Rotterdam Marathon 2010

Pisco Sour

From looking at hot to trot's thread there, does anybody know if you need to have a signed medical cert to run the Rotterdam Marathon?

robinph

Rotterdam Marathon wrote:

3.4 The Entrant declares that he is aware that participation requires good mental and physical health, and declares that he satisfies these requirements, and that he has himself adequately prepared for the Event. The Organizer expressly and urgently advises the Entrant to have himself medically examined in connection with the participation in the Event.

Just went off in search of those details and it thankfully appear not as that would be a major hassle for me.

Robinph is perfectly capable of doing whatever crazy activity it is that he decides to do.

Signed

Robinph

That should do I think according to the rules.

misty floyd

18 weeks and counting!!!

So today is day one of most peoples 18 week programs for Rotterdam. What programs are you following (if any)? I know what some of you are doing form your logs.

I was going to follow the daniels one but haven't gotten around to reading the book. Doing a tempo, speed, long and recovery sessions at the moment. LSR's have gone up to 14 so 15 this weekend.

Roddy23

18 weeks :eek:

Anybody running the Aware 10k this weekend? Should be a bit of craic, and don't think it'll be as cold as last year.

Just been looking at flights this morning, thinking of getting RyanAir to Eindhoven in on the Saturday and out on the Monday, 100€ return so not too bad. Where's best place to stay, up around the Central Station?

Moycullen1

Just been looking at flights this morning, thinking of getting RyanAir to Eindhoven in on the Saturday and out on the Monday, 100€ return so not too bad. Where's best place to stay, up around the Central Station?[/quote]

Roddy23, I notice a few people discussing the Eindhoven option but you should check out the transfer options to Rotterdam. I looked into it and didn't think it was particularly easy. I think you have to go into Eindhoven and get a train or bus from there. There is a train directly from schipol(four flights per day out of dublin) to Rotterdam centraal station which takes between 30 to 50 minutes depending on which one you get. I have been looking at the Aer Lingus flights waiting for the April sale to start. I expect to get a return flight for about €100 - €110 based on the February and March promotional prices flying at 13:30 on Friday and departing at 13:10 on Monday. My friend and I are booked into the Hilton. It is within walking distance of the train station(500m), the expo(500m) and the start(300m).

robinph

The train from Schiphol is between 25 minutes and an hour by the looks of it and there is gazzillions of them during the day and it's €10.80 for a one way ticket.

http://www.ns.nl/cs/Satellite/travellers

Roddy23

Thanks for that - ended up booking into the Westin for two nights - they've a special on for a room for two people - rates are pretty good, but no brekkie so - it'll be a bag of flahavan's for myself, and load up on the banana's when I get over there.

Ye flights with Ryanair are pretty good atm, but I might hold off for another week or two and see if Aer Lingus do go down.

How Strange

My training hasn't started yet. I have neck, shoulder and back problems which I'm getting sorted at the moment but until then I've been told to do nothing. Hopefully, I'll be better by Saturday, will do the aware 10k and then officially start the training.

Haven't booked any flights yet either. Still watching AL as Schipol is a more convenient airport so would prefer to fly in and out of there.

How Strange

How Strange wrote: »

My training hasn't started yet. I have neck, shoulder and back problems which I'm getting sorted at the moment but until then I've been told to do nothing. Hopefully, I'll be better by Saturday, will do the aware 10k and then officially start the training.

No running for me until after Christmas

robinph

Just having a read of the thread about what to do with the 1000mile thread for next year and it occurred to me that these Europeans over in Rotterdam are likely to use that funny foreign distance measuring unit, the kill-o-meter.

Now not being too familiar with that strange distance and not having done a race in those foreign parts before I was curious as to if they tend to mark the routes in the proper unit of miles. I'd really rather not have to learn to get my head around these other units, and counting down from 40 odd just seems much harder than from 26.

donothoponpop

The route is marked in kilometers, save for the 13.1 mile halfway point. Get a pacing band which is marked in 5k splits, which will give you a better understanding of how your race is going than mile pacing.

robinph

Boo.

