London Marathon 2018

robinph

It won't affect anyone in the Green start or in fast GFA, but anyone starting from pen 3 back in Red or Blue they will be holding the start line for a minute or two at some points during the start this year which is a new thing for London. The idea being that more people get a clearer run away from the line and to reduce congestion a bit.

robinph

village runner wrote: »

Loads of time left to recover

Unfortunately not. Was seriously wiped out for over a week and I'm still now a long way off thinking thoughts of going for a run yet.

I am considering the emergency backup marathon that I did last year to secure GFA times after last year's VMLM disaster again though which will be at the beginning of June and right on the qualification period deadline for GFA. Not many people do it though so whilst I'd be able to get a GFA time from it, a pb without anyone to chase would be a massive challenge.

sideswipe

Recover well robinph.

Too early to mention the weather? Looking warm.........those with a week disposition or chronic taper madness should not read the FI Chart thread in the weather forum. Terms such as 'record breaking warmth' being used there in relation to the south east of England for late next week!! Hopefully it comes early and then cools down for Sunday.
M.T. Cranium also mentions a heat wave for the UK but does give me hope of a cool down-

OUTLOOK ... Very warm air is going to flood into Britain by about Tuesday and remain entrenched there to Friday with highs 22 to 25 C. Ireland will feel some of this warmth but frontal boundaries will remain either close to the west coast or slightly inland over western counties with further impulses of rain rippling north along this frontal zone. Highs could reach 18 or even 20 C in some parts during these warmer days but rain may drop temperatures back to 15 or 16 C. Eventually the warm spell comes to a rather abrupt end by late Friday into Saturday with heavy rain and colder temperatures, followed by a cooler week to ten days (21st to end of month basically) which could bring some further rain and temperatures as low as 9 or 10 C in the daytime hours as the flow will become north to northeast at times.

Glencarraig

robinph wrote: »

It won't affect anyone in the Green start or in fast GFA, but anyone starting from pen 3 back in Red or Blue they will be holding the start line for a minute or two at some points during the start this year which is a new thing for London. The idea being that more people get a clearer run away from the line and to reduce congestion a bit.

Why are there no starting waves in the green start, are all the fast runners going in there?

robinph

Glencarraig wrote: »

Why are there no starting waves in the green start, are all the fast runners going in there?

Because it's only a small start compared to the Red and Blue. Few celebrities, former footballers and the rest of the Good For Age people.

Glencarraig

robinph wrote: »

Because it's only a small start compared to the Red and Blue. Few celebrities, former footballers and the rest of the Good For Age people.

Hope that Gordon Ramsey bloke isn't going to get in my way !!!!!

gucci

robinph wrote: »

Looks like I'm out.

Had a bit of disruption through training with a couple of illnesses and the weather disruption messing with a few target races, but was all looking to be back on track after taking a minute off my 20mile PB a couple of weeks ago....

Ah balls to it,Hope you rest up good and come back stronger.

Hard to believe only 1 week left! Everyone stay calm this weekend!

overthebridge

Bib No.| Username | PB | Predicted Time | Actual Time
|overthebridge|3:38:38|3:29:59|



Here's hoping the weather plays ball.

gucci

Bib No.| Username | PB | Predicted Time | Actual Time
|overthebridge|3:38:38|3:29:59|
|gucci|3:04:50|2:59:59|

overthebridge wrote: »

Here's hoping the weather plays ball.

Here's hoping my legs plays ball

neilc

overthebridge wrote: »

Bib No.| Username | PB | Predicted Time | Actual Time
|overthebridge|3:38:38|3:29:59|



Here's hoping the weather plays ball.

Think we’re screwed!!

overthebridge

It's not looking like ideal conditions anyway. All we can do is hydrate for the week and keep the electrolytes topped up.
Maybe a tough decision might have to be made on the day to revise the goal but other than that it's beyond our control.

innuendo141

overthebridge wrote: »

It's not looking like ideal conditions anyway. All we can do is hydrate for the week and keep the electrolytes topped up.
Maybe a tough decision might have to be made on the day to revise the goal but other than that it's beyond our control.

