Longford Marathon 2010

elvis jones

Anyone else doing this ??

Its 18 weeks away so the proper training should be starting around now.

i had intended to do Cork in June but injuries and chest infections kicked that idea to touch.

So its Aug 29 in Longford now. Which actually suits a thet is where i'm from and have a handy place to stay.

Its a fairly flat course i think and at 45 quid good value as well.

average_runner

Did the half last year and will do it again. Very well organised race. Only problem I found was the state of the toilets in the changing area.

Oisin11178

Ill be down there. Nice and flat if not a bit lonely:-)

elvis jones

But you'll go into another county;)

Wally Runs

I did the full last year and yes it was lonely at times. I was alone a number of times and was convinced I was lost at one stage. Now this may not apply to yourselves if your in another time group but it wrecked my head no end. At various stages you need other runners to pull you along ' if I can just keep up with/pass your man ahead etc'. Just be prepared that is all.

Very well put together otherwise. Good nosh afterwards.

beamgirl

Did the half last year and will do it again. Very well organised race. Only problem I found was the state of the toilets in the changing area.

+ 1 on the toilets, disgusting...nice flat course good for a PB (Half)

theboyblunder

yeah im in for this and really looking forward to it. Started a P&D programme today with a day off. So far so good

Bit concerned with the 'felt lost' comment. I am like that, get lost very easily - are all the turns well marked etc?

Oisin11178

theboyblunder wrote: »

yeah im in for this and really looking forward to it. Started a P&D programme today with a day off. So far so good

Bit concerned with the 'felt lost' comment. I am like that, get lost very easily - are all the turns well marked etc?

You wont get lost mate dont worry. Its just a small field. I ran the last 16 miles on my own last year.

Aimman

elvis jones wrote: »

But you'll go into another county;)

You actually get to run from Longford to Roscommon, to Letrim and then back into Longford, pick up some postcards on the way.

It's definitely not a spectator event, bar the small crowds at Tarmonbarry, Roosky and Newtownforbes, but I'd definitely recommend it if you are going for a good time, because of the fairly flat profile. I was looking forward to doing a bit of damage on my own PB this year in Longford, but it's the week before Dingle, and I have my sights set on the big one there this year.

evolutionqy7

would like to go but price seems a bit too high they should make student rates does the money go for anything?

elvis jones

Aimman wrote: »

You actually get to run from Longford to Roscommon, to Letrim and then back into Longford, pick up some postcards on the way.

It's definitely not a spectator event, bar the small crowds at Tarmonbarry, Roosky and Newtownforbes, but I'd definitely recommend it if you are going for a good time, because of the fairly flat profile. I was looking forward to doing a bit of damage on my own PB this year in Longford, but it's the week before Dingle, and I have my sights set on the big one there this year.

Oh i know that !!!

Bit i'm looking forward to most is passing Flancare Park..........

I'd defo do a PB as its my 1st marathon.

I started training with a 55km cycle yesterday.

I'm waiting on my insoles to arrive so have to replace some running with cycling.

I'll run 4 miles today and it will be the 1st official training session.

Oh and could a mod move this to events...........my bad

Krusty_Clown

You won't get lost, as long as you don't start to second guess yourself, and take a turn-off down some country lane! It is a lonely place over the last 15, particularly the stretch down the country lane from Roosky. Because the roads are open, you can have someone in a car give you some support, and drop you off a drink at various locations along the route. It was my inaugural marathon, and I really enjoyed it. You can see the route here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/651148

(assuming it hasn't changed since 2008).

elvis jones

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

You won't get lost, as long as you don't start to second guess yourself, and take a turn-off down some country lane! It is a lonely place over the last 15, particularly the stretch down the country lane from Roosky. Because the roads are open, you can have someone in a car give you some support, and drop you off a drink at various locations along the route. It was my inaugural marathon, and I really enjoyed it. You can see the route here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/651148

(assuming it hasn't changed since 2008).

I know the area well and the route is fairly flat

theboyblunder

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

You won't get lost, as long as you don't start to second guess yourself, and take a turn-off down some country lane! It is a lonely place over the last 15, particularly the stretch down the country lane from Roosky. Because the roads are open, you can have someone in a car give you some support, and drop you off a drink at various locations along the route. It was my inaugural marathon, and I really enjoyed it. You can see the route here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/651148

(assuming it hasn't changed since 2008).

cheers Krusty - Im a moron when it comes to things like that. I shouldnt really be allowed in a car......

