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Anyone fancy sponsoring me for a marathon?
Anyone fancy sponsoring me for a marathon?
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Replies: 115
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Yikes.
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You don't look how I'd have thought you look Rob, would have guessed you were some kind of four eyed harry potter looking nerd but turns out it's more of a builder chewing on a wasp look
1k a good achievement |
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Rob Butler looks just like someone I know.
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Won't spoil his moment, but looked up Rob's result.....very well played Sir. Superb result. Enjoy some downtime with some well earned beers.
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Just thank you so much for your generous donations. I managed about 8:20 for the first 20 before I struggled. from 22 miles I was run walking but still averagin 10 min miles. I did 3:46 something, don't really care what it was. I went into the foetus position soon after the finish line, proper just ignoring people that were worried about my welfare. legs just constantly hurting for the next 30 mins but then saw my sisters and their kids and wrestling them on the beach. what's not to like. The weather was a fkin delight. Still time for people to feel generous
https://www.justgiving.com/robert-bishop1 Thank you Orioles too by the way. |
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Thanks Orioles. I reckon that you sponsored me.
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bongo 12 Apr 15 12:17 Joined: 12 May 01 | Topic/replies: 4,449 | Blogger: bongo's blog
He'll be approaching the bonk about now. Does the bonk mean the wall, the hard yards? 12:17 = 21 miles. You are right but 22 miles was when I started walk running, but still managed 10 minute miles or unders from that point on. |
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This pleases me :)
Donation by Anonymous on 11/04/15 Rob, absolutely long odds on that is Orioles. Well done anyway, great time and you raised a very decent amount for a very worthy cause.  |
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Well done Rob
Will you be doing any more marathons, or too soon to say? |
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Thanks Hank and Slippy. Yes I am doing the Rigan marathon in Latvia in 5 weeks time. wish I wasn't.
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Yes that is what I am thinking Slippy. I liked the yikes post. I surprised a few people today, including myself.
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So basically, this was a brisk Sunday afternoon walk?!!
It's no wonder we lost the Empire |
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Just noticed only half my post turned up ... this has happened a few times recently
 Anyway, well done, Rob! I don't go that far by motor without a packed lunch and a thermos - never mind run the damned thing! |
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well done rob
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Jolly well done sir, and what an excellent result for your charity.....
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Very well done, Rob
I've just been looking at the Riga marathon site. http://www.runningcrazy.co.uk/riga.html Riga looks lovely. Somewhere I want to visit someday. You must keep us up to date with your preparations. |
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Tes looking forward to a bit of sightseeing, the run will be a bit of a nuisance if anything. Hank you talked of doing a mara, anything set in stone yet? Thanks Orioles, that empire line really made me laugh i am going to use it and claim it as my own.
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He'll be going through the phase of extreme stiffness going down the stairs in the morning about now.
Probably best to go down them backwards. |
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Use it with my blessing, Rob. Which is more than I got from the poor bugger I stole it from
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Brighton Marathon 2015 was actually shown on channel 4 on Saturday morning. (It is actually a rather elite event in this country, second only to London). For instance the winners are always from Kenya or Ethiopia (not England or anywhere else in continental europe) so it is no mickey mouse event. But whoopsadaisy actually really got a good airing and if you can use channel 4 catchup it starts at 29:30 with a lovely three minute episode on Ferris and Cerys doing their mini mile and their strength of character is a lesson to us all and an example of where all your generous donations went.
I am shown from 33:35 for a few seconds, fluorescent orange cap, fluorescent pink shirt, yellow vest on top of shirt, Not looking very good to be honest, but it is me. Thanks again all for sponsorship and nothing to stop you donating more. |
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Saturday morning from 7:05am called triathlon and endurance events, just in case you were looking for a programme specifically called Brighton Marathon. And anyone that has ever run any distance in any time will surely find the winner's time totally remarkable.
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Did you win?
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3:46 in the end. Barely 1 and a half hours off the winner. Have entered next year already and intend to challenge for a podium spot. Thanks for the sponsorship rubhahunish.
