Lisbon half marathon - March

doughef

Hi all

I'm thinking of doing this race.

Just wondering if anybody has done it and whats it like?

Also, a few tips regarding the best area to stay to get a hotel near the start line or any other info would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

doughef

anybody???????

I've just booked the bleedin flights

greenb

doughef wrote: »

anybody???????

I've just booked the bleedin flights

Reckon you could be boards top performer at this one!

doughef

Ha Ha.. Yeah.. seems like it alright!!!

tumble weed blowing through this thread

Do I get a Boards running vest??

I registered today.. booked flights so it looks like I'm deffo doing it now.

macinalli

I know nothing about the race, but Lisbon is a superb city! Pretty hilly though - can't imagine that it's great for PBs:rolleyes:

doughef

Actually.. I heard the race itself is quite flat,. but yeah.. the city is meant to be hilly..

I'll just try and knock off these Christmas kg's and get ready for it..

AngryLips

There are two Lisbon half marathons, I've done one of them but I'm not sure if this is the same one...

Both go over the bridge, one goes over the the old bridge and the other goes over the new bridge.

doughef

Thanks..

I'm doing the one on the 24th March,

It starts (confusingly enough when both dates are on the website) on the 26th April bridge.:D

Registered now and building up the miles again

AngryLips

Oh I didn't do this one. But I did read up about it and apparently it is flat/downhill for most of the way and is considered very good for PBs. Also it looks like it travels through more of the old town than the other one so should be nice and scenic. Enjoy!

doughef

Thanks a million

Yeah. .it seems somewhat at odds with the general hillyness of the city but either way I'll give it a crack

AngryLips

If you're running from where the bridge meets the city towards the city centre then, IIRC, it is pretty much downhill all the way. Good luck. Let us know how you get on because it is on my to-do list.

doughef

Thanks, and yeah.. I'll keep you posted.

its my first half marathon that I have actually trained for..

I've done about 6 or 7 but they were either trying to just run for longer or in the lead up to a marathon.

I'll put it in writing I suppose that my best was in 2009 in the lead up to the DCM. I ran 1 Hr 32 minutes then.

since then times are increasing.. Achill was 1 Hr 39min IIRC in 2011(didnt help that there was a 3am booze up the night before..
I think I did the half in the Phoeno in 2011 in I Hr 38 Min.

If I got 1 Hr 35 Min approx in Lisbon I would be happy...
There!! I have finally admitted it to myself!!

central park

I'm doing this too! Less than four weeks to go!

doughef

central park wrote: »

I'm doing this too! Less than four weeks to go!

Hows the training going?

I'm doing Carlingford at the weekend.... bit of a knee issue at the mo but I'm going ok.
Ran 14.5 miles last week. Longest run I believe since DCM 2009 but was surprisingly fine going around.

Best of luck with your own training

central park

Training going well. did 12 miles last week. Won't do any longer before race.I'm hoping for around 2hrs 10m. Can't wait to see the city. Course looks good from what I see. Good luck with your training!

doughef

Looking at the website today it looks like there are 35,000 registered??? :eek:

Surely most of those or at least half must be registered for the 10k?

central park

I don't know how many are registered but looking at the photo of runners going over the bridge, there's a hell of a lot! Cant believe we'll be there next Friday! Best of luck to you!

doughef

central park wrote: »

I don't know how many are registered but looking at the photo of runners going over the bridge, there's a hell of a lot! Cant believe we'll be there next Friday! Best of luck to you!

Thanks Central Park..

Yip. Nearly there now!

I'll pop up a report here when its done and we can compare notes.

central park

I'm not a fast runner, hoping to break 2.15 barrier. Last half was 2.12 so will be happy with a time around that. Weather looks good for running!

doughef

central park wrote: »

I'm not a fast runner, hoping to break 2.15 barrier. Last half was 2.12 so will be happy with a time around that. Weather looks good for running!

No bother to ye. I believe its a mostly flat/ down hill so you will be grand.,
I had my birthday along with St Patricks day this weekend.

Training went out the window and I ate shi** and drank pints!

Still.. looking forward to getting this over and done with,.
Hopefully I'll get a decent spot and wont be too congested.

Weather wise, I think your correct,..It looking like a high of 17' and cloudy / wet,.
As the race is in the morning it should be colder. deffo a day for the black sack over the vest before the start..

Maybe we will get a vest sun tan :cool:

central park

I tried to send you a PM, not sure if it went. let me know!

doughef

central park wrote: »

I tried to send you a PM, not sure if it went. let me know!