Exactly, that's all we can do. This looks like it's going to be a bit of a different challenge for me now anyway! I was full sure Paris last year was in the 20s heat wise when I ran, and I just checked and it was apparently only 12 degrees-ish. Christ.

robinph

The worst of the heat is currently expected around Wednesday/ Thursday, but will still be toasty for the time of year on Sunday. There are plenty of tall buildings and trees along the course and the twists and turns mean you should be able to find bits of shade along the way at various points. Don't focus as much on following the blue line as normal and take a wider line in order to get the shade if there is any, just a few extra seconds running in the shade wherever possible will make a difference.

Wear a hat and tip bottles of water over it, don't over drink though. I was just having a look through the final instructions PDF and was shocked to see them suggesting that sub 3:30 runners should be taking on a litre an hour, and that was unsurprisingly on a page with sponsorship from Buxton water!?!?!? Then on the next page they try to cover their backside a bit by talking a bit about the dangers of over drinking, but not saying what that might entail.

To state that people should be drinking 1lt an hour on one page is incredibly dangerous, even with the ass covering word tagged on the sentence of "may need to drink X amount". Just putting a quantity in print is irresponsible as people are liable to then take that as a target.

You should be tipping more water over your head than down your throat.

Djoucer

Nice one robin.

Will the wind have any impact on course? Likely to be head or tailwinds?

Forecast is wind from south/south east.

robinph

From what I'm seeing of the wind forecast it's not likely to be much of an issue. The course is mostly east-west and back again a few times and the only really exposed bit is the last few miles along the Embankment towards "Big Ben" (which is unfortunately covered in scaffolding this year). But even along that section it looks like the wind will be minimal enough. There will probably be windy sections through the Canary Wharf section but that's because of tall buildings and not weather.

sideswipe

The only hot marathon I've run to date was Dublin 2014 and that wasn't too hot, more humid I think. Will have to decide on the morning whether to adjust for conditions- never run well in the heat. Them's the breaks I suppose.

robinph

They have already posted the new GFA times for next year and the times have been tighetened up a bit...and numbers restricted.

Getting the time, for blokes, no longer means that you will be guaranteed a place. It's unlikely they will hit the numbers for women, but it is going to be restricted to 3000 male and 3000 female.

https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/

Also worth noting that deferring a GFA entry for the 2019 event will not guarantee entry to the 2020 event, you would still need to run the qualifying time again and re-apply through the GFA process.

robinph

...and another change I just spotted is that they will take your age on the date that you ran the time, not your age on race day to determine what your qualification time will be. So having a significant birthday between qualification and the following London marathon won't help.

psychozeb

Looking forward to Sunday now, ran in 2012 and 2013 with 3:01:33 and 3:01:28 so hoping to finally go under 3 on the course this weekend. Hopefully be heading for finish before it's too warm

Gavlor

psychozeb wrote: »

Looking forward to Sunday now, ran in 2012 and 2013 with 3:01:33 and 3:01:28 so hoping to finally go under 3 on the course this weekend. Hopefully be heading for finish before it's too warm

Leave out all the “hope” and Believe to achieve

psychozeb

Gavlor wrote: »

Leave out all the “hope” and Believe to achieve

Know I can do it alright,nerves!!

adrian522

These GFA changes are really cruel. I've been targeting a sub 3:15 time for the last 5 years as a bit of a medium term goal, tough but achievable.

Now that I am within touching distance of it they go and change the qualification time to 3:05, and even then you are not guaranteed an entry.

I guess I'm not going to be running London in the near future.

plumber77

adrian522 wrote: »

These GFA changes are really cruel. I've been targeting a sub 3:15 time for the last 5 years as a bit of a medium term goal, tough but achievable.

Now that I am within touching distance of it they go and change the qualification time to 3:05, and even then you are not guaranteed an entry.

