Commonwealth Games - the marathon : Just... - Couch to 5K

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Commonwealth Games - the marathon

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate
107 Replies

Just starting on BBC1. Sat here with my San Pellegrino and some fruit; can't wait for it. Be good to see how Steve Way does.

It's raining there - perfect!

Who's watching with me?

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Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_Yonder
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107 Replies
Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate

I am!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to Irishprincess

Great stuff, good to see you! :-)

We're off! Look at all those bright shoes! :D

The course looks good; don't know Glasgow well but the course looks great.

Steve at the front there. :-)

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

Yes, they've already mentioned him. I was waiting for them to mention C25K!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to Irishprincess

That's what it needs, a mention on something like this!

So good to see the crowds, isn't it? Just read that Runner56 has gone along to watch. Must be great to actually be there watching!

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

OMG they've just done 5K already!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to Irishprincess

The daft thing is, it doesn't look like they're going THAT fast, but clearly they are!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Haile Gebrselassie wanted Ethiopia to join the Commonwealth so they could take part in the games! :D What a guy! :D It does feel odd without an Ethiopian presence.

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

LOL at the spectators trying to keep up with the runners! :D

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

No plastic cups Miles!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to Irishprincess

Quite bloody right too! I never ever want to see one again; vile abominations they are!

Steve Way has a very recognisable and distinctive gait, a bit like Haile Gebrselassie's.

MrsSparkle profile image
MrsSparkleGraduate

I'm watching! Last night I Tried to get tickets for swimming for this morning but by the time I had checked out how I could get myself there, the tickets had all gone. Gutted! Ah well, you get a great view from the TV and I've saved my money (which I didn't really have any way).

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to MrsSparkle

Sorry to hear you didn't get tickets, MrsS. But you do get a great view from the telly! I did toy with the idea of getting the train up to watch the marathon, I must admit! :D

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

I went to watch the London marathon a couple of times when I lived there when a friend was running. Just brilliant, so exciting!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to AncientMum

It does look a brilliant atmosphere, London. I hope to get into it for 2016, but we'll see how it goes!

Women's marathon is go! :-)

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate

I'm here too. Thought I caught sight of you in your Bananaman kit :)

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to AncientMum

Woo! 'ow do, GM! :-) Nice to see you! Enjoying it so far?

Oh, no no, I' m firmly sat here, but I do like the Ugandan banana colours!

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

Loving it. They're so fast!! Aren't they being lucky with the weather :)

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to AncientMum

Yes! So lucky! Perfect really; it could be blazing sunshine and heat!

Rignold profile image
Rignold

"A fairly easy 2:13 pace" I just heard the commentator say.

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to Rignold

Oh I know! 'easy' indeed!

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

The girls are off! Love the pink shoes!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to Irishprincess

I was thinking the same! :D

MrsSparkle profile image
MrsSparkleGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

Even the soles of the shoes are fancy colours and patterns!

MrsSparkle profile image
MrsSparkleGraduate in reply to Irishprincess

One of them has a pink shoe and a turquoise shoe, how cool!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to MrsSparkle

That's brilliant! I'm going to get some new shoes soon; I might request different coloured shoes. Or get two pairs in different colours and wear one of each. :D maybe she grabbed the wrong ones and never noticed through nerves?! :D

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

10k in 31 minutes - crumbs!!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

I've been reading Steve Way's website/blog lately. It's great; he's very open about his training and how it's all going. steveway.co.uk/

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

Damen has a very unusual running style and Dixon's knees turn in! I guess it shows that everyone has their own running style. Maybe that's why so many of us are injured - because we try to adopt a "perfect" style that our bodies just cannot do.

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to Irishprincess

Very good point you make there. I've given up trying and I run in a manner that suits me best. Like you say, everyone had their own running style, there is no 'perfect' way to run. I love gait-watching!

Rignold profile image
Rignold in reply to Irishprincess

I was just thinking that about Louise Damen. There is also a one of the women in the black kit towards the back of that pack who has an odd style - bobbing her upper body from side to side.

I find myself 'runner-watching' all the time now. Whenever I see people out running I am looking at their style. Leads to much eye-rolling from my wife and kids when I point it out while driving.