Two friends are coming down with me. One is going to cycle ahead with drinks/sweets and the other is final mile support.

Their secondary mission is to keep going to the bar for me on the sunday night

elvis jones

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

You won't get lost, as long as you don't start to second guess yourself, and take a turn-off down some country lane! It is a lonely place over the last 15, particularly the stretch down the country lane from Roosky. Because the roads are open, you can have someone in a car give you some support, and drop you off a drink at various locations along the route. It was my inaugural marathon, and I really enjoyed it. You can see the route here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/651148

(assuming it hasn't changed since 2008).

Or a lift:D

Reaganomical

elvis jones wrote: »

Bit i'm looking forward to most is passing Flancare Park..........

The Flan Siro!

ManFromAtlantis

did full last year.

well organised . bit lonely second half. relatively flat(ish)

only real negative point was the disgusting state of the portaloos before race start!

overall, i'd recommend it. (esp half as more runner traffic)

Krusty_Clown

theboyblunder wrote: »

cheers Krusty - Im a moron when it comes to things like that. I shouldnt really be allowed in a car......

Two friends are coming down with me. One is going to cycle ahead with drinks/sweets and the other is final mile support.

Their secondary mission is to keep going to the bar for me on the sunday night

Tell them to bring a mountain bike. They might need it on some of those rutted country lanes! Also cycling in the hard shoulder, on the wrong side of the road along the N5 and later the N4 might be slightly frowned upon!

There was one short hill, at around mile 24 (only around 60 feet of a climb), up over a railway bridge that felt to me like a climb over Everest. I wanted ropes to get over the damn thing. But I did run the first half of the race way too hard.

Krusty_Clown

ManFromAtlantis wrote: »

only real negative point was the disgusting state of the portaloos before race start!

Have you ever seen a clean portaloo before a marathon?

average_runner

Ah come on Krusty, there is more than one person giving out about the Portaloo's here.


I have run many races around Dublin from Bupa, Adidias Series, Marathon and then Longford. Its a great event but the portaloos were a total disgrace, werent even fit for a dog.

Its the one thing that let it down!!

Found the tops they gave us funny, cotton tops

Reminds me of the old days in the Adidas Series, still ahve a few of them:D

Krusty_Clown

average_runner wrote: »

Ah come on Krusty, there is more than one person giving out about the Portaloo's here.

Not disagreeing with you, but I had the misfortune of finding a portaloo on the Connemara route in 2009, which didn't have a queue beside it. Sadly, I realized why. Lets just say that sometimes, those wishing to use the facilities are often in quite a hurry. I find them all to be equally horrendous, but a necessary evil.

Way off topic, but Dublin and Barcelona had upright men urinal jobbies, that are quite simply the business. No need to take up a space in the portaloos, no queues, stops blokes pissing in the street, perfick.. Should have them at every event.

average_runner

Problem was there were queues


Yeah agree with you about the ones in the Dublin Marathon. They solved alot of issues!

average_runner

Actually cant wait for this race. Probably be my last race of the year as be a Daddy soon after:D Not sure if I be retired for good or not!!


How do other people manage running and kids?

RoyMcC

average_runner wrote: »

How do other people manage running and kids?

With great ease, unless you're a single parent. You need to run to de-stress

Krusty_Clown

average_runner wrote: »

Actually cant wait for this race. Probably be my last race of the year as be a Daddy soon after:D Not sure if I be retired for good or not!!
How do other people manage running and kids?

Only really took up running once the kids were grown-up. A lot of my friends struggle in the early years, as young child related stress + sleep deprivation + work commitments makes it difficult to juggle schedules to find time to run. Like Roy suggested, it would have come in handy at the time to de-stress, so it's a good idea to find the time.

average_runner

Think I will get out two times a week but after that its wait and see.

I can see me bringing the little one to watch races

theboyblunder

average_runner wrote: »

Actually cant wait for this race. Probably be my last race of the year as be a Daddy soon after:D Not sure if I be retired for good or not!!


How do other people manage running and kids?

My daughter is 2 months old. Sleep is a bit of an issue. Im basing my runs on either the commute home or before breakfast so it doesnt eat into family time.