Was going to switch the autolap on the Garmin off and check the mile splits against the ones marked on the road to keep a general idea of where I'm at on the way round, not going to be doing that for each km though. Checking where I'm at at each 5km would probably work instead, I'd tend to miss seeing a few mile markers on the way round anyway so would definitely miss about half the km ones.

If they have big balloon things across the road at certain points that always helps with keeping track of where your up to.

pete_mcs

04072511 wrote: »

Do they have Mile Markers or Km Markers on the course? Or both?

Also I've been doing some research into how to run the marathon efficiently and I noticed the Run/Walk method or walk for 1 minute at the end of every mile. It seems to make sense. What are people's thoughts on this? Has anybody tried it before?

Have not tried after every mile, but I have walked after going through every water station, for 30 secs or so to make sure I can get all the fluids into me. Seemed to work well, had no major issues during the race.

Pisco Sour

pete_mcs wrote: »

Have not tried after every mile, but I have walked after going through every water station, for 30 secs or so to make sure I can get all the fluids into me. Seemed to work well, had no major issues during the race.

Wow I had asked that question quite awhile ago. I certainly wont be gallowalking in Rotterdam. I think at the time I was a little nervous about the idea of taking on the marathon and was doing a bit of research on different ways to approach it.

Regarding the Km's V Miles debate, we are Europeans after all, we should move with the times

Moycullen1

While pricing flights to Amsterdam I noticed the link for Aer Lingus Hotels. Eventhough I am already booked in to the Hilton I typed in the dates to see what was available and it brought up a very good rate for the Hilton. For the three nights from Fri to Sunday inclusive it is quoting €221 including taxes and breakfast. Seems cheap but the only problem is that it is pre-pay non refundable. Might suit the determined no-messing runners amongst you. I on the other hand because of my propensity to get injured will stick with my fully refundable booking for €285.

http://www.aerlingushotels.com/site/...AERhp_Qlink_IE

PS Is it just me on is anyone else growing increasingly fed up with the weather. Every day I see my chances of a PB in Rotterdam diminishing like our governments popularity.

TJC

Roddy23, I notice a few people discussing the Eindhoven option but you should check out the transfer options to Rotterdam. I looked into it and didn't think it was particularly easy. I think you have to go into Eindhoven and get a train or bus from there. There is a train directly from schipol(four flights per day out of dublin) to Rotterdam centraal station which takes between 30 to 50 minutes depending on which one you get. I have been looking at the Aer Lingus flights waiting for the April sale to start. I expect to get a return flight for about €100 - €110 based on the February and March promotional prices flying at 13:30 on Friday and departing at 13:10 on Monday. My friend and I are booked into the Hilton. It is within walking distance of the train station(500m), the expo(500m) and the start(300m).

Rite, i think i am gona enter this race soon enough for my sins..
May aswell have a go at a little 26 miler...
Just wondering bout flights...aer lingus will hardly come down between now and race??? April not included in the sale on presently...

Pisco Sour

This time 13 weeks we will all hopefully be enjoying a pint or 10. Hows the training going for everyone? I'm up to 135 miles in training with my longest run at 13.35 miles. The weather is stopping much further progress and with me being away next weekend on a piss-up in Europe I wont get to do another LSR for 14 days, when I hopefully will up my LSR to 15 miles. I may have to invest in a water belt now, and perhaps try out these gels, though I dont particularly want to, would rather stick to water and energy drinks if I can get away with it.

KentuckyPete

Just started training properly last week - I've kept to the bike since DCM and stated some loose running in mid-December. This was my first 30 mile week.

So, I'm looking at around 30 miles per week through Jan ramping up to 35/40 in February. A couple of big weeks at 45/50 in late Feb/early March and then begin to taper in from mid-March on.