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Mate of mine won the Manchester marathon on Sunday (in 2h17). For a laugh he's going to run the London marathon this Sunday & try to break the world record for fastest fancy dress (there is one incidentally). Will be in full Spiderman outfit. Record is 2h33; he's aiming for under 2h30 which would be top 50 overall probably. Could annoy some pretty serious club runners though
 I've got a £100 bet that I can't break three hours dressed as Elvis. |
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What was your PB the other week Danno? Didn't you say you did 2:36 once? Pretty sure I can't do 1x6 minute mile - that is 26 of them. I shall defo go for sub 3:30 next year, prob means setting off at 7:45 up to 20 miles then holding on. One guy running for the same charity as me did 6:30 minute miles right up until about 20 miles and then it was just melt down, think he must have done 14 minute miles think he took about 3:35. My splits were:
1 8:35 2 818 3 822 4 841 5 816 6 823 7 815 8 819 9 752 10 817 11 844 12 806 13 855 (to half marathon point, so 1.1 miles) 14 714(0.9 miles) 15 813 16 825 17 826 18 757 19 927(Ran into a lamppost) 20 852 21 842 22 901 23 924 24 953 25 957 26 1004 26.2 205 3:46.50 Which is pretty much exactly to plan, secretly wanted to beat my two work mates who both did 3:49. |
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Mile 19 needs some detail I think. Great effort for a first marathon Rob. My first was similar - 3:37
PB last month only 2:44 (6.17 per mile avg). Did a 76 min half in Feb (5.50 min avg) which was probably a bit better in comparison. Reckon I can get to about 2.38 but over 40 now and gets harder each year. |
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Did Riga in 3:42. Just got back home now, couldnt use betfair in Latvia. and am knackered. I took a huge four minutes off my Brighton PB but I didnt expect to beat it at all as My longest run since Brighton was only six miles and it is five weeks since Brighton,
This was my first overseas run of any description. Was a ball ache getting to the place where you picked up your number and your bag and all that expo stuff on the Saturday, but that aside it was brilliant, Possibly the most enjoyable and best organised run I have done, so any marathon runners out there I would heartily recommend the Riga one. I need to sleep shall elaborate further if there is any interest. Goodnight. |
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Well done, Rob!
I hadn't realised it was this weekend. There certainly will be interest to hear more about it. Have a good night's sleep |
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Yes please Rob - tell it all.
How do the local runners prepare ( I did a Paris 1/2 once - they really do drink wine at the start ) Do they have roadside lavvies or just designated sections of bush every few miles ( again in Paris, 20 years ago mind, you wee in the bushes ) Do you get a transponder to tie in your shoe-lace? What do local runners look like when they are fooked, zombies or vampires? And well done on going all the way. |
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I never had to use the toilet tbh, think I spotted the odd portaloo along the way. There were defo these outdoor portable urinals near the start which were being used by the men in full view of everyone, don’t know what the women did. Lol at your interest in the toilet facilities bongo. Transponder is in the number now, which is sensible, one less thing to worry about.
Well you asked for it, this is actually an abridged version of what I posted elsewhere, sounds a bit self indulgent on re reading. There's loads about what happened out and about in Riga before and after the race but have left that out. I aimed to go out at 8 min miles and just go for as long as I could. My training suggested I should do this at Brighton but I didn’t have the bottle for it, too much riding on beating Cooky’s 3:49 to make the schoolboy error of going off too fast so I went at 8:20 pace there. Less riding on this one so was willing to take the risk. Everything in kms, so 5mins/km the target, this is 3:30 pace, they had 3:30 pacers running and (not seen this before but a great idea) they had helium balloons attached to their shirts so you could see them a mile off. Much better than Brighton where they just wore a fluorescent shirt. Splits, I am obsessed with splits as you know: 5:02, 5:02, 4:58, 4:58, 5:05 (5k/25:07), 4:55, 4:54, 4:58, 4:57, 4:56 (10k/49:49), 4:56, 4:55, 4:55, 4:56, 5:05 (15k/1:19:37) 5:05, 4:59, 5:00, 4:58, 4:59 (20k/1:39:39), 5:09, 5:09, 5:09, 5:06, 5:08 (25k/2:05:23) 5:08, 5:13, 5:13, 5:17, 5:18 (30k/2:31:32) 5:31, 5:32, 5:41, 5:41, 5:29 (35k/2:59:26) 5:54, 6:13, 5:54, 5:50, 6:59 (40k/3:30:05) 6:02, 6:43 (1.195km). 