PM received loud and clear!!

thanks

doughef

Ok.,. so more for my own therapy rather than anybody is interested-or is following-here is my report on the Lisbon Half Marathon.

(strap in.. its a long one)

Friday.
Flew out, nice easy flight to Lisbon and very handy to get to the hotel on the metro.
stayed here http://www.hotel-marquesdepombal.pt/..really nice hotel and not overly expensive.

(dosent really matter where you stay as you have to get a train to the start of the race anyway)

My wife and I went out to see the sights and of course had a few beers and a few more too!! wine with dinner and off then to watch the Ireland v Sweden Game.
Of course, drank way more than I should have and MINI DRAMA.. fell over and sprained my ankle for the 100th time since I was five years old (last time was six weeks ago).. not good,.. had to get a táxi back to the hotel although it was only a few mins walk away.
Went home and and elevated it and got ice from the bar.

Saturday
woke up, ankle swollen and sore.. really stinker of a start to the day. Went down to breakfast and discussed not even bothering running,.. My wife was telling me to do what I felt like but maybe try and see how I got on..

So.. Went to the expo to collect my number ..my wife went shopping and I got the bus across town. Thankfully (thanks to another boards user) I was already in contact with the organiser as my registration would not complete but they had it sorted for me..
Very easy pick up,.. huge expo área.., but I was straight up to the international desk.. in and out in minutes.
I was somewhat inspired by the other runners and sat across the street in a small bar,. had a beer and said... Fu** this.. I,m running this race tomorrow.
Early night Saturday.. more ice,.. ankle still sore

Sunday - Race Day
Woke up early after a fairly shi**y nights sleep- sunny beaming through the Windows.-- got out of bed.. ankle felt tender enough... but ok!!!!
breakfast of champions to *ahem* get things moving.. muesli / fruit / coffee.
left the hotel.. told herself Id see her at the finish line and headed off.
Now. .this is the bit I dont like.. i had to go way across town and although I knew the route I had to catch a metro and then a train..
However..all travel was free on the day if you had a bib which was great.

I had heard there were 30,000 runners but I didnt really believe it until I got to the start!! The race starts on a bridge,.. and the last time I seen as many people in the one place was last year in Poland at the Ireland v Spain match.. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!
I had planned to run a 1.35 ish!!!! did a 1.37 in Carlingford 3 weeks earlier..
so.. I decided as I was on my own to get up as far as possible to the front.
Got approx 500m from the start and could not move another inch!
Race kicks off and its a disaster (for me anyway).
Unreal congestion... stop,. start,. sprint past,.. halt,.. stop.. walk... go round.. elbow.. stand!!
I was hoping for 4.30 min / k but the first 3 k were 18mins!!:eek:
Ok.. so far so bad... I stayed going.. ankle was ok.. and ran the race..
in fairness,.. its a great course,.. all flat...
but between 7-10k it got very hot and knocked the bolli* out of me.,,

Between this and the shi* time I was just happy enough to follow the crowd.
So.. at 16k I heard herself callout to me from across the road at the 20k mark.. That was a lovely boost and kept me going!
Muddled on and eventually crossed the line in 1.44!

On the day,.. I was happy enough.
Took a train to Lagos today and the 3.5 hours journey didnt do my legs any favours but the nice lady has just poured me a beer for E1.50 so that eases the pain.

Plan tomorrow is to do a nice recovery run on the beach and have a dip in the sea ..

and my registration for my new running club has just come through so thats my next move when I get home!

Oh.. In case anybody is interested (or has read this far) .. I found very little info on the race when I was thinking of doing it so if anybody is interested for next year.. feel free to pm me

career_move

Sounds like a bit of an anti-climax In fairness though that was a great time considering the congestion at the start. Well done

Wubble Wubble

Well done on that, wouldn't have gone near it myself with an injury! Enjoy the cheap beers in the sunny Algarve

doughef

career_move wrote: »

Sounds like a bit of an anti-climax In fairness though that was a great time considering the congestion at the start. Well done

Thanks..

ah yeah,.. I cant really complain.. looking back it was a grand race,.. just not for a pb .!

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

Well done on that, wouldn't have gone near it myself with an injury! Enjoy the cheap beers in the sunny Algarve

Yeah.. your probably right.. I spent the last few days doing a few recovery runs on the beach finished with a dip in the sea. I honestly think cold water is the answer to every body ache!
Weather has been great here actually.. a bit of rain and some clouds but some fantastic sunny periods and warm afternoons.
I have been running barefoot and have the blisters to prove it! coming back in a few months so might bring the oul cross country spikes for the sand!