Doing the training plan I've discovered that 50 miles is a lot to fit in a week! Even if you do 20 on on your Sunday run you still have to put in at least one 15 miler during the week - jaysus.

I'm trying to learn from the Dublin "first marathon" experience where I went off great guns, was looking at sub 3:15 at 17 miles and then had nothing from 20 miles on - eventally slogging home in 3:25. Also want to avoid the big injury to the achilles again. I did a lot of speed work in September and ended up in a bad way - ice baths, physio, almost no training etc. I'll consider a target time much later on. TBH priority 1 is to get around the course and try to enjoy the thing - if I could do 3:25 again but actually avoid the "ghost runnner" routine over the last 6 I'd take it.

So, I'm going for high mileage at a steady pace - put plenty of condition into the legs and avoid sprint training to take it easy on the achilles. Regular physio through the program as well.

Really enjoyed an 11-miler yesterday - ramped it up over the last four miles as the snow came down and felt like there was lots more in me - a great buzz.

Booked Aer lingus from Cork to Amsterdam. Will get the train from Schipol to Rotterdam Centraal. Then Saturday/Sunday night at the Grand Hotel Central (€99 per night incl. breakfast).

heffsarmy

Aerlingus flights are a little cheaper at the moment, I booked sat to mon late flight home coming in at 140euro.

Moycullen1

If you price dub - amsterdam with aer lingus the fare is free on the return leg and the return leg taxes are 44.31. If you do amsterdam - dublin one way only the fare is still free but the taxes are only 29.99. I just booked one way coming back leaving at 13.10 on the monday for 29.99 & 15 bag & 5 handling fee. Cheap even by ryanair standards. The outward price is still high at the moment but the fares quoted during the current promotional period -February and March started at 0.00 although they have crept up on the friday flights. We await the April sale.

Roddy23

:mad:

After paying for flights to Eindhoven, and thinking I had everything wrapped up regarding getting to Rotterdam and staying there till the Monday, Ryanair have gone and put a spanner in the works.

They've notified me of a change in my travel dates. So according to Ryanair, I'm now flying into Eindhoven on the Sunday, and flying home on the Monday, as opposed to flying in on the Saturday.

Has anyone else received this notification, or is it just a case of them overbooking the flight?

misty floyd

Roddy, I got this too. Fair enough making changes an hour or so but a whole day :eek: I filled out a form (from the link on the ryanair email) and have asked for a full refund. They will review it and they better give me it back. Now I think of it. I asked for a refund for the return flight also.....does anyone know if they will honour that refund? Oops.

I've booked instead with Aerlingus flying on the Saturday and returning on the Monday (dub-Amdam-Amdam-dub). Cost a few extra quid but is cheaper since I checked it back in November.

robinph

Do you think we'll be able to get Aer Lingus to repaint their plane to Schipol in BoardsAC colours seeing as it's now going to become the team bus?

Roddy23

Roddy, I got this too. Fair enough making changes an hour or so but a whole day I filled out a form (from the link on the ryanair email) and have asked for a full refund. They will review it and they better give me it back. Now I think of it. I asked for a refund for the return flight also.....does anyone know if they will honour that refund? Oops.

I've booked instead with Aerlingus flying on the Saturday and returning on the Monday (dub-Amdam-Amdam-dub). Cost a few extra quid but is cheaper since I checked it back in November.

I've done the same thing. I've cancelled the flights with Ryanair, and gone for the aerlingus flights for the 10th and out the 12th. Think I fly into Amsterdam for 14:20, and then out on the Monday about 15:30 or something like that. Ye I did the same thing, a full refund. If they don't honour it I'll be well p1ssed off.

Pisco Sour

Ryanair! What utter twats! Now in order to get similar flight times with aer lingus I'll have to pay a good 60 euro extra!

