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This race still has entries going for foreigners.. this year its the world long distance mountain running champs so should be a good field and plenty of Brits..
http://www.maratonkarkonoski.pl/
Its in the Krkonose mountains, on the poland czech border. Looks like a fast hilly trail marathon, and only goes up to around 1600m so no altitude issues.
I will be there Iain, its likely to be stinking hot
http://eryridiaspora.blogspot.com/20...arkonoski.html
Some pics of the area and a recce of it on here.. will add more when have a more reliable signal.
fantastyczny! have you got your entry in yet Iain? :thumbup:
Yeah, still need to pay.. but only just set up German Bank... so will pay next month.. it'll be a great race.. brutally runnable.. :-)
Added the rest of the pics here.. recceing the far end tomorrow.. if I can get my car there..
https://picasaweb.google.com/1176558...?noredirect=1#
great pics, it goes without saying that conditions will be a tad different to what you are experiencing! Expect 27-30c and blazing sun, par for the course in August down there, hard packed trails, like you say that encourage you to keep running!
pics from today up Sniezka.. another cracking day.. aye will be much warmer.. today wasn't as cold..Quote:
Originally Posted by TheReverand
https://plus.google.com/photos/11765...61643271602465
so flights are booked :thumbup:just gotta get fit now :p
Iain I see Wales have a squad entered, are you going to be part of that squad? Wondering who is going to be in the England team, is there a way to find out does anyone know?
I know, what's it worth?Quote:
Originally Posted by TheReverand
No.. I missed the trial because I was running for GB two weeks later.. so was basically discounted from selection.. very strange.. as I was told after Jungfrau that we HAD to be sub 2:40 marathoners, if not sub 2:30, regardless of trial.. yet they then ignored that criteria.. its not hard just have a consistent transparent approach.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheReverand
Now been included as a reserve but not sure I'll go.. need to start being more selfish as really not getting the loyalty back off them.
Very strange how poorly attended the trial was.Quote:
Originally Posted by Longdogs
Why strange?Quote:
Originally Posted by IainR
In the Blokes? Rocky and Carl took off.. wasn't much strength in depth compared to say fields at the 3 peaks? For an English Vest? Over 30 mins separating the top 10?Quote:
Originally Posted by Longdogs
i'll treat you to some oscypki if you're going to be there!Quote:
Originally Posted by Longdogs
Oscy what??Quote:
Originally Posted by TheReverand
oh dunno nothing about the blokes. Them blokes, or blokes in general.. mystery what goes on in their minds.. if anythingQuote:
Originally Posted by IainR
A Polish cheesy delicacy, typical to the mountain areas of PolandQuote:
Originally Posted by Longdogs
Is it vegan cheese?Quote:
Originally Posted by TheReverand
I don't think there is a word for Vegan in Polish!Quote:
Originally Posted by Longdogs
What a race!!! Unbelievably brutal run but the most satisfying race I have ever completed, climb after climb after climb all undertaken in blazing sunshine and temp in the mid 30's, unreal conditions. Amazingly challenging route, talking too the Italian team coach and he was saying its one of the best tests of a mountain runner. Cant believe how good some of these international runners are, check out how well the Welsh guy who finished 2nd paced his run and blew the top 10 apart in the last ( hardedst ) section. miles 18-20 was one long long climb and almost did for me started imagining the rocks used to make the path looked like coffins, I knew then I was on the edge :confused: Ive never raced anything like this and thought i'd bitten off more than I could chew when the id been running for 3 hours and realised i had well over an hour to go, could have laid down on the path there and then and wilted away :closed: Unbelievably i found the power to fairly rattle home the last 4 mile and passed loads of people who's legs had given up, including carl bell who must have blew up as he was going well at half way. Great experience just gotta nurse my feet back to health now :o
Well done.. superb run by Andy... was it 35? Forecast suggested mid 20's?
I wonder how people would have found it.. very runnable and easy to kill yourself and blow up..
Well done for sticking in.. I opted to miss and go for Sierre Zinal instead.. 2 big races in 2 weeks would have disrupted Berlin prep too much...
It was getting toward 30 at the start Iain, and the announcer said it was already above 30 on the ridge in the sunshine. It was 38 at the finish, the British based runners seemed to cope well in the main, some great performances from them, recognised a few faces milling about at the start and introduced myself to the scottish runners who looked to do wellQuote:
Originally Posted by IainR
Well done The Rev and all others who ran. It was indeed extremely tough, very hot, very hard underfoot and climb after climb, all of it runnable. The temperature gauge at finish read 35 degrees. Just for the record Carl Bell didn't blow up, he had an injury a few days before the race and was having physio right up until an hour before the start, but he just couldn't be repaired in time. It was a heroic effort to finish at all in those circumstances.
Thats why I'm surprised they took 3 runners though?
A marathon... tough conditions.. an injury or blow up is highly likely... I'm amazed not all countries sent at least 4 runners...
They are hard trails.. I run in road shoes there whenever I go.. but the crazy paving sections are a pain.. how did you find them? I did a race across the ridge, another marathon two months ago and even on the down hill sections on that I just couldn't get going.. realy upset your stride.
I love the view down right as you climb Sniezka? stunning view down the valleys into the CR.. We had to carry ID in the race I did as we entered the CR.. can't understand why though.. I just took my driving license..