Its early days but seems to be working at the moment.

RayCun

average_runner wrote: »

How do other people manage anything and kids?

Fixed that for you.

theboyblunder

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Tell them to bring a mountain bike. They might need it on some of those rutted country lanes! Also cycling in the hard shoulder, on the wrong side of the road along the N5 and later the N4 might be slightly frowned upon!

There was one short hill, at around mile 24 (only around 60 feet of a climb), up over a railway bridge that felt to me like a climb over Everest. I wanted ropes to get over the damn thing. But I did run the first half of the race way too hard.

Cheers Krusty - good to know. Theres a decent hill in lucan I will stick onto the end of my long runs.

glennhysen

I'm thinking of running the full also. I am doing the Wexford half this Sunday and the timing of Longford fits in with my plans. I live in Celbridge so its only about an hour's drive away.

ManFromAtlantis

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Have you ever seen a clean portaloo before a marathon?

ah krusty c'mon, these were nowhere near working even from the beginning .
normally dont use portaloos but the complex was not open for business so to speak.

Krusty_Clown

theboyblunder wrote: »

Cheers Krusty - good to know. Theres a decent hill in lucan I will stick onto the end of my long runs.

Ah no, I don't mean to give the wrong impression. This is a tiny hill. It's just that it comes at the 24 mile mark, when running over speed-bumps feels like an impossible climb. So don't be adding decent hills to your training, just because I struggle dover a railway bridge! Nobody else has mentioned it, so it might have been just me who struggled over it.

On the toilets issue: I wasn't there in 2009, but I did use one in the square in 2008 before the event and it was clean. Just saying that marathoners have funny diets leading up to the race, and are eager to release any last minute weight and pressure. As such, most pre-marathon portaloos tend to be pretty gross.

Wally Runs

As a dad of three boys (5, 3 & six months) I can say that it is not too difficult to balance the lot. Balance being the key word. As a first time parent you will find the first six months unreal but it does pass, you might think you felt tired before but this is the real deal. (and yes it all worth it, every bit).

In many ways the running will help you even out the ups and downs as it is great de-stresser. You must take into account your other half's feelings on this. They may well have an opinion on you heading out for a 'bit of time to yourself' more so if they are at home looking after the baby all day. You get home, get the shoes and are gone (not good). It would be better to run before or straight after work or later in the evening so as not to break up family time.

On the other hand you might be encouraged to go for a run (AKA get out of my hair, you are driving me nuts!!). It all depends on your relationship. I am taking this all from the male perspective of course!

My wife is also a runner, so later (if yours is also) after six months or so you may find yourself having to give up some of the run time to let her have some de-stress time too. This can be hard if you are in the run up to Dublin. My advice, there is always a marathon on somewhere at sometime, so if you have to pass do so. You get one chance at relationship.

Oh, romantic weekends in European cites and marathons DO NOT MIX! even if it is Paris. There is no romance in standing around all day and then spending the night listening to groans! NONE I TELL YOU.

Best of luck.

theboyblunder

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Ah no, I don't mean to give the wrong impression. This is a tiny hill. It's just that it comes at the 24 mile mark, when running over speed-bumps feels like an impossible climb.

ahh I see. Grand. Like that little one over the canal at the end of the DCM. Seems vertical at 23 miles.

Mick Rice

I'm in .... aside from Dublin my favourite marathon (Connemara doesn't count 'cos I do the Ultra :-) )

elvis jones

So how is everyones training coming along.

I've following the Hal Higdon novice 2 and did a 5 mile race last night. I did a sub 45min and was very happy with it.

I got orthotics last week and they have really helped. I've done 12 miles so far this week with no pain or discomfort at all !!!!

Mick Rice

elvis jones wrote: »

So how is everyones training coming along.

I've following the Hal Higdon novice 2 and did a 5 mile race last night. I did a sub 45min and was very happy with it.

I got orthotics last week and they have really helped. I've done 12 miles so far this week with no pain or discomfort at all !!!!

Good stuff Elvis!

The HH program works for a lot of people - hope it's just as good for you.
Keeps the miles gradually increasing and you'll be as right as rain. Did a good long run myself on Sunday last and have been tryng to recover ever since. That's the way it goes I suppose.

