61 replies to this topic

[JiveTurkey]

Hi guys and girls,

I'd like to hear from people who've run the FM course previously to get an idea of how hard the layout is. I've looked at the course profile and noticed there are quite a few hilly sections throughout but also what appear to be some pretty flat sections. Recently ran my first marathon at the GC in 3.45 and definitely feel like I can go faster but I'm aware of the obvious difference in course profiles. Hill and speed training is already a part of my program so the training is getting there I just want to hear people's experiences in tackling this course.

Cheers

[runhard]

Which Marathon?

Edited: Sorry just looked at the top!

Edited by runhard, 21 July 2011 - 05:26 PM.

[Davo]

No, seriously, which marathon?
What does FM stand for?

[twosheds]

He means Full Marathon at Sydney ( I assume) and I also want to know the answer

[langswm]

Of the "flat" road marathons I've run, I have done Gold Coast once, Adelaide twice and Sydney once. My PB is on Sydney. Sydney is definitely the "hillier" of the 3, but I would describe it more as "undulating" rather than "hilly" per se. However the scenery, course set-up etc etc far outweighs the other 2 and makes it a much more enjoyable experience all round and hence negates its undulating nature.

Gold Coast is definitely the flattest, but the second half of it would have to be the most boring 21k of a marathon that you could ever run.

[Digger]

When I was the 3-45  pacer in 2006, coming from Brisbane, I hadn't seen the course. At the briefing, I was taken aside and told, that what ever I had planned, make sure I got my group to half-way 4 to 5 mins faster than I planned, as the 2nd half of the course was tough, and I'd need those extra minutes up my sleeve.

[pacman]

I'm no expert, have done the GCM a few times, and the Sydney half once.

Having a few ups and downs really breaks up the race and I reckon makes it more enjoyable (every thing else being equal).  

OK, its going to be a bit harder, but if you have already done a 3:45 set that as your pace, then see how you feel in the closing stages.

[halfwaydown]

Digger, on 21 July 2011 - 07:15 PM, said:

When I was the 3-45  pacer in 2006, coming from Brisbane, I hadn't seen the course. At the briefing, I was taken aside and told, that what ever I had planned, make sure I got my group to half-way 4 to 5 mins faster than I planned, as the 2nd half of the course was tough, and I'd need those extra minutes up my sleeve.

Digger, I was in that pace group (at least for a while)- you were fantastic company and were giving out great advice to us novices'.  I got dropped just after half way, running back through the city as the pace was too hot for me - Now I know why.  
Anyway back on subject - yes sydney marathon was harder in 2006 on the second half due to the long run out to the west, escpecially in the heat - but the course is now improved - considered not as tough. Having said that - the weather is a bigger factor than the terrain at Sydney as it can turn very warm and humid.

[Digger]

halfwaydown, on 21 July 2011 - 07:36 PM, said:

Digger, I was in that pace group (at least for a while)- you were fantastic company and were giving out great advice to us novices'.  I got dropped just after half way, running back through the city as the pace was too hot for me - Now I know why.

I almost spat myself out the back at 35km, but dug deep and was back with the group and leading at 37km. We also spat out some pretender, who found out how tough life could be at about 21km, I think his name was Tony Abbott.

[Gento]

halfwaydown, on 21 July 2011 - 07:36 PM, said:

Anyway back on subject - yes sydney marathon was harder in 2006 on the second half due to the long run out to the west, escpecially in the heat - but the course is now improved - considered not as tough. Having said that - the weather is a bigger factor than the terrain at Sydney as it can turn very warm and humid.

Although the course changed last year, I say the heat factor is still the hardest part of the race.
It did get hot out there.
Some are more vulnerable to the heat, but Sydney was my PW at 4h31, and the marathon before and after (Adelaide 5 weeks prior, Melbourne 3 weeks after - both cool conditions) I managed a 3h30.
As for the elevation etc of the course, it's not that great a deal. The start at the bridge, and again in Hyde Park. A few more inclines towards the 35 or 36km mark and again at ~37 I think.

[twosheds]

I would nt expect humidity in Sydney in September- statistically it would be one of the driest months I would have thought. Heat i can imagine but is humidity likely to be a problem? I hope not!

[Caniggia33]

All marathons hurt!!!!!!!!!!!

