Amsterdam Marathon 16th Oct 2022

Wottle

Still on a runners high from Seville, I've signed up for Amsterdam in 236 days. Never done it but on my stryd race calculations, it ranks number 2 for fast and flat, only seconds behind Rotterdam.

I don't know how they can be any quicker than Seville, thought that was super flat.

Weather, I'd imagine should be good for racing at that time of year.

I've heard its a bit of a boring route but that doesn't bother me in the least as I can't pay attention to my surroundings when racing, missed my wife and children at the Eiffel tower in Paris '09.

Anyone else considering it or already in?

Burkie1203

Am booked in

Sandwell

Yeah, booked in. Flying out on the Saturday and back Monday. It'll be my first marathon since Dublin 2016 and I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in to the training. I chose it for the flat course and the fact that it dovetails pretty well with Dublin meaning that I can hopefully do some training with clubmates who are targeting that.

AngelaRI

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058234599/amsterdam-marathon-16th-oct-2022

Not doing it this year, but have done it twice already (2016, 2017 https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/1822706732). Rotterdam also (2019 https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/2456614798). I must say I prefer Amsterdam over Rotterdam for route and organisation and race day vibe (both are awesome by the way, just Amsterdam I think pips Rotterdam)

The route (in my opinion) is lovely! Not boring at all! You run through Amsterdam, through Vondelpark (twice - my favourite parts of the route, right near the start and finish), the Rijksmuseum, along the canals, out and back along the Amstel River around halfway point (my second favourite part). And you start and finish at the stadium, which is great! I found the best way to get to the start was to hire a bicycle (my hotel had a bunch, super handy, and I was only a few km away so had a scenic pedal through Amsterdamse Bos) and the slow (and flat!) cycle to the start was a nice warm up. Same again cycling back after, good way to keep the muscles warm and helps a lot with post-race pains. There was loads of place to lock up my bike near the start.

All in all, definitely a fantastic event, well worth the trip over, you won't be disappointed!

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118692490#Comment_118692490

Same here, flying out Sat and back Monday. Also running DCM should that should be interesting. Got accommodation about 3km away from the stadium but looked into hiring a bike so it should be all grand on the day.

Howok

I will definitely take part

chabsey

Does anyone know if you can get through flight security with gels? Just realised I didn't book a checkin bag but was going to bring my own gels. Not a huge deal if I can't - I'll pick some up at the expo I imagine.

Just checked and yeah should be grand as long as they're under 100ml and in a clear bag.

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119077694#Comment_119077694

Yep, I've had no issues with Spain and Portugal.

The Davestator

Did this in 2019 and my main piece of advice is to get into the stadium with plenty of time. I left it until about 15 minutes before (as need 237 pees before starting any race) and there was a huge jam to get in. I went to the very right-hand side and got in with seconds to spare, but hundreds behind me missed the start.

There are plenty of toilets inside the stadium on the pitch so its not an issue.

First 1 to 2 km are very congested and I was walking on a couple of occassions.

fantastic race

chabsey

Getting close now....who else is heading over to this?

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119697221#Comment_119697221

I'm getting very giddy, can't wait.

Thinking somewhere between 3:15 & 3:10, considering aiming for a negative split.

@Sandwell in as well but will probably be showered and enjoying a nice hot chocolate by the time I finish 😅

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119698529#Comment_119698529

Sounds like you're aiming for a similar time as myself. How's the training been going?

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119698719#Comment_119698719

Volume has been good but only of late are sessions starting to click.

Low iron being the culprit. All about freshening up now with only two medium sessions left.

Saw your comment regarding your training being a bit of a mess?