I guess I'm not going to be running London in the near future.

Did 3.09 in Manchester this year and then I see these changes

Younganne

robinph wrote: »

They have already posted the new GFA times for next year and the times have been tighetened up a bit...and numbers restricted.

Getting the time, for blokes, no longer means that you will be guaranteed a place. It's unlikely they will hit the numbers for women, but it is going to be restricted to 3000 male and 3000 female.

https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/

Also worth noting that deferring a GFA entry for the 2019 event will not guarantee entry to the 2020 event, you would still need to run the qualifying time again and re-apply through the GFA process.

I had GFA this year and AFAICR it was with sub 3.50(I just made it with 3.49.38 for 45 - 49 age group) and have deferred to next year. The new time seems to be sub 3.53 so they have widened the bracket, or am I reading it wrong??

robinph

I think that looks like they have given you an extra couple of minutes alright, assuming that your age for the qualifying run was in the right age bracket. If you ran the qualifying time whilst still a youngster then the quicker time would apply from 2019 even if you are in the next age group up by the time of the London marathon.

Just put through my deferral and I'm not certain if we will still need to have a qualifying time within the period for 2019 or not, ie since 1st Jan 2017. Or if you just automatically get the GFA place for 2019 based on whatever time submitted for the 2018 race, so could potentially be a time run in 2016.

I've got a time within the window, but the text on the deferral website wasn't entirely clear as I skimmed through it.

Younganne

robinph wrote: »

I think that looks like they have given you an extra couple of minutes alright, assuming that your age for the qualifying run was in the right age bracket. If you ran the qualifying time whilst still a youngster then the quicker time would apply from 2019 even if you are in the next age group up by the time of the London marathon.

Just put through my deferral and I'm not certain if we will still need to have a qualifying time within the period for 2019 or not, ie since 1st Jan 2017. Or if you just automatically get the GFA place for 2019 based on whatever time submitted for the 2018 race, so could potentially be a time run in 2016.

I've got a time within the window, but the text on the deferral website wasn't entirely clear as I skimmed through it.

yes there is definitely 3 mins more, Boston is 3.55 for same age group...
I was in the same age group getting the qualifying time as the one I would have been in this year and will be in next year.PG

I think it stated on my deferral email that once paid for within the correct timeframe, 2019 GFA spot was guaranteed. I've no access to the email at the minute but will check it out later.

gucci

overthebridge wrote: »

It's not looking like ideal conditions anyway. All we can do is hydrate for the week and keep the electrolytes topped up.
Maybe a tough decision might have to be made on the day to revise the goal but other than that it's beyond our control.

Yes between the weather and the GFA time being brought down, it could be quite a relaxing run this Sunday

Anyone have any info on what the times increase by on "hot" years in comparison to favourable cooler conditions?

robinph

It's not really all that hot though, it's just we're coming out of winter and are not used to it.

Cover up in sun creme, should do that for any marathon really, tip plenty of water over your head, run to feel rather than pace if you need to...but don't use that as an excuse for being soft.

The temperature is currently showing as hitting a high of 22 for London for the early afternoon, but importantly there looks to be cloud cover and the lack of direct sunlight will be a massive benefit. Be well hydrated beforehand, but that is exactly the same as for any marathon, and take tiny sips of water. DO NOT down a whole bottle of water at every drink station. Despite what the advice advertising in the marathon instruction book says you will not suffer from dehydration.

sideswipe

gucci wrote: »

Yes between the weather and the GFA time being brought down, it could be quite a relaxing run this Sunday

Anyone have any info on what the times increase by on "hot" years in comparison to favourable cooler conditions?

On the plus side.......The forecast seems to be indicating low humidity as the air is coming from a dryer source (Africa).
Warm+Low Humidity > Warm+High Humidity

gucci

http://www.wired.co.uk/article/london-marathon-2018-nike-fly-print-shoe-breaking-2-eliud-kipchoge-mo-farah

Might get them to print me a pair of sunglasses for Sunday