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So called Marathon

  • 05-10-2011 3:57pm
    #1
    ddel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86 ✭✭


    In the middle (end) of my training for my first attempt at the 26.2m in DCM and the nerd in me has been browing blogs/blogsites for athletes of similar standards to see how I compare - pathetic, I know.

    Anyway, came across a good few yanks high fiving themselves at "pr's" from the St George Marathon. Their training times didn't seem to stack up with such good marathon times so I checked out the race website. 2,560ft of an elevation drop.... That's 18m of a drop per km. Good god, when my garmin registers a drop of 5m in a km I could be 3-5 secs faster than normal. 18m of a drop in a k and I'm virtually flying down the road.....

    Anyway - do people really consider these genuine times and would they really call their time a pb? Would you feel satisfied with a 3.59 or 2.59 (or whatever personal aim) from a race like this?


Comments

  • #2
    shels4ever
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭shels4ever


    ddel wrote: »
    In the middle (end) of my training for my first attempt at the 26.2m in DCM and the nerd in me has been browing blogs/blogsites for athletes of similar standards to see how I compare - pathetic, I know.

    Anyway, came across a good few yanks high fiving themselves at "pr's" from the St George Marathon. Their training times didn't seem to stack up with such good marathon times so I checked out the race website. 2,560ft of an elevation drop.... That's 18m of a drop per km. Good god, when my garmin registers a drop of 5m in a km I could be 3-5 secs faster than normal. 18m of a drop in a k and I'm virtually flying down the road.....

    Anyway - do people really consider these genuine times and would they really call their time a pb? Would you feel satisfied with a 3.59 or 2.59 (or whatever personal aim) from a race like this?
    Where do i register for this race ? :)


  • #3
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,144 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    shels4ever wrote: »
    Where do i register for this race ? :)

    http://www.baa.org/


  • #4
    pgmcpq
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,852 ✭✭✭pgmcpq


    There is a similar argument about Boston - point to point, net elevation drop. Everyone goes to St. George to qualify for Boston. Never done it but I would not underestimate the "quad blowing" effect of continuous downhill running - and in answer: Yes I would !


  • #5
    Racman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 124 ✭✭Racman


    ddel wrote: »
    the nerd in me has been browing blogs/blogsites for athletes of similar standards to see how I compare.

    Don't worry about that - a lot of runners do this. I have had a clubmate remark that I did much better in a race than I did in the same race two years ago - he had checked the times.
    That's 18m of a drop per km.

    My understanding is that the IAMS rules allow for a maximum drop of one metre per kilometer -affecting records and competition qualification times etc. This is part of the reason that Edinburgh claims to be the fastest marathon in Britain - the drop is 40m over the 42km, just within the limits.


  • #6
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,144 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Racman wrote: »
    My understanding is that the IAMS rules allow for a maximum drop of one metre per kilometer -affecting records and competition qualification times etc. This is part of the reason that Edinburgh claims to be the fastest marathon in Britain - the drop is 40m over the 42km, just within the limits.
    The finish also has to be within 13.1 miles of the start in a straight line.


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  • #7
    neilc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,070 ✭✭✭neilc


    Racman wrote: »
    Don't worry about that - a lot of runners do this. I have had a clubmate remark that I did much better in a race than I did in the same race two years ago - he had checked the times.

    Had this happen to me this week too.


  • #8
    shels4ever
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭shels4ever


    Racman wrote: »


    My understanding is that the IAMS rules allow for a maximum drop of one metre per kilometer -affecting records and competition qualification times etc. This is part of the reason that Edinburgh claims to be the fastest marathon in Britain - the drop is 40m over the 42km, just within the limits.

    That would be for world records, Pb's can just be made up :)


  • #9
    ThePiedPiper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    On a heavily aided course like that, I don't think I could constantly refer to a PB I got on it 10 minutes faster than any other race without having a massive asteriks beside it. I'd be kidding myself really. How easy would it be to set up a 5 mile race coming down out of the Dublin mountains into Rathfarnham? I don't think I'd count it as a PB.

    On the Boston point, a huge amount has been made abou the course being aided, etc. Most years, Boston times would be around about 2 minutes slower than most flatter, loop courses. It isn't an easy course. I personally found it one of the tougher ones I've done. People (me) tend to run too fast for the first 15 and then struggle on the hilly sections. This year was highly unusual in that it had a 20mph tail wind. In normal circumstances, if someone runs a PB in Boston, then fantastic, fair play to them. A PB in Boston in 2011 would be questionable, not because of the course profile but the 20mph pushing you the whole way.


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