3:42:48 Total. They had loads of stuff going on along the way people shouting stuff on microphones, centre of Riga was lovely. Had this bit where the route is lined on either side by about 10 couples in traditional Latvian dress all smiling and stuff and you they will bend down and high five you. I’m a bit of a tw@t for this, had to high five all of them every time and the route went through there 4 times I think. There was loads of music playing along the way and some mad bloke who I can only describe as having some kind of Latvian shock-jock marilyn manson fusion thing going on - just shouting at the top of his voice. The Latvians seemed to like it. Loads and loads of water stops which I always took on board even when I didn’t want it. Orange segments and bits of banana were at all these stops too – don’t really like Banana but took it on board a few times as was getting hungry. Started forcing the gels down for the second half too, god they’re awful, they make me feel sick. I was at 5:00/km (8:02/mile) pace right up to the 15 mile mark I reckon and I could still see the 3:30 pacers for quite a few miles after that. At 20 miles I was only about 3 minutes slower than 8min pace overall and so 7 mins to play with over the last six –I was almost convinced I would beat 3:40, which means a “Three thirty something” to my name which I quite like the sound of, but it didn’t happen alas, so just wanted to make sure I beat my Brighton time. I actually think I didn’t grit my teeth those last 5 miles like I did at Brighton but I am still happy with it. It started to rain about half way and it wasn’t very warm, I think this possibly makes you go quicker as if you walk (I was treating myself to 1min of walking per km for the last 8km) you get cold and you just want to get to the end to warm up. Got to the end somehow managed to miss out on those thermal blankets that keep you warm, and my legs were too fked to go the 250metres to the bag collection are and get my hoodie on so I just sat under a tree shivering and wet, blood stains on my vest from bleeding nipples but still well happy with how it went. According to Cooky if you lose 5lb in weight you lose 10s per mile. So all I need to do is lose a stone and I will go sub 3:30 at Brighton next April. Simples. |
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Cheers for the write-up Rob - I like what they did with having pacers for popular time targets.
One of the down sides for elite GB athletes at say London last time I checked is there is no pacemaker for people aspiring to run a steady 2:10 or 2:15, just for those aspiring to win. |
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It was a great experience. I can see how some people get hooked on doing these foreign city break marathons.
Pacers are common in most big marathons now, Normally every 15 minutes from 3:00 upwards to about perhaps 4:30. It was the helium balloons that I thought was a great idea. Whenever I saw the pacer groups they seemed to be having a lot of fun and the actual pacers (who will be finding the pace easy) were geeing up the runners and shouting encouragement and that. Trouble is I reckon if you wanna do 3:30 you don't wanna run with the 3:30 group you want to be quite a bit ahead of them as almost everyone slows up at the end. I think it was the best organised race I've been to, and at about £25 as cheap as you're gonna get. Fair play to the Rigans they put on a really good race with a real good atmosphere/vibe about it. |
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well done rob good time
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Great effort Rob; especially to get a PB so soon after Brighton. You can buy a sub 3h45 t-shirt with your time printed on it. Check this out > http://www.xempo.co.uk/discover-your-colour/
I've done about 30-40 races overseas over the past 15 years. Barcelona marathon is the best by far, in March. Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Nice, Florence are all well organised, flat, fast city marathons that I can recommend; as well as the obvious bigger ones like Paris and Berlin. |
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This triathlon group I'm in do an annual city break marathon trip to Amsterdam so might give that a whirl in October - says it is really flat. Got to aim sub 3:30 for that.
Well my vast experience of overseas races (ie. 1 race on Sunday) I would defo recommend Latvia. A bit of a pain getting to the expo for the number on Saturday but you got an actual proper rucksack to put your stuff in ready for collection after the race. Organisation seemed great and high fiving those couples in traditional dress was a real highlight. Some lonely bits in the second half with little support but that don't bother me too much. |
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Great write-up, Rob.
Riga sounds lovely. The Amsterdam one would be good. I love Amsterdam  |