Help! Just gone to do my HM entry and it's asking me for an estimated finish time

[pianoteacher]

I presume this is so they can start you in the right place? How important is it to get this right? If the course were flat I would be confident that I could do it in under 2hr 30 mins but it is very hilly and I don't want time pressures. As my aim is to complete it should I put myself in the over 2hr 30 category? x

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

That sounds sensible to me! I've already forgotten what I put 😄

[mountaindreamer Half Marathon]

Ours said you could edit the data nearer the time, so I figured we could tweak the times nearer the time if we wanted to. If you aren’t too competitive about your time, then I don’t think it matters much. For my speedier husband getting the time right is more important, so he won’t have to get past tonnes of slower runners like me who are blocking the route! 😂

[pianoteacher Marathon Half Marathon in reply to mountaindreamer]

Haha! The first bit of ours goes up a massive hill (think Everest 😂) so I think I'd rather be at the back than than holding anyone up! x

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

I've just been having a look on the HHM website and some YouTubes of the race, and I don't think they have starting waves. They are probably just asking for an estimated time from us so they can get an idea of the field.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to roseabi]

Oops, no, found it - there are starting time zones. Not sure about being able to edit them though!

[pianoteacher Marathon Half Marathon in reply to roseabi]

I can't see that you can edit it either but I'm going to go for over 2hr 30 x

[mountaindreamer Half Marathon in reply to pianoteacher]

I’m talking about our Chester HM, which also lets you transfer your entry to someone else, so editing all the data is a pretty important requirement. That might not be a universal thing...

[Sqkr Half Marathon]

Yes, it's just to put you in the most appropriate starting wave. Or at least the one they think is most appropriate...they've put me in some really funny places, so it's guesswork all round. You can amend it usually until your race number is sent out, though I always forget. Fast section aside (you usually have to prove you belong there with recent finish times) there will be loads of people that over/underestimate their time, or try to be tactical, so don't think about it too much!

[pianoteacher Marathon Half Marathon in reply to Sqkr]

Thank you! xx

[MutleyShuffle Half Marathon]

I used this race time predictor runnersworld.co.uk/rws-race... to calculate my estimated finish time - it gave me a predicted time of 2 hours 19 minutes, but it doesn't know about Hastings's hellish hills! So I've put 2:30+ to be on the safe side, but I don't think it really matters. See you there!!! 😁👍💪

[pianoteacher Marathon Half Marathon in reply to MutleyShuffle]

Just popped my parkrun PB into that calculator and it gave me 2hr 1min!! I think even if the course was completely flat I wouldn't manage that 😂

[Decker Ultramarathon in reply to pianoteacher]

You’ll be surprised what you can pull off on race day! Usually faster than you think.

[pianoteacher Marathon Half Marathon in reply to MutleyShuffle]

Decided to go for the over 2hr 30 as well - I'm more than happy to bring up the rear up Harley Shute 🤣

[MutleyShuffle Half Marathon in reply to pianoteacher]

I don't think you'll be bringing up the rear - you had better go at the front of the back (if you see what I mean! 😁)

[homlyme]

Its best to put a fair estimate of time if you end up with the faster runners you may get carried away with their pace then go to pieces towards the end spoiling your run

[pianoteacher Marathon Half Marathon in reply to homlyme]

I was worried that might happen - particularly up the first hill. I really want to enjoy the run and go at my own pace so I've gone for the slower time. Can't believe I've actually entered - I've never done anything other than parkrun 😮

[homlyme in reply to pianoteacher]

well done take it it steady and enjoy

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to pianoteacher]

Yay!

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Ive only done one race with starting waves, so not much experience to base an opinion on! I started quite near the front of my wave which meant there weren't lots of slow people to weave past, despite the large number of runners overall. However, I did run too fast so I think that's the key whenever you start - run your own race as they say.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to linda9389]

It's really hard not to go off too fast. That one has been standing around in the cold before starting has a lot to answer for! I was just thinking it would be good to do something to get a bit out of breath just before the gun, and I have come up with a solution - BURPEES!!!

😄😄😄

😉😉😉

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Haha. I read that in an email. Got as far as 'come up' then had to click to go to the full post. While it linked a voice inside my head said ... BURPEES ... and yes, there it was! I can just imagine getting everyone to move aside so I can do some burpees while we're being counted down ... NOT!!!! 😂😂😂

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to linda9389]

All you have to do is yell - BURPEE INCOMING!!! 😂😂😂

Lots of races have warm up sessions actually. Trouble is there's usually a good gap between the warm up and the race!

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to roseabi]

Maybe just a little jumping up and down instead 😉

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Yes, there was a good warmup for each wave at GSR. Second only to the post race stretching which was really excellent.

[MadDave in reply to roseabi]

If there’s one exercise I would ban it would be the dreaded Burpee! It makes me feel ill even thinking about them!

[pianoteacher Marathon Half Marathon in reply to roseabi]

😂😈🤣😈

[Ripcurlrana71 Half Marathon 10 Miles]

Woohoo! My 10k race was done in waves. I kept editing the time as I got nearer to race day and cut off date to edit. You will go out faster and it’s impossible to slow down!

You’ve done right to go with a slower time. x

[Macmac Marathon]

I would not worry about the expected time too much. For my HM, people dropped back to slower waves on the day but were not allowed to start in a faster wave. Either way there will be a mix of runners in each wave anyway. Out of interest, i just checked the pace of my start on my Garmin log and I pretty much stayed on target pace throughout the race apart from hills where it dropped off but made it up on the way back down - that’s the fun bit! 😃. So as long as you consciously start slow or on pace it is possible even with all the excitement, as long as you tell yourself and be aware of your pace. This is one of the benefits of training at different paces so you know what it feels like if you are going off too fast.

[MadDave]

I’m advised that the Cambridge half marathon has starting waves, and the issue is there are so many runners it’s hard to overtake...especially those who think they can do it in 1:30 but fade and hold everyone behind them up. Tricky one to get right...