Berlin Marathon

ike

Participating in Berlin marathon
Peckham
Jrar
Mithril
Krusty_Clown
RustyCogs
Daithi BC
ike

aburke

Participating in Berlin marathon
Peckham
Jrar
Mithril
Krusty_Clown
RustyCogs
Daithi BC
ike
aburke

Rusty Cogs 08

Has anyone booked theirs yet ? Any veterans with recommendations ?

Somewhere close to the race, quiet, refined and inexpensive, that kind of thing

Aimman

Rusty Cogs 08 wrote: »

Has anyone booked theirs yet ? Any veterans with recommendations ?

Somewhere close to the race, quiet, refined and inexpensive, that kind of thing

you're leaving it a bit late, as it's one of Berlin's biggest weekend. Its not just runners, but walkers and in line skaters over the weekend, Its a plague of glycogen that weekend. Accomodation can be like gold-dust.

Last year i stayed in http://www.suitehotel.com/gb/hotel-3745-suitehotel-berlin-potsdamer-platz/index.shtml ,

Its about 10 mins walk from the start, I got a good price, rooms were well layed out, novel modern design and very handy for train transport ( but you cant hear them)

Strange concept in breakfasts, but there is a microwave and stuff in the room, if you want to bring anything specific.

Best part is that there is an Italian restaurant right beside it on the corner, but book it when you get there, as it got jammed last year when people went on a carbo-loading fest the night before. :-)

Peckham

I'm booked into Hotel Transit, which I've just checked (on hostelworld.com) and seems to have availability (not sure if that's a good sign!). It's probably not walking distance to race start, but doesn't seem that far.

Rusty Cogs 08

Rusty Cogs 08 wrote: »

jrar, very much appreciated for the offer. I'll await confirmation from the organisers (I believe they respond to mails within 24 hours). I don't think I signed up for medal engraving or T-shirts so the queueing should be kept to a minimum). I'll PM you if I'm going to avail of your kind offer.

Just got confirmation from the organisers

"your friend can pick up your bib number. It's no problem."

Coola boola

mithril

I got the following reply when I enquired about the possibility of picking up the race number after 6PM as an exception.
Not surprising given the previous posts but thought I would enquire anyway.

From: Britt Munzlinger [mailto:Britt.Munzlinger@berlin-marathon.com] On Behalf Of SCC-RUNNING Office
Sent: 03 July 2009 09:27
To: xxxxxxx
Subject: AW: Collecting race number Saturday evening
Importance: Low

Hello,

unfortunately it's not possible to pick up race numbers after 6:00 p.m.
Maybe a friend of yours can pick up the race number for you?

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Krusty_Clown

I'm sure between a few of us, we can find people in the same number-range (same queues), and meet up to handover numbers on Saturday evening.

Woddle

Participating in Berlin marathon
Peckham
Jrar
Mithril
Krusty_Clown
RustyCogs
Daithi BC
ike
aburke
Woddle

ergo

Participating in Berlin marathon
Peckham
Jrar
Mithril
Krusty_Clown
RustyCogs
Daithi BC
ike
aburke
Woddle
ergo


-> (all going to plan , this will be my first marathon...)

10 weeks from this weekend

Rusty Cogs 08

Are there pens or some sort of phased starts at Berlin for those running for sub X times ?

What about pacers ?

Aimman

Yeah, last year they let the elites and sub 3 hour go first (think it was as far as the sub 3 hour) and there was a break for a good few mins, and they let the rest go in one block, but the overall time was from the elites started, which maked the chip timing more important. Pacers had big orange balloons tied to them with the times written on them, easy to spot, but difficult to get near when you are lining up for the start. I ended up in between pacers and had to go for the one ahead, as I couldn't see the one I wanted, ended up pushing too hard for the first half, then towards the end, the pacer I should have been with overtook me. Should have tripped him up on the way past for being cocky, lol. :P

lizanne83

Ah I’m so envious of you guys doing Berlin. You will love it. But yes they were strict with bib collections last year. I would say any form of ID should suffice though. I just want to be able to exercise again, yet alone run. Wow that would be magic! 10 months out now with pelvic stress-fracture since Berlin last year. But I don’t blame Berlin, it was a wonderful memory. One day again hopefully…..

