Belfast marathon

[Baile an tuaigh]

Was just wondering is anyone else on here going to or who has previously ran in the Belfast marathon, which is on this year on the 5th May. The reason I ask is that this is my first marathon and was wondering was there many hills or tricky parts in the course that could drain you. I am currently training of a rookie marathon scedule which was spread over 16 weeks. Preperations going ok. Had a major hick up when I lost 3 weeks due to a repetitive flu. At the moment I am up to mile 17 my time is 2 hours 28 minutes 36 secounds which I would imagine is average for someone of my experiance. Also I was going to wear an Antrim GAA vest is this advisable?

[Orior]

There's no problem anymore with the GAA tops. I'll be there cheering you on up the Antrim Road. Your training plan seems fine. My only advice is dont get too carried away at the start.

[aontroim abu]

Baile can you PM me the training schedule, or a link to it?

[Candyman]

Ask TOP GUN who is a regular poster on here.... he's the marathon specialist!!! 

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

There's no problem anymore with the GAA tops. I'll be there cheering you on up the Antrim Road. Your training plan seems fine. My only advice is dont get too carried away at the start.

I live on the Antrim Rd as well, what part of it does the marathon pass?

[supersarsfields]

I thought I had heard that you shouldn't be trying to do the full distance in training as the adrenaline on the day pushes you that bit further and doing the full distance before that can damage your recovery time. I thought the longest you were meant to go for was around the 15 mile mark?

[Rois]

GDA, it comes down Salisbury Avenue and then along the Antrim Road till Whitewell Road direction.

Doing a leg of it I think.  Looks like the Antrim Road bit might be the flattest?

[Minder]

I have been asked to do a leg by my g/f's cousin as she is going to do a bit of volunteering in South America but i am working furiously at getting out of it.

[imtommygunn]

Rois if the route is the same as last year then the antrim road leg is 7+ miles. The antrim road part isn't too bad - you get a big descent on it which eases the pain. It's a long way especially for people who think legs are split evenly and only train up to about 5 miles!

In answer to the hill question the main hills from what I know would be in the second two legs(first half of second leg only really) - i.e. miles about 5 to 10.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Cheers Rois.
How far is a leg?

[Rois]

Rois if the route is the same as last year then the antrim road leg is 7+ miles. The antrim road part isn't too bad - you get a big descent on it which eases the pain. It's a long way especially for people who think legs are split evenly and only train up to about 5 miles!

In answer to the hill question the main hills from what I know would be in the second two legs(first half of second leg only really) - i.e. miles about 5 to 10.

Hmmm may rethink my choice then!!  Thanks Tommy.

[imtommygunn]

There are four changeover points.

They are located at:

    * Bridge End
    * Hillview Road
    * Gideon's Green
    * Corporation Street.

The Team Relay event is split into five parts.

The following distances are approximate:

    * six miles
    * 3.5 miles
    * 7.1 miles
    * 5.3 miles
    * 4.3 miles.

[mannix]

I am running the paris marathon on sunday, had the same problems you did with getting disrupted but ran 17 miles as the long run twice.Interesting to see how it goes, i will let you know and want you to do the same.
Cheers

[Baile an tuaigh]

Baile can you PM me the training schedule, or a link to it?

This is the training schedule I am currently working off. Are you planning to do a marathon soon? If I felt ok after the Belfast marathon I was going to enter the Notre Dame one which is one month later. It might be to much though so we will see how the Belfast one goes first.

16-Week Marathon Training Schedule Week Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Total
1 3 Rest 4 3 Rest 5 Rest 15
2 3 Rest 4 3 Rest 6 Rest 16
3 3 Rest 4 3 Rest 7 Rest 17
4 3 Rest 5 3 Rest 8 Rest 19
5 3 Rest 5 3 Rest 10 Rest 21
6 4 Rest 5 4 Rest 11 Rest 24
7 4 Rest 6 4 Rest 12 Rest 26
8 4 Rest 6 4 Rest 14 Rest 28
9 4 Rest 7 4 Rest 16 Rest 31
10 5 Rest 8 5 Rest 16 Rest 34
11 5 Rest 8 5 Rest 17 Rest 35
12 5 Rest 8 5 Rest 18 Rest 36
13 5 Rest 8 5 Rest 20 Rest 38
14 5 Rest 8 5 Rest 9 Rest 27
15 3 Rest 5 3 Rest 8 Rest 19
16 3 Rest 3 Walk 2 Rest 26.2 Rest 34.2

[stiffler]

Done a leg in the marathon in 2005, hardest part was finding the next runner in my team at the changeover point!

its a good idea to plan where about at the changeover point your going to meet the next runner.