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to Rignold

Snap! I too study other runners when I see them out. I always worry they'll catch me watching and will think I'm just a gawping non-runner!

I was walking down the towpath to the cinema yesterday and a fellow in a New York marathon t-shirt came running toward me with the oldest gait I've ever seen, but it obviously works for him!

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate

Love how all the ladies were standing poised to set off their Garmins on the start line :

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

10K already!

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

31minutes!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Awwww, Kitty! Sorry to hear you have to work. :-( if it helps I have no sweet treats, just cherries and a peach! Hope work goes well!

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

I'm eating cherries too -weird!!

Loving Susan Partridge's odd shoes -one pink, one green :)

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to AncientMum

Love the odd shoes! :D

Just fetched the rest of the punnet of cherries in, ideal marathon viewing snacks!

15K!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Love the shots of the reflections off the wet roads!

paul2014 profile image
paul2014Graduate

Just switched on. I'm off out on my own 'mini marathon' (8k) in an hour ;)

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to paul2014

Good luck for your 8K, Paul. :-) Bet this is good inspiration for you!

paul2014 profile image
paul2014Graduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

It certainly is :)

Rignold profile image
Rignold

Another gait observation: have you noticed how high the male African runners' heels come up? It looks like they are doing heel flicks.

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Rignold

I was just thinking that!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to Rignold

Yeah, it's beautiful to watch. I love watching the East Africans run, it's just so beautiful and flowing. Really missing the Ethiopian presence but the Ugandans and Kenyans are brilliant to watch too.

paul2014 profile image
paul2014Graduate in reply to Rignold

It does, doesn't it and the amount of movement in one or two of the front runners heads/upper bodies is quite surprising.

paul2014 profile image
paul2014Graduate

Since taking up running I now find myself watching the runners 'style', their arm movements, whether they breath in through their nose as Laura suggests (something I don't do!), their vertical oscillation, how their feet land etc ;)

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to paul2014

Absolutely everyone is so different, aren't they? There is no 'perfect' form as we're all different!

paul2014 profile image
paul2014Graduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

So true, MY.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate

Me! I was out pounding the pavement at 6.30 am.Did my run, had a lovely breakfast with blackberries I picked on the way back to go with the few I got from the plot yesterday. Quick microwave compote, muesli, honey and yog, cuppa tea and plonked myself in front of the telly. Surprisingly small turn out !!!!!!! C25k could have fielded a bigger squad than that! What's going on? Are folks too lazy to run these big distances? 'Ark at me, 10 miles and I think I've conquered the world. LOL

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to misswobble

'ow do, MissW. :-)

How did your run go? Hope you got some Glasgowesque rain!

I did notice too the rather small number of competitors.

Hmmmmmmm, a C25K runners event. That seriously needs organising! :D

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Nasty fall. :-(

AmberC profile image
AmberCGraduate

Just about to catch up on what happened from downunder. Go team Home nations teams.

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to AmberC

Hey Amber. :-) Are the games getting big coverage there?

AmberC profile image
AmberCGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

Yep, you know the Aussies....they are sport mad, so coverage is good. They especially want to beat the Brits.....no change there!

The BBC have some legends commentating: Steve Cram, Brendan Foster and Paula Radcliffe.....fab.

Great to watch the competitors running techniques.

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to AmberC

:D Good old Commonwealth rivalry! :-) Interesting to see how the games are being received over there. Of course, they're in Queensland in 2018, aren't they?

I'm willing Mike Shelley on; he's doing so well!

Steve Cram is excellent, I enjoy his comments and involvement, but the whole athletics commentary team are great. :-)

AmberC profile image
AmberCGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

Yeah, I think they are holding the next games on the Gold Coast....I'm sure it will be massive. I must admit I've not watched much of the coverage on the local TV channels.....basically because they heavily concentrate on following the Aussies....which of course is understandable, but sadly very little coverage is given to other nations or the sports in general. So I've been following the BBC coverage, I know they are abviously a bit bias also, but they do broadcast a better overall coverage of the sports....and do not always concentrate on the home nations.

AmberC profile image
AmberCGraduate

So love Brendan Foster....a legend.