Good luck to all!

Peckham

Aimman wrote: »

Yeah, last year they let the elites and sub 3 hour go first (think it was as far as the sub 3 hour)

Presumably this is based on your predicted finish time on the entry form?

Abhainn

Peckham wrote: »

Presumably this is based on your predicted finish time on the entry form?

Bring proof of your previous marathon time!!

I was scheduled to be in Block D (3:00-3:15 predicted time) as I put the 3:14 time on the entry form for the DM in 2008.
When I picked up my no. late the evening before the race I was allocated a start from block G!
I went to help desk pleaded my case but because I didn't have proof of my Dublin time and I was basically ignored.
Not happy with that german's social skills I went off to another help desk where a tired looking lady upgraded me to D

Rusty Cogs 08

Participating in Berlin marathon Sept 20th 2009
Peckham
Jrar
Mithril
Krusty_Clown
RustyCogs 2'59'59"
Daithi BC
ike
aburke
Woddle
ergo

With 47 days to go to Berlin I'm just wondering how we're looking for participants. I know some have deferred their sub 3 attempts, others may have revised their times. I've just dropped in my goal time for added motivation/pressure.

(confirmed in bold)

mithril

Yes, I am still in. Ran just under 1:26 in Achill which looks promising since its a tougher course than Berlin and McMillan gives me 3:02. Fighting a niggling ankle injury though which physio says will take about 6 weeks to clear up by reducing training volumes.The Adidas 10 mile next week-end will be a good reality check.

Daithi BC

Participating in Berlin marathon Sept 20th 2009
Peckham
Jrar
Mithril
Krusty_Clown
RustyCogs - 2'59'59"
Daithi BC - 2:49:xx
ike
aburke
Woddle
ergo

I'm still in as well, though struggling this week with my standard shin injury. Current aim is 2:49:xx, though that may be updated after the 10 miler on Saturday week.

Krusty_Clown

I'm still in, but aiming for around 3:05. Training is going great (touch wood). Just downloaded and read through the information pack. Looks like a great event and weekend. Will probably go to the expo on the Friday, to try and avoid the masses, and stay off my feet on the Saturday (except for a short run).

Bring on the next 47 days!

ergo

I'm still in too - getting excited now

I did lose at least 10 days training in early July when I thought I had broken my ankle in a freak incident - thank God that's settled down (and x-ray was fine too) - but lost some miles there

while I know based on VO2 max and some previous 10k times I could have sub 3 capability in me - I don't think this will be the one - not enough mileage done - more realistically looking at

a) finishing my first marathon
b) 3:10 or better would be great

I'm not fully ruling out the sub 3 - but a reality check needs to be done I think

depending on how things go over the next month will have a better idea

Rusty Cogs 08

Participating in Berlin marathon Sept 20th 2009
Peckham
Jrar
Mithril
Krusty_Clown
RustyCogs 2'59'59"
Daithi BC
ike
aburke
Woddle
ergo

(confirmed in bold)

ergo

Hey,

are many people who are doing Berlin also doing Dublin...? am sure this may have been discussed on some thread or other but so many threads on this forum hard to find the one

my plan was to peak for Berlin , really go for the fast time, then, depending on how that went, maintain some of that fitness, then just run Dublin for the enjoyment (it is 5 weeks after Berlin)

as it stands now, well, I lost a couple of weeks through injury, I feel Berlin may be coming a little soon for me in terms of peak performance - am still going to go for it but do you think it is possible to make further gains in training in the 5 weeks between marathons?

actually that's a ridiculous question - I'll be spending the first week or 2 recovering after Berlin then 3 weeks tapering so doesn't look like a runner

but back to the original question : are many people running Berlin and Dublin and how are they approaching that?