Indeed indeed hats of to a great runner and competitor :thumbup: I didnt see the english team at the start or I would have said hello, just the welsh and scottish contngent. Did you manage to run up that big climb around mile 18-20? If so all credit to you, I was a beaten man by then :oQuote:
Originally Posted by Longdogs
Can't say I have any knowledge of selection policy, I just turn up and run if selected!Quote:
Originally Posted by IainR
Yes the rock hard underfoot conditions was one of the hardest things, there was just no soft surface anywhere, and it reflected the heat back horribly. Views, what views.. I was reduced to mugging tourists for water and at one point thought a tree was a photographer!
I will confess to on and off walking on that bit. By the way England girls got team bronze.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheReverand
Well done, didn't realise that.. heard from an American that water was sparse on the ridge.. suprised as there are a few huts.. would have been easy to get 3 or 4 good water spots no issue...
Any idea what happened to Math Roberts.. splits seemed OK til 33 km.. then a long last leg..
great effort, well done :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Longdogs
Iain, I thought the provision of water for runners was more than sufficient, 4 well stocked water stations on way out and 3 on way home plus great support from spectators handing out water :)
Thought there would be, was surprised when I heard that some struggled to get enough, saying that in the marathon I did there some huts provided no water.. I was surprised so we only had 3 or 4 spots in the race.. but that was a very low key first time race..
Was there much talk about the future of the World Long?
Surely it needs to change? 11 blokes teams.. and thats including E,S,W... so 8 other countries and 8 womens.. again with E,S,W... so 5 other nations...
I'm surprised they don't look at holding it every other year... like the World Trail.. that had 20 odd countries, and GB so without the E,S,W... but every other year seems enough.
Both events are dominated by the Europeans though, something needs to change really.
Further to this, it says on WA that its back in Pikes Peak next year?
I'm sure but I read somewhere only 5 teams competed when it was there 3 years ago...
Seems a strange call, firstly any race at altitude gives huge advantages to some, but mainly teams didn't travel.. each time its been held in central europe its been attended 12 (Slo), 13 (Jung) and 11 (Pol) male teams as far I can see.. can't find how many teams competed in the Y3P's..
Unless it starts to get money behind it its going to struggle to compete with the sky running.. but the WMRA and Skyrunning are at war aren't they.. I read a very strange article by one of the WMRA guys slating sky running.. very aggressively IIRC..
Aye - he had a bloody terrible run!....................a combination of factors but primarily (not dismissing the performance of most other British runners on the day - they all ran excellently) the route totally and utterly de-motivated me and I probably shouldn't have been there. If that's 'mountain running' then perhaps I should stick to 'sky running' or perhaps they should change the name to 'high level built surface running'. As you said I think they may struggle to get races to volunteer to host - as is evident by Pikes Peak being used again so soon after such a low turnout.....especially considering the variety and amount of classic global long races on offer. The fact that Mont Blanc is World Skyrunning champs next year alludes to fact that Skyrunning is deffo the future.Quote:
Originally Posted by IainR
Not sure what you expected?
Y3P's '08 was it? Kaiser '09? Jungfrau '12? Karkonoski '13? .. all hilly trail races.. only Slovenia has been more of a pure 'fell run'.. thats what World longs are.. looking at the stats this was as comparable as many.. apart from I hear they changed the middle.. But Jungfrau was a road run for 75%...
WMRA have the IAAF link so they will be around.. and the grand prix series and worlds works well doesn't it? just the world longs isn't at the moment. And PP again won't help.. basically it will be a waste of funds for WA to send runners to a race which is so high up unless runners commit to be there for 10 days +..
But Sky running dominates the long stuff so I can't see how it can survive unless it goes every 2 years or just sticks to the classics.. which ensures a good field.. But the WMRA/SKyrunning issue makes that tricky.. but including only the likes of Jungfrau... Siere Zinal.. ensures a decent field.
Just realised this years world's long is Pikes Peak Ascent.. not Pikes Peak Marathon..
That must signal the death of this event now? a 13 miler, it's almost always been of marathon distance, give or take.. I know the 3 peaks is less than 3 hours but pikes peak's record is ~ 2 hours..
Seems they are really struggling. I do think its crazy putting these races at such elevations, they've basically given up the longs to sky running with this move..
I've turned down my entry for the Mont Blanc ultra, I was one of the UK selected athletes as I ma not have parole by then.
No, they've used it before as well, only a few years ago. It's on their list for whatever reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by IainR
I had visions of them being on the same day, with the World Long distance athletes stopping at the top while other runners kept going ;)
I thought that was the marathon?
Be interesting how many do this compared to MB.. like Math says, I suspect MB will get the stronger field now.. the WMRA should team up with the sky running to make a one off but there's no chance ego's will allow that.. WMRA seems t hate sky running..
No you're right.. it's now the 3rd time, '06, '10 and '14..
Wales aren't fully supporting a team this year by the sounds of it.. which is understandable, unless you can acclimatise its just hopeless and a waste of money to head over.
I couldn't believe it when I found out it was only the ascent!Quote:
Originally Posted by IainR
2010
Brandy Erholtz 2:41:38
Glenn Randall 2:09:28