Cambridge Half - 02/03/24 - anyone in it and Q about the route!

[Joster]

Hi VRBs

I am, I hope, running the Cambridges Half on 2nd March - is anyone else taking part? I managed 10 Miles today and am pleased that preparation seems to be going smoothly.

Re the event itself, the organisers circulated route info this week. This is the link they sent (screenshot for ease) and the eagle eyed amongst you might spot that the route appears to be 13.3 miles. They’ve altered the route slightly from past years and the one time I ran it (2020) I think it was slightly long (there was some speculation at the time but lockdown arrived about ten days later and we all had other things to worry about!)

I’ve tried to query it with them but to no avail. I find it really strange that the published course is showing up as .2 of a mile too long??

ridewithgps.com/routes/4328...

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Well done! It’s always reassuring when you get the 10 miles ticked off 👍

Quite a few races don’t have exact distances and some are a bit short and some are a bit long. I think it’s tricky for some routes to be measured 100% accurately. At least with this one you don't have to run beyond the finish line to round up the number, or is that just me who does that? 😂

We’ve had a few runners here who’ve done the Cambridge Half in the past. If you put that in the search bar then you will probably find their posts. Calling Curlygurly2 and Madge50 . Don't know if they're doing it this year but I’m sure they’ll be around soon to reply…

Good luck with the rest of the training 🍀

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

No! I’ve done it as well IP. At Monsal 😁🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Glad it’s not just me then 🏃‍♀️

[Madge50 Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

No, I did that as well at a 10k that was short for the stroke association….at Milton country park, Cambridge…..people clapping you through the finish, looked at the watch…..uh oh….keep going….😂….

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Madge50]

I remember that one it was WAY short, about 500 MTs I think. It was a fun run though.

[AncientMum Half Marathon in reply to Madge50]

Hahaha I remember that one - it was waaay short 😂

[Madge50 Marathon in reply to AncientMum]

Hey you..👋, how are you doing?

Haven’t seen you for ages, hope you’re well 🤗

Mx

[AncientMum Half Marathon in reply to Madge50]

Hi Lovely 👋 how nice to hear from you. I'm fine thanks, still toddling along, still checking in here every now and then. I was wondering if you were doing the Cambridge Half, but sounds like you’re giving it a miss this year. I keep hoping the Wings for Life race will return to Cambridge - I loved that race despite my unexpected encounter with the ground 😂 but no such luck. Are you still running regularly? x

Edit: Yikes Madge, I’ve just seen you’ve got a marathon badge!!! Congratulations

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Madge50]

And all these people getting in your way! 😂

[PaulS83 Ultramarathon]

There are inaccuracies in the routing / mapping software that have a cumulative effect on the overall distance. Looking at the "size" of the event, I don't think you need to worry about the course being professionally measured.

There are inaccuracies in tracking of GPS watches too. You'll never land on 13.1mi on the nose. Slightly over is much better than slightly under!

[Joster Half Marathon in reply to PaulS83]

They’ve confirmed the mapping app is inaccurate! The race, I am assured is not! Big boo boo at last years Town & Gown when the 10km WAS short. Many apologies given and this years entry comes with a large notice “we’ve got it right this year”. Or words to that effect!

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Joster]

😍😍😍

[misswobble Marathon]

My fave marathon is 43.29 km because of the way the laps fall. The extra bit gets run at the start thank goodness 🙂

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

I agree. Many routes don't seem exact according to GPS.

The plotaroute course for today's Farnborough Winter Half showed as 21.643km. I downloaded it to a Garmin course which said it was 21.9km, Garmin measured my run as 21.2km (I took straight line diagonals and inside edges of corners, wherever possible, suspecting I'd have no issue getting mywatch to record the HM distance) and NRC (on my phone) measured it as about 21.8km. However you look at it, those measurements are all over the official 21.1km. Go figure!

Farnborough was a road HM and road events are usually close to the 21.1. Trail events are very often over or under.

[RunWillie Marathon]

Well done on your 10miles Joster 😍

I’ve been missing that distance with our heat. Cheering for you for your HM.

[Joster Half Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

Thank you!

[Madge50 Marathon]

Hi Joster 👋

I’m not doing it this year ( did do it 2020)…,  Curlygurly2 is planning to…..I’m not sure that any extra bothered me that much…..but I do know there's absolute hell to pay if an ‘official’ run comes up short!

I think it also depends on the line you take on the road? GPS and all that, so I’m not surprised they make it a bit longer to make sure everyone gets their moneys worth…..so to speak….let’s face it, Cambridge HM isn’t one of the cheapest is it….

Anyway, sounds like you’re right on track 👍

Good luck with it, hope you have a great time.

Mx

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Madge50]

'Everyone gets their money's worth' - just love that idea. Next time I'm cursing the last 500 metres, or mile markers not matching up with what Garmin measures ... I'll try to remember I'm getting my money's worth 😍😍😍

[Madge50 Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Sometimes helps with my focus…😂..I’ve paid for this, I’m going to darn well do it! ……could have the opposite effect of course….why did I do that….🤣..but mostly it spurs me on to get on with it!

Mx

[Joster Half Marathon in reply to Madge50]

Hello!!!👋 and thank you. So far so good. Just plodding through the training plan and hoping to stay free of injuries! Stiff as a board, legs tired and hips of a mid-50s - all par for the course these days!

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon]

I'm in - could it be the detour around the two new colleges?

[Joster Half Marathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

They’ve confirmed that the mapping isn’t accurate but the course is! Even with new college adjustments!

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Joster]

Oh, that sounds like garble! We shall see...

[AncientMum Half Marathon]

I’ve run it twice and both times it has come up as more than 21.1km - only by 100-200 metres, but as others have said, it probably depends what line you take during the race. Enjoy yourself - it’s a lovely event and what’s ~150m between friends?

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to AncientMum]

It's a lot to people who are chasing PBs, they count in seconds. 13.3 miles is 21.4 KM, 300 MTs more than a normal HM distance. I shall click my lap button at the correct distance. Are you doing it this year?

[AncientMum Half Marathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

Sorry didn’t mean to offend you. No, not running it this year.

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to AncientMum]

You haven't offended me, no idea why you would think you had. I'm years past chasing PBs, just saying that some do.

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon]

How did you get on Joster?

[Joster Half Marathon]

well, I got round but I wasn’t adequately prepared this time, and I think HM maybe isn’t my distance!!! How did you do? That apple and kombucha were much more welcome for the short trip home than the lager I was given in 2020!!!