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119698741#Comment_119698741

Yeah, I did half my training on a treadmill, all the signs pointed to a sub 3 being within the realms of possibility, and if not then certainly very close. Then I switched back to road running and found my calf muscles locking up and was unable to touch the times I was getting on the treadmill. So, took a couple of weeks of adjusting, few trips to the physio and an eventual realisation that the sub 3 was a dream. Currently targeting 3:10 but even then I'm not sure. If the weather gods shine on us then I would be hopeful of a 3:10. I still feel that maybe the first half of my training, where I was pushing much harder for a quicker time will stand by me on the day.

chabsey

Snuck a look at the weather, I know it's pretty much useless info this far out but anyway.....currently looking ideal for a temp point of view with ~50% chance of showers. Could be worse.

deconduo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119699030#Comment_119699030

Was the treadmill configured correctly? Could it have been reporting much faster speeds than you were actually running?

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119699313#Comment_119699313

You know, I'd say you must be correct normally but in this case I decided to not even look at or trust the treadmill readout and bought a Zwift pod instead. Every now and then I'd check the treadmill's read out to compare to what Zwift was telling me and invariably it was 1 - 1.5 kmph faster than the Zwift pod, so that gave me even more encouragement - Maybe I was hitting paces at even faster speeds than I needed!

People online tell you to put the treadmill at 1% incline to best mimic road running but again I didn't trust it. I got out a spirit level and confirmed it was flat then set it to a constant 2% incline for all runs. Hit all paces for the plan without issue (not saying it was easy, some days after long runs I was absolutely wrecked) so I was confident.

The one main thing I've found since getting back to road running is the wind, it's obviously one of the big differences between outdoor vs treadmill running but wow!, it utterly and completely wrecked my pace and energy levels. It was so disheartening to be hitting paces spot-on and then going outdoors and missing them by 30 seconds +. I run mainly on the coast cause it's so flat but it's also pretty much always windy. So who knows, perhaps I've been beating myself up based on running into hard winds all the time but in any case, I've adjusted half my plan accordingly so 3:10 it is.

Sandwell

Really looking forward to this now but inevitably I've caught a (non-Covid) dose and now I'm stressing that it's going to turn into a chest infection etc. and ruin my plans. I'm sure I'll be fine. 🙄

Long term weather forecasts are looking promising enough alright, maybe a touch humid and there's always a chance of some wind.

I'm heading over on the Saturday morning and will prob head straight to the expo from the airport to collect my number. No sign of any info from the organisers yet?

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119699485#Comment_119699485

I'm heading over on Saturday morning as well, was planning on either heading to the expo directly or to the apartment and then back to the expo to get a better idea of the lay of the land for race day.

chabsey

Anyone know if there's an equivalent of Dublin Bikes in Amsterdam? Googling leads me to loads of bike rental places but I just want a hop on hop off type solution to get around the city easier.

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700147#Comment_119700147

No idea but would be curious too. I'm apparently a 2.5k walk away, not too far but more about getting back to the hotel after.

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700260#Comment_119700260

Have done a bit more reading because I'm 3km away...I'm now thinking the Amsterdam Travel Ticket might be just the thing.

https://www.discoverholland.com/traveler-information/23/amsterdam-travel-ticket

Kellygirl

I was there last year for the half. The trains and trams are brilliant and really easy. I can’t remember what we did about tickets but so easy hopping on and off and going to the stadium was no problem.

Wottle

Email came today with bib number and participant magazine, getting super excited.

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119706369#Comment_119706369

Yeah, got mine as well. Getting real now. Installed the app as well, it's actually a pretty good source of info.

Sandwell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119707577#Comment_119707577

Very slick app indeed.

It's looking like a wet and miserable marathon weekend judging by the long-term forecasts at the moment. Plenty of time for that to change though.

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119708862#Comment_119708862

God I hope not. I will only believe the day before's forecast. Somewhat wet is ok I suppose, as long as we've no wind it might be tolerable.

chabsey

Anyone know if you need a medical / doctor's cert for this marathon? I didn't think you did but am watching a YouTube video series of a guy who is entering this years Amsterdam marathon and mentioned the requirement for a medical cert. I know when I entered Florence I needed one but I'm guessing we don't for this marathon?

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119725526#Comment_119725526

Didn't hear that, I know it's the norm in France and Italy. Can't see anything on the website, I hope not.