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

I've only ran two races but what struck me in both of them is that water stations really should be on both sides of the road. It can catch people out; nearly had a collision myself at Leeds. They're full of danger, water stations. I, for some reason, find myself more comfortable running out to the right but have to work my way over to the left for water stations. Why aren't they on both sides?!

That was a bad fall; hope he's okay.

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Special mention to the camera bikers. Riding a motorbike at such slow speeds without wobbling about all over the place isn't easy; their slow control skills are remarkable! Not that these runners are going THAT slowly, of course!

emkeenan profile image
emkeenanGraduate

Thanks for the tip off Miles_Yonder, the cat and I have settled down for a viewing.

Sports on TV (except Wimbledon of course) really aren't my thing. BUT this is great, freedom to stare at other runners at length without risking a restraining order ;) I'm in shock at the speed. I do believe they covered 25 Km in the time I covered 11 last night :o

Keep an eye out for any cheeky jelly baby scoffing :)

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to emkeenan

Morning Em. :-)

You're with cat as well; me too.

Totally agree with you; other than running, I don't really watch sport on telly but this really is great. I watch the track running too but prefer the thrill and variety of road running.

They're so, so fast. None appear to be bright red and in need of an ambulance either! That rain looks so, so nice.

Not seen any Jelly Baby scoffing yet but Mike Shelley has just nommed an energy gel. :-)

emkeenan profile image
emkeenanGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

Blooming 'eck. It certainly worked for him...I think I'll get me some of those :D

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to emkeenan

He looked so strong at the end, like he just started! I think gels are summat for us to experiment with during HM training if that's what they do for us!

Rignold profile image
Rignold

What a difference half an hour makes. I jumped into the bath and caught up on a bit of The Archers and have come back to a very different looking race. The Women's particularly.

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Some good tips on energy gels there.

C'mon Aussie! <16min 5Ks for 26.2 miles... these guys and girls are incredible!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to

Hey up Aus! :-)

Your fellow countryman doing brilliantly. I'm cheering him on!

Yes, they're just amazing. Such incredible talent!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

COME ON MIKE!

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate

Sooooo exciting! What an amazing runner 2:11:15 Fabulous!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Brilliant! 2.11.15 - AMAZING!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

That was so exciting and what an incredible time! Can't wait for the ladies to get to the finish line!

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate

Way to go Steve Way! 10th place for the c25k man. Just brilliant!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to AncientMum

Did he start on the C25K programme too? God, if ever I reach his levels of running brilliance I'll never shut up about C25K! :D

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

Perhaps I'm wrong, but that's what daughter no 2 said. The fact that he took up running later in life and not from an early age in school, is enough to inspire me!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to AncientMum

Yeah, he just turned 40 and only took running up in 2007, it's amazing and so inspiring. Good interview here runnersworld.co.uk/intervie... :-)

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

So not a c25k man, just a bloody fine athlete! :)

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Steve Way in 10th with a new PB! Great stuff. Now he can look forward to his 100Ker (!) later in the year! :-/

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

Fantastic, inspiring running from the men's marathon athletes. A joy to watch. Fab :)

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

The two lead Kenyan ladies look for all the world if they're just out for a steady morning run! :D

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

Yes, you're right. They could be holding a conversation they look so relaxed and comfortable :)

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

Jess Trengove looks like she could put in a strong finish too :)

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to AncientMum

Yes, I'm cheering her on! Come on Jess! She's looking so strong! COME ON JESSSSSSSSSSS!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Interesting RW article/Q&A with Steve: runnersworld.co.uk/intervie...

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Brendan talking about the gel Mike Shelley used:

"I'd like to get the name of that thing he used" :D

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

In the background just then: a man on a bicycle, with a dog on a lead. Fair enough, but he was texting at the same time! I was half expecting a serious dog/bike/phone mishap, which would be embarrassing with billions watching around the world!

Rignold profile image
Rignold

Go Lanni!

Rignold profile image
Rignold

oh. Where's she gone?

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Really want Jess Trengove to do well!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Jess! Jess! Jess! Jess!