I received no word from Ryanair about the status of my refund request so I rang them, and after about 10 minutes (of many many annoying messages and options) I eventually got through to them and they told me that I'll receive my refund within 7-28 days and it will be put back on my credit card. I had to dig this information out of them!

KentuckyPete

Started the early morning training this week - this morning being the first one - a steady 6 miler. Man, it was difficult to get out of the scratcher at 06:00 and out into a cold easterly headwind in the pitch dark. Not much joy running either - the body needs a bit more wakeup time to get going properly - struggled along at 7:45 pace. Also felt the hangover from 1.5km in the pool from last night

Doing around 20 miles spread over the weekdays and 12 miles on Sundays at present along with a pool session or two. Ramp-up to longer spins starts after Dungarvan. Feb 1 to March 20 will cover some serious ground!

Can't really get fired up yet - Rotterdam feels too far away or something...

robinph

Mornings are not fun and I don't think I could manage to get out fo a run as early as that in the day. I'm glad that Rotterdam actually kicks off at 11am, even if that is really only 10am for us.

Roddy23

Sorry for derailing this into another Rant at Ryanair thread, but has anybody heard from their Accounts Dept yet? I got an email again this morning, the exact same as the previous one, telling me that my flights had been postponed until April 11th. Weird seen as I had already filled out my refurnd form.

Moving on, how's everybody's training going? hopefully I'm progressing nicely. I'm sort of following Hal Higdon's novice plan 1, but have to make changes to my LSR this week, and swap them around the following weekend, as I'm down to run the Raheny 5mile. I might try to get out for about 4-5miles on the Saturday, just to keep the mileage in the legs, but I'll see how it goes. The following weekend, my LSR will be 13miles, so I'll have 10 weeks from then to D-day, to get up to 20miles and a taper of 10-14days after that.

KentuckyPete

Trying to figure a nutrition strategy for Rotterdam at present. Checked up the refereshment plan on the event website they have a diagram of a drinking cup with some sort of insert and written beside it:

" At each 5K Point along the route you can find a refreshment station. They are clearly recognizable and consist of several booths. At each refreshment station are enough booths available. Walk to the next booth if there are to many people at the first one. You’ll find water and Extran thirst-quencher at each booth. At the 20K station you can also find extra carbohydrate (Extran Energy). And at the 25K, 30K, 35K and 40K there is also tea available.The new drinking system will be used at all refreshment stations on the course. To avoid stomach and intestinal problems the organization does not hand out fruit at the stations. There will be bananas available in the finish area."

So, am trying to figure out how to take on board sufficient water and wondering how these cups work. Has anyone done this race before? If so, some questions for you:
1. Is the cup insert a sponge or some sort of plastic lid?
2. Are the water drinks already in the cups with the insert in place or do you need to add the insert yourself?
3. What are these "booths"? Is the word a literal translation from the local language or are there actual booths one must enter? Or do helpers hold out the drinks in the usual way?
4. Extran thirst quencher seems to be some sort of standard drink - " a hypotonic sports drink. Its exceptional composition of maltodextrin, fructose and minerals ensures an immediate and sustained hydration.This drink is scientifically formulated to be quickly absorbed by the body, providing carbohydrates and minerals in precisely the right quantities to ward off the risk of cramps, headaches and low energy and maintain even levels of performance." according to a commercial website selling the product

So, is it mixed up and ready in different cups?

Extram Energy looks like your normal booster drink. Seems to be a big cycling product which is not surprising in that part of the world. Badly planned nutrition strategy during the race was definitely a factor in my poor last six miles in Dublin. Want to avoid a recurrence if possible. Especially as Rotterdam could be quite warm on April 11th :eek:

robinph

I hope that is just a badly bablefished write up by them, would have expected the Dutch to have someone come up with a better English language explanation though. If that was the explanation for the water stations in Dublin or a UK marathon then I'd be a bit concerned with the talk about "booths", "walk to the next booth" and "drinking system".