Sandwell

Heard nothing about it. If it is a condition, it's very badly communicated. Going to assume it'll be grand and go back to worrying about the weather.

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119727330#Comment_119727330

I keep checking the weather - seems that rain on the day is inevitable - but - it appears to be in the afternoon on most forecasts. It's too early to tell in any case. Friday / Saturday is the day we'll really know.

Sandwell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119727451#Comment_119727451

Yeah, rain seems likely but it's the fairly strong breeze being forecast that I'm more concerned about. There seems to be a spell of blustery weather forecast from Friday through Monday so chances of us getting a still day seem unlikely at this stage. Hopefully it'll just end up being a light breeze rather than anything too extreme.

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119727643#Comment_119727643

Wind looks like it will come from SW so the stretch out alongside canal (12-19km) is where it will be worst felt

chabsey

Wind is a killer, if it's bad I'll be trying to stick with the pacer group and use them as a wind break.

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119729054#Comment_119729054

Toughest section looks like 34k to the finish as that'll be right into the headwind.

I'm still hoping the weather Gods play ball 🤞

Sandwell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119729115#Comment_119729115

Yeah, I was thinking the same looking at the course map. Running the final 10k of a a marathon into a significant headwind does not sound like fun. Still plenty of time for it to change though.

Strangely enough the weather forecast in the official race app has been consistently predicting fine, clear weather with only a gentle 5kph breeze. I'd take that!

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119729162#Comment_119729162

Yeah forecast has changed, saturday was SWS, now it says WSW so it's the last quarter but the predicted rain volume has gone from 7mm to 2mm

chabsey

Here's hoping there's some very large, extremely fit pacers who will block any headwind in the final 10k.

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119729338#Comment_119729338

Must.Stop.Refreshing.Weather.

It's jumping from 1mm to 3.5mm on the day. Wind increasing to 28kmph. Nothing I can do about it but can't stop checking.

Sandwell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119731170#Comment_119731170

I'm the same. Can't help myself. I'm not even bothered about rain, just obsessing about wind speeds and directions. Probably falls under taper madness to be fair.

Wottle

Big improvement 🤞

Had a sports massage yesterday morning with Peter Mathews. Cut the toenails last night, can't wait!

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119732991#Comment_119732991

That does look better, hopefully it's more like that and less like some of the other sites

Sandwell

The forecast is continuing to improve it seems. Feeling pretty good here apart from having a sore shin after my 3 year old son decided to jump on top of me in the bed this morning and drive his knee into my left shin. A reminder once again that it's an achievement to just make the start line in a marathon...

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119737876#Comment_119737876

Yeah, wind speed dropping to acceptable levels and rain looking less likely. My two year old decided to sit on my back while I was strength conditioning ( in a plank)....I suppose technically that helped so they are sometimes a benefit :)

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119737876#Comment_119737876

One of my friends is doing it.

Was on a bus last night and some kid was let run around on the bus while his mother was glued to her phone. The kid fell and landed on his foot. Some slightly swollen little toe but no fracture or break.

chabsey

I'm now hesitant to check the weather for opposite reasoning, in case it changes back to being bad again! Fingers crossed it stays this good...and that I don't encounter any clumsy kids between now and the start.

Wottle

Pretty crap start to Amsterdam as I got into a scuffle and was shouldered into the corridor wall on the other side of passport control by a queue skipping prlck. Lost my phone in the scuffle but didn't realise for about 5 minutes, had to run back after it.

On a positive, no wind

Sandwell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119743799#Comment_119743799

Perfect practice for the first couple of kms on Sunday ! Great news about the lack of wind.

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119743799#Comment_119743799

Hate those kinds of people, at least you got there safely and have your phone so all good, especially the lack of wind. I'm heading tomorrow morning, excited now.

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119744901#Comment_119744901

All good since, lovely place to run around, had some delicious pizza.

Expo a bit smaller than I was expecting.

Wottle

What time do you think we should be inside the stadium and in our pen?