From my experience, you don’t need to be in marathon shape to run a marathon, just sayin!
There is something cruelly pleasurable about running a reasonably big marathon at a comfortable pace and then hauling a bunch in in the final 5/10k…
Though I get your point about Newport!
Well chaps what can I say! I live near Newport and it aint that bad these days 
@gingerbongo you need to run Cardiff IMO. Not pan flat but cool conditions in Oct and that fast field to work with.
At Swansea you will be on your own from mile 2-3 for sure. Plus it is a seafront out and back which can be exposed/windy (far more likely than too hot 
)
From what I can tell of Newport Mara, you will spend a lot of time running with no crowd. I know some folks hate that but whilst I like a crowd, I don’t need one to keep going.
Haha, i’m just teasing! In all honesty i don’t actually think i’ve ever been to Newport come to think about it.
I am really torn on the race though. Completely agree with what you are saying @grifter . But it also clashes with my friend’s North Coast 110m/110k/58k race that i would quite like to help out at. Plus all my friends that may come with me will be either running or working the event. But then as Cardiff is sold out (other than that weird deal) i would probs be guaranteed to be flying solo from a mate’s perspective. But then i get the tow of loads of good runners. And chances are i’ll probs know someone when i’m up there anyway!
I’m like a flippin yo yo at the moment on this!! Oct gives me no excuses to not be prepared … it’s 10 months away. But it’s a longer period to try to stay fit and motivated. I don’t know! haha
if i do choose Cardiff i won’t go to Newport. I have to be selective with my days away from the family,and that won’t be a good (for me) use of a day away.
F**K it … i entered Cardiff. Absolute, total rip off for a single half mara, with an extortionate ‘processing’ fee as well. But you gotta do what you gotta do. No doubt there’s a no transfer policy, so i won’t even be able to sell off my Newport entry at a discount.
I had better not get injured and lose a ton of money or i’m blaming you @grifter !!!
Do Swansea as well. Dry run and all that.
Tempting! but my friend has another race on the weekend after Swansea. So i’ll probs help out there as i can’t help in October. All night CP manager duties abound for me!
Very impressive, I could have easily procrastinated on that decision for months!
Be interesting to see how you go, I think about a month before my theoretical attempt, I will watch from afar…
Well it’s not until Oct, so this thread may lie dormant for me for a few months whilst I hunt for some fitness!
Remember this thread @gingerbongo, we seemed to be the only ones pondering such craziness. Anyway, unbelievably I pulled it off and then some…
Last year, I ran huntly half in a pb of 1:16:18 or something. I then emailed the fast guys in my club about entering next year with the sole mission of forming a pack to target 1:15. This included a couple of properly fast guys to pace us.
Anyway, broken ankles, family commitments, XC starting and lack of interest meant in the end there was just me!
Anyway, last week I ran a marathon ‘steady’. I have history of good recovery so this didn’t phase me and indeed I thought it may help.
Last year there was a tailwind out that none of us noticed and then a brutal headwind back which I took the brunt of for the 10.5k. I checked my ‘windy’ app and it was reporting similar direction though lighter.
Anyway, when we started there was a headwind. A front group of 5 formed and I tucked in behind. First 2k’s were 3:28’s uphill into the wind, slightly (very?) over my comfort zone but I thought I had to hang one otherwise I would be on my own and have no chance. at k 5 they dropped a 3:25, this was too much, so I had to let them go. But I hoped this was enough to give me a chance of at least a pb. Next k was 3:42, but then I got back to 3:34’s so slightly over the 3:32’s but not by much.
I didn’t check my time at the turn, but it looks like it was 37:32 according to a strava segment. So well in the ball park. My thoughts were see what the first 2k are like and then make a decision as to whether to bury myself or not. 3:28 and then a 3:30 up a hill, so game on. I then just rolled at 3:28’s on my own, trying to imagine a race or anything to keep pushing.
There is a final long hill at around 18k and I knew I should be good for sub 75, so I could relax a little before the downhill into the finish, but still felt strong up that. The last k I was hurting quite bad, but kept pushing and came in at 1:13:54. I cant quite believe it. Still a day later. I am not convinced I can run 10k at that pace, let alone 21!
So over to you GB 
Blimey mate! That’s some serious, serious running! Honestly, well done that’s cracking.
I’m miles away from that after too many years of munching about in the mud, and now a tri. But I am tempted at a crack this autumn. Tempted, not committed! 
Brilliant! 
Top drawer stuff
Seriously impressed
Phenomenal running 
Brilliant running
Brilliant work!
Didn’t get <75 (and never even dreamed of doing) , but close enough that I can dream it’s possible one day so race result can go here:
Adelaide Half, 1:17:36, 8:08 pb from 2018.
Had trained to try break 80, with 1:17-1:18 being absolutely best case scenario. 2 weeks before the race someone advertises a free pair of vaporflys (ex-display with a few shop treadmill runs in them) - gave myself bilateral thumb strain trying to type quick enough to snap them up and seal the deal.
Training had gone well since getting out of quarantine, Best 12 weeks running I’ve done. Reckon I could build to a lot more in the future, but I’m fairly injury prone so couldn’t have done more this time.
Little flare of shin splints 7 weeks ago that settled with a few days rest, and again 2 weeks ago that needed a full week off - managed not to panic or force self to run through and make worse which is progress!
7am start, 5:30 wake up which was bit disgusting, but glad as it’s warming up now. Perfect conditions at sunrise, 11C.
Normally jog back after a race to finish with the missus who’s aiming for 2:15 but my quads can’t do anything even half hour later so I’ll just lie here in the sun and type this instead!
Target 3:40-3:45 pace, set off 3:50 for the first 3 km with the aim to descend in. Held 3:40s for 3-17km feeling great but faded away slightly last few km when I would normally pick up.
Classic rookie thing of trying something new on race day. Figured I should reward the vaporfly donor who’s now got himself a customer for life, so bought some maurten gels and other bits and bobs. Opened first gel at about 8km - what the hell is that?! Thankfully iron stomach wasn’t too surprised but my mouth certainly was!
Yes Chris, fantastic running. So glad to hear it went well, as that’s a cracking time. Like you say, if you ever felt like doing another dedicated block, then that 75 carrot is dangling and looking veeerry tempting!
Sounds like you ran a perfect race really. And yes, I had a similar reaction upon trying a Maurten gel for the first time as well!