Woddle

Hi guys after talking with the other mods I've decided to have a trial run of an idea. The idea is simply to find the quality races.
So I'm hoping to add a poll to each race but will see how it develops in this thread first.
The poll is just a way to rate your experience of the race, this will hopefully give good feedback to both the runner and organisers.
I would also hope to have a specific thread for each race year after year, so there would be no more starting a thread for the Longford 2011 race for example, you just update this thread instead.
Feedback is always welcome.

glennhysen

So, I've just signed up for Longford, this will be my 3rd marathon. New training plan starts tonight. I ran the Wexford half 3 weeks ago, so I already have a base to start with.

Good idea about the poll, will look forward to registering my opinion on 30th August!!

glennhysen

Does anybody know if there were any energy drinks at the water stops in last year's marathon? And If there were, can anyone remember which type of drink?

Wally Runs

Whatever it was it was diluted and pretty weak. Might even have been sugar and water! Better to be self sufficent.

Muppet Man

Longford is going to be my first marathon and I am sh!tting myself thinking about it, but looking forward to it too.

I'm at half marathon distance right now and am struggling to get my distances up beyond that... lungs feel OK, but legs (calves & hips) are under enormous pressure.

I um *ahem* wouldnt be the best at following at training plans.:rolleyes:

Cheers
Muppet Man

glennhysen

Wally Runs wrote: »

Whatever it was it was diluted and pretty weak. Might even have been sugar and water! Better to be self sufficent.

Thanks for the help.

glennhysen

Muppet Man wrote: »

Longford is going to be my first marathon and I am sh!tting myself thinking about it, but looking forward to it too.

I'm at half marathon distance right now and am struggling to get my distances up beyond that... lungs feel OK, but legs (calves & hips) are under enormous pressure.

I um *ahem* wouldnt be the best at following at training plans.:rolleyes:

Cheers
Muppet Man

Good stuff, this will be my 3rd marathon but I'm at the same stage as you. My long run last Sunday was 14 miles. Anyway we still have over 10 weeks to go!

Krusty_Clown

Muppet Man wrote: »

I um *ahem* wouldnt be the best at following at training plans.:rolleyes:

It's not too late to start. Even if you followed a 'vague' plan, it might help, e.g. followed the long run strategy on a Sunday, from something like HalHigdon's plans.

tunguska

Muppet Man wrote: »

Longford is going to be my first marathon and I am sh!tting myself thinking about it, but looking forward to it too.

I'm at half marathon distance right now and am struggling to get my distances up beyond that... lungs feel OK, but legs (calves & hips) are under enormous pressure.

I um *ahem* wouldnt be the best at following at training plans.:rolleyes:

Cheers
Muppet Man

Have you tried strength training Muppet Man? Doesnt have to be anything heavy, just some functional stuff like squats, lunges, deadlifts. You can go light enough with the weight, its all about activating the muscles you'll use when running. Makes a huge difference.

chinguetti

I've checked the Longford site and they don't give any info on the half marathon course. Do anyone have any info on this? Thanks

sarsfieldsrock

chinguetti wrote: »

I've checked the Longford site and they don't give any info on the half marathon course. Do anyone have any info on this? Thanks

It has been a circuit of the town with the marathoners. Then out the main road, turn and back into town. Would be an slight uphill finish when you come back into town but main road is flat.

locteau

I am just back training and do intend to run 4h pace with a group.

I did my first session today and did 22km with a good bit of walking today toward the end...... was also very hot.

But you do have time if you have a bit of experience in running to be honest.

Longford Always has been what I called the old 5 grand schleme : Belfast, Dublin, Connemara, Longford, Cork.

I know there is more out there but they are the kind of "old gang" Marathon that you have to do. They were the first to take the risk to organise one :P

Muppet Man

tunguska wrote: »

Have you tried strength training Muppet Man? Doesnt have to be anything heavy, just some functional stuff like squats, lunges, deadlifts. You can go light enough with the weight, its all about activating the muscles you'll use when running. Makes a huge difference.

Thanks Tunguska, would you have a URL that you could recommend for muscle training/exercises - I can definitely see the benefit in doing this. In particular my calf muscles felt like they were getting really tight at the half marathon point.

Thanks...
Muppet Man

Mick Rice

The exercises in this video are a good starting point...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvY3wIZt6ZQ

Cheers,

Mick.