

liamo123 · 15-07-2010 12:07pm

4 stars (good)

it could only happen to me... Booked nice reasonably priced hotel for Berlin in January with 1800hotels.com.. Found out yesterday that they have gone bankrupt and following frantic phonecall and emails to hotel in Berlin i discovered my reservation was cancelled by 1800hotels on 7th July.

Am sick... not only am i out of pocket ( think credit card company will credit my account once i get the necessary paperwork done ) I have to try to get alternative accommodation at this late stage which might b impossible..

Am pi!!ed off big time....

Peckham · 15-07-2010 1:17pm

That's awful Liamo.

Try hostelworld.com. They also do cheap hotels, or you could get a private room in a hostel. That's where I found my accomodation.

Krusty_Clown · 15-07-2010 1:52pm

4 stars (good)

liamo123 wrote: »

it could only happen to me... Booked nice reasonably priced hotel for Berlin in January with 1800hotels.com.. Found out yesterday that they have gone bankrupt and following frantic phonecall and emails to hotel in Berlin i discovered my reservation was cancelled by 1800hotels on 7th July.

Am sick... not only am i out of pocket ( think credit card company will credit my account once i get the necessary paperwork done ) I have to try to get alternative accommodation at this late stage which might b impossible..

Am pi!!ed off big time....

That's terribly dissapointing and awful behaviour by 1800hotels to cancel your reservation. Barstewards. Don't worry, you'll get sorted quickly. Apartments are another good option, if you find the hotels are pretty booked up.

Peckham · 15-07-2010 2:44pm

According to what I read yesterday, the intermediaries who supply all the hotel rooms to 1800Hotels were the ones who cancelled all the bookings as 1800Hotels weren't paying their bills. Plenty of people were left standing in hotel receptions over the past few days having found no hotel room for them when they were checking-in. Awful stuff.

Krusty_Clown · 15-07-2010 2:51pm

4 stars (good)

On a positive note, there should be some hotel rooms available now, for those with quick fingers.

village runner · 15-07-2010 6:55pm

4 stars (good)

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

On a positive note, there should be some hotel rooms available now, for those with quick fingers.

Got stung myself. Paid it by laser too. First time i ever paid by laser. They had my booking but insead of paying 60 a night with breakie its now90 with no breakie. Stayed there last 2 years so i just have to take the hit.

Hows everyones training going ?? Are we all meeting up in the irish bar that night ?

seanynova · 15-07-2010 7:05pm

Peckham wrote: »

According to what I read yesterday, the intermediaries who supply all the hotel rooms to 1800Hotels were the ones who cancelled all the bookings as 1800Hotels weren't paying their bills. Plenty of people were left standing in hotel receptions over the past few days having found no hotel room for them when they were checking-in. Awful stuff.

This happened to me in edinburgh this year, went to check in with my print out of the confirmation and the hotel had never heard of it!
think i booked with ebookers though.
as it happens the hotel manager bought me a nights accomodation in another hotel in town. glad he helped as it was marathon weekend and the city was very busy, i didnt need the stress of it the day before the race!

good luck to all looking for accomodation in berlin now...

Krusty_Clown · 16-07-2010 11:49am

4 stars (good)

village runner wrote: »

Got stung myself. Paid it by laser too. First time i ever paid by laser. They had my booking but insead of paying 60 a night with breakie its now90 with no breakie. Stayed there last 2 years so i just have to take the hit.

Hows everyones training going ?? Are we all meeting up in the irish bar that night ?

I was thinking you might have gotten stung too. Pisser. You can come over to my place near the start for brekkie.

We should find a good German beer-hall this time instead of that Irish-pub with it's tiny glasses of sh1te beer.

liamo123 · 16-07-2010 4:16pm

4 stars (good)

Got sorted with alternative accommodation tk god... There is still quite alot of reasonably priced accommodation available atm if anyone is in same boat as me..

Peckham · 19-07-2010 5:47pm

So, I decide to play a game of chicken with Aer Lingus. I figure that flights to Berlin would get cheaper after an initial flurry of flight booking earlier this year (around the deadline for entering Berlin). I pick my two flights (out Friday evening, back Monday morning), and every few days I check to see what price Aer Lingus are charging. It seemed to fluctuate between €196 and €206, with little movement. I showed no fear, and I continue to stare them down. Then the prices goes up to €216, I get worried and think that it's not going to get any cheaper. I have a few quid spare, so I take the plunge.

That was 8 days ago. Out of interest I check again today - €166 for the same flights. :mad:

Berlin 2010 - September

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