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate

Jess Trengove being very impressive. The Aussies are on fire today!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to AncientMum

She's incredible! My favourite of the entire marathon! She did catch my eye at the start ;-) but her performance is incredible. That surge into third place was sooooooooo exciting! Jess is seemingly the name for impressive athletes; Jess Ennis is one of my all-time fave athletes, along with Haile Gebrselassie, though he's a he and not called Jess. :D

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Brilliant win for the two Kenyan ladies! Here comes Jess!

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

What amazing morning's running. I have tears in my eyes watching those girls coming in. So emotional and Jess Trengove!! What a fantastic run! Brilliant!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to AncientMum

Such an emotional finish. Loved the finish to the ladies race. I think Jess Trengove will become one of my fave runners. That beaming smile when she crossed the line was amazing; wasn't just that alone inspiration to throw on some kit and get out?!

That interview with Steve Way at the end was brill too. Amazing marathon, loved it. So exciting!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Go Jess!!!!!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Look at that smile! :-) So brilliant!

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate in reply to Miles_Yonder

Yes, she really really is :)

Brilliant effort by all... the Aussies did quite well... :)

Gotta say that Steve Way is amazing... top 10, Veteran40 record and a PB... what a bloke!

It's only now that I run that I can appreciate how fast these runners run... wow!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to

You must be so proud, Aus, and very rightly so too. :-) Your fellow countryfolk did amazingly, congratulations. Jess Trengove was astounding.

Steve Way is testament to just what can be achieved, against all manner of odds!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate

Jess Trengove's website: jesstrengove.com.au/

She seems absolutely lovely. One of my new faves; what a performance that was!

misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate

I had a very good run thank you MY. Getting quicker! Who'da thought it. An old barge like me. Yay

It's still scorchio. I think we had some rain late last night, early hours, but not much. Red hot again now

Loved the marathon! I suppose because the fields were so small we were able to pick up much more detail. I noticed some men throwing up at the finish line but not the women.

As if!

Miles_Yonder profile image
Miles_YonderGraduate in reply to misswobble

Old barge indeed; we'll have none of that talk here! :-)

Well done, it sounds like such a great run you had. Glad to hear you're getting quicker too; bet that's brought you big smiles! :-)

LOL, yes, so much more dignified than the men throwing up everywhere! :D The marathon really was fantastic; thoroughly enjoyed it.

TurboTortoise profile image
TurboTortoiseGraduate

I was glued! Fantastic results for the Aussies, and I loved the muggle spectators trying to sprint alongside - it proves just how bloomin' fast those elites go, though it looks so effortless.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate

|I had a smile a mile wide!

Near the finish line some folks got through the barriers and dashed across the road, in the style of Le Tour. Silly sausages! I was shouting and waving at the telly for them to get out the road. Imagine if they crashed into a finisher. Doesn't bear thinking about. Grrr

Pollypanda profile image
PollypandaGraduate

Just watched an interview with Steve Way on BBC - he's awesome! What an lovely fella and a great inspiration. Wouldn't it be great if he was the official face of the C25k programme? :-)

poppypug profile image
poppypugGraduate

Ha ha Polly, I have just posted the same thing ! Great minds and all that :-) xxx

swanscot profile image
swanscotGraduate

Just catching up with this thread now, since returning from Glasgow to watch some of the Games events. We went to watch the marathon on Sunday from various points around the course. Hubby is from Glasgow so knows the city well, so we plotted a course for viewpoints in advance. The atmosphere among the spectators was great fun. Judging by the dress (shorts and race/club t-shirts) many of the spectators were runners, cyclists and/or triathletes and some were congregating in their running club groups. We were able to see the men and women runners at several places and got good views as they passed. We were usually right at the barrier and hubby took loads of photos.

I've not had time to search for any race videos yet but will look tomorrow. We heard one girl had a bad fall and she was running about 10 minutes behind the others quite early on in the first lap. Only 17 out of 21 women finished; I don't know what happened to the others. Did the telly footage show Malawi’s Tereza Master, who ran it barefoot? She finished in 2:50 and the crowd gave her an enormous cheer. I couldn't imagine running 100m on the city streets barefoot!

There was an even bigger cheer for Scot, Susan Partridge who was finished in 6th place (the highest placed runner from the home nations) in 2:32:18.

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