Sheeeettttt!
MCR Marathon is 5th April 2020, my local half is 15th March 2020 (just three weeks!)…
…there’s a 20 miler four weeks before, but it’s a 3-lap affair and I’d not like that.
@stenard - There is the Lydd 20 at Romney Marsh on 8th March.
I’m wanting one in the next month!
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Oh, yeah!
Sorry…hang on…
…there is Oulton Park, but that is 1st December and is far away for you…
…you could just run 20 laps of the Lee Valley VeloPark on the 26th October?
They’re only offering 10 mile or 13.1 mile options, but I’m pretty sure you could just do 20 and you wouldn’t be the last person out there.
…so long as you answer my Off-Topic thing below:
Southport Triathlon
Did you do the sprint, or Oly?
I remember you said it was good - did you do it in the year it was a qualifier?
We really enjoy Southport for a reminisce of seaside times past, same goes for Llandudno, if you’ve done that one…cheers!
Ideal if pacing practice is what you want.
I used to do my long runs as 6 mile loops so I could get back to a stashed bottle and not have to carry it. Boring as, and hard to run away from home in the later laps, but it did help with pacing.
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hidden off-topic
Clever, This hidden feature is nice for off-topic. Streamlines the discussion. Jist eanted to see how you did it really 
Ultimately it depends on a couple of factors i think:
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How much of a stretch target is your MP? If you’re quite conservative, then 20 miles probs won’t be the end of the world at all (3-4 weeks probably ok), it will be a test of patience and pacing. If it’s a little ‘hotter’ then you will risk going into the red on the day if the pace hass not been pitched quite right/dip a little too deeply into the well if the pace is too quick/ damage any self esteem you may have had if it’s too hard. So swings and roundabouts … but i guess that’s the purpose of the session, to find out where you are.
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i got interrupted and have totally lost my train of thought … i’ll update when it comes back to me!!
@Poet is that the Wrexham one?
Doing a 20 miler at test MP 4-5 weeks out surely has to impact you come race day? Say you do it 5 weeks out, it means you’re probably impacting your training for the next week or two depending on how it went, and those are really the last real weeks to put the cherries on top of your training cake.
Depends what you’re hoping to achieve from it and what your previous build has been - but I would’ve thought there’s more to be lost than gained.
I’d argue, particularly for folks that have done a mara before, you must have an idea of HR and PRE that you can hold for the mara. Just do a HM, which at mara pace would still be a great training session but hopefully not enough to destroy the legs for your last phase of training.
That being said I’ve never finished a marathon, so don’t listen to me 
No, the one in Stafford.
Wrexham one looks like it is round the bloomin’ track!
The Village Bakery half looks good, though
Think it starts and finishes on the track but the other 19ish miles are on the road 
Yeah the Village Bakery looks good from a training point of view.
So.
Village Bakery half 17/02
Wrexham 20 Miler 08/03
Manchester Mara 05/04
What could possibly go wrong 
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I did the Oly qualifier last year. It was reasonable. Best bit was closed roads from my perspective. The four dead turns (two laps of up and down the coast line) meant you lost speed there, but otherwise was pretty fast.
I just had a rubbish day. I’d done Mallorca 70.3 the weekend before, and only flown back on the Thursday, so was a frantic case of fly home, rebuild bike, go to work Friday, repack, drive to Southport, register, race, drive home. It was a bit stupid really. Especially as I ended up qualifying for Lausanne, albeit at Deva, and then decided I didn’t want to go anyway.
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A wise man (eJc) once said that it was a dangerous game chasing half and 10k pbs in a marathon build. I imagine a 20 mile race would indeed be a great indicator but, for me, it takes 2 weeks out of your schedule which could be better used, either training or resting. Ive been super cautious this year, havent raced at all in my 18 week build. That wasnt completely planned but once illness and life in general starts affecting other weeks, the time left available for a ‘taper’ and recovery week to accomodate a 20 mile race becomes less and less. I’m of the view these days that you need to keep your eyes on the big prize…
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Yeah, that is looking good to me - but I can’t do the village bakery half.
Think I will plump for the Wrexham 20 miler.
@twhat - Big prize is a series of stepping stones for 2020: sub-3 marathon attempt, then build up to Staffs, then IMUK.
I’ve ran a 3:08, as part of a 30 mile canal path race that I finished in 3:28 (it was a smidge short and way back in 2011)
First marathon was Luton, was back in 2007, ended up with a 3:31 there.
Only other “standalone” was Outlaw this year, in 3:22 (after a 4km swim, 2 hours standing around freezing and not doing any long runs)
I agree that eJC seems wise, but the confidence boost from the training races is worth it to me.
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@Poet look at the Irwell Valley 20 miler. Always in Late Feb or early March and perfect prep for Manchester Mara. 80% off-road, some of it mud. Low-key event in Prestwich.
EDIT - permit is in for March 8th. Should be an announcement next week.
Follow Crazylegsevents on FB
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Cheers for the heads up!
It wasn’t on Schofield results service…
…in-laws live in Prestwich, so that’s easy peasy
EDIT: Literally hop over the clough to the start line. Awesome work
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It’s a great little race.
This year we had rain, ankle deep mud, snow, sleet and clear clear blue skies.
I get it @Poet… everyone I know likes to do a confidence boosting race in their build, in an ideal world I’d do the same… but hasn’t worked out this time.
The bubbling feeling of head cold has exploded today… sore throat, stuffy nose and heavy legged feeling. If I was running today I’d DNS. Bit of a bugger this as I don’t really have a plan B. At least with my race being local if I pass it’s only cost my race entry fee+charitable donation.
2 days to shake this off, I’ll make a decision on Saturday… no interest in running unless I know I can give it my best shot.
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Man that sucks Twhat, i really hope it’s just one of these quick nasties that passes through quickly whilst your body is down in taper.
Remember your immune system always seems to be at it’s lowest in taper, so it may be slightly exaggerating the symptoms i.e. they may well shake when you get going on Sunday. Hope you get to the race and race like you deserve though mate, it’s been a great build .
oh no!
Get well soon and neck some medicine…
…also GB is right in what he says, it could just be your body rebelling.
I got a cold in the 113 taper and it was Jorgan who said it was all normal and calmed me down a bit.
Cheers guys… we’ll see, hopefully you are right. I’ve been surrounded by it at work and home so its no surprise. Not sure i can find another race that works so it would be a shame…