Woddle

I did it last year and pb'd in both, I managed to sqeeze out another 4 mins in Dublin which really surprised me and it wasn't expected and I really enjoyed it, in between the 4 weeks my training was as follows, back doing easy running that Thursday, then for the next 2 weeks I was back in the swing of things but kept my lsr to 15 and then 12 the following week before taking it dead handy in the last week, if I was doing it this year I would do the exact same. The great thing is this year you get an extra week to play with.

Aimman

ergo wrote: »

as it stands now, well, I lost a couple of weeks through injury, I feel Berlin may be coming a little soon for me in terms of peak performance - am still going to go for it but do you think it is possible to make further gains in training in the 5 weeks between marathons?

actually that's a ridiculous question - I'll be spending the first week or 2 recovering after Berlin then 3 weeks tapering so doesn't look like a runner

I did Berlin and Dublin last year and I thought Berlin would be my best time, but in fact I was 15 mins faster in Dublin. I found the Berlin race worked out as a handy last long training run for Dublin (though it wasnt my intention), and it gave me the confidence to keep a good pace up in Dublin. Hope it works out the same for you. If you look after yourself after the Berlin Marathon, you should have a speedy recovery and get back on the road to taper for for Dublin

ergo

good stuff, thanks for those replies - that's fairly encouraging

there are so many different training schedules around but not many which have 2 marathons in 5 weeks at the end of it!

less than 6 weeks to go now.....:)

aburke

Berlin or bust...Ganz oder gar nicht!

mithril

Ran the Adidas 10 mile today and disappointed with my 65:20 . I had hoped to run about a minute faster in preparation for a sub 3 hour attempt which would be the McMillan equivalent.
I ran a 23 mile long run 6 days earlier and a 13 mile hilly run in mid-week so I think there might have been some lingering tiredness in the legs.

Hopefully I have not peaked too soon. I ran 1:25 in Achill Half last month which is a better McMillan comparable time

I can't blame congestion ,the weather and while the course is hillier than I understand Berlin to be, Achill would be a tougher course.

Not sure whether I should should cut down on the mileage for a week to give the body time to recover? I am currently running about 50-60 miles which is lowish in comparison to what a lot of others are doing who are hoping to run sub 3.

Daithi BC

mithril wrote: »

I am currently running about 50-60 miles which is lowish in comparison to what a lot of others are doing who are hoping to run sub 3.

I'm running about 50 miles a week and looking for a 2:50 (having run 2:58 in Dublin last year on even less mileage). Personally, I think it's the quality of the running you're doing rather than the overall mileage, though I'm not sure that everyone would agree with that. I do 1200m intervals on a Tuesday, recovery run Wednesday, marathon paced 10k on a Thursday, hill session on a Saturday and long run (32km max) on a Sunday.

I wouldn't underestimate the possibility of tiredness after your long run on Sunday and the hilly 13 miler.

Daithi BC

Hope everyone's training is going well - last two weeks of hard stuff now and then three weeks of tapering.

My plans for a 2:50 look out the window after picking up a injury to my right shin. It looks like I'll be able to run it, but I'm going to be missing at least two weeks of training, so I'll have to decide whether to aim for 3:00, 3:10, or just to get round.

On the bright side, I shouldn't be beaten up as much by it, so I should be fit to pace 3:30 in Dublin.

Rusty Cogs 08

Yup, into my 2nd last hard P&D week, although the 3 taper weeks are not without some tough sessions, although I'm literally counting down the runs now (22).

I was looking through the literature on the race and it talks about every runner getting a sponge and there being 'basins' at the water stations to dunk the sponge in. This is a new one on me and sounds like it could be a great resource (especially if the weather is hot) to cool down rather than the usual act of throwing half a cup of water over your head. Question is, how do you carry the thing ? I'm considering investing in a small (light) belt for carb drink, gels and now this sponge. Might discard the whole lot at around the 20 mile mark if I'm feeling good.

What's everyone else planning on doing / have done in the past ?