[Davo]

langswm, on 21 July 2011 - 06:34 PM, said:

Of the "flat" road marathons I've run, I have done Gold Coast once, Adelaide twice and Sydney once. My PB is on Sydney. Sydney is definitely the "hillier" of the 3, but I would describe it more as "undulating" rather than "hilly" per se. However the scenery, course set-up etc etc far outweighs the other 2 and makes it a much more enjoyable experience all round and hence negates its undulating nature.

Gold Coast is definitely the flattest, but the second half of it would have to be the most boring 21k of a marathon that you could ever run.

Why are you concerned about the scenery in a marathon - or any other race for that matter? You're there to run as fast as you can, not view the scenery.
If you want to enjoy the scenery, do a gentle training jog.

[Unlikelyrunner]

Davo,

I disagree.  Last year at Sydney I only ran the half, but as I went under the harbour bridge nearing home my pace picked up significantly, more than ever in any race I had done before.  It was the sight of the Opera house, the harbour, and the finish line just a few kms away.  It really inspired me.  Sydney remains my half PB (for a few more weeks anyway).

And yes, it is quite hilly.  Early on there is a climb at the start line, one up Macquarie St, and up out of the gardens.  Then there are a few short sharp hills towards the end near Ultimo.  However, I enjoyed the course and found the hills OK.

I have run Gold Coast 3 times and Melbourne, and although Melbourne is hillier I would say its a faster course. Because of the variation you get the chance to work different muscle groups in your legs.....

[langswm]

Davo, on 22 July 2011 - 08:17 AM, said:

Why are you concerned about the scenery in a marathon - or any other race for that matter? You're there to run as fast as you can, not view the scenery.
If you want to enjoy the scenery, do a gentle training jog.

If thats your modus operadi, Davo, then feel free to go for you life and run a big mara pb running 100+ laps of a 400m track!

[Davo]

langswm, on 22 July 2011 - 08:46 AM, said:

If thats your modus operadi, Davo, then feel free to go for you life and run a big mara pb running 100+ laps of a 400m track!

100 laps is only 40k.
I've run 6hr, 12hr and 24hr races on the track and they're great fun!
Try it sometime, you'll be surprised.
When I want to enjoy the scenery I jump in the car or do a gentle sightseeing jog. When I'm in a race I couldn't give a bugger whether we're running through a ghetto or the most beautiful scenery in the world. I'm there to run as fast as I can (which ain't very fast, I admit), not enjoy the scenery.
However, I've aired this opinion before, both on CR and amongst fellow runners, and met plenty of opposition, so I guess it's a case of "Whatever Turns you On."
Good luck, enjoy the scenery if you must, and have a great race.

[halfwaydown]

twosheds, on 22 July 2011 - 07:45 AM, said:

I would nt expect humidity in Sydney in September- statistically it would be one of the driest months I would have thought. Heat i can imagine but is humidity likely to be a problem? I hope not!

It was hot and humid in 2007 - but statistically it only occurs once every 4 years, so you should be ok.  

[halfwaydown]

Davo, on 22 July 2011 - 09:03 AM, said:

100 laps is only 40k.
I've run 6hr, 12hr and 24hr races on the track and they're great fun!
Try it sometime, you'll be surprised.
When I want to enjoy the scenery I jump in the car or do a gentle sightseeing jog. When I'm in a race I couldn't give a bugger whether we're running through a ghetto or the most beautiful scenery in the world. I'm there to run as fast as I can (which ain't very fast, I admit), not enjoy the scenery.
However, I've aired this opinion before, both on CR and amongst fellow runners, and met plenty of opposition, so I guess it's a case of "Whatever Turns you On."
Good luck, enjoy the scenery if you must, and have a great race.

We feel for you Davo, stuck in beautiful Tasmania - all that bl**din scenery, how it must affect your training.  

[iRonnie]

Davo, on 22 July 2011 - 08:17 AM, said:

Why are you concerned about the scenery in a marathon - or any other race for that matter? You're there to run as fast as you can, not view the scenery.
If you want to enjoy the scenery, do a gentle training jog.

I agree and disagree.  I don't know, but i get a better feeling running past famous landmarks; lush country-side; seaside roads at sunrise and pretty places than I do running past the smell of vomit and the drunken sickboy/sickgirls at Ferny Grove Railway Station on Sunday morning.  Oh wait a minute....

In marathons we may only get glimpses of scenery and - for sure - over the last ten k our senses can be overwhelmed by the task at hand but I still get some enjoyment from my surroundings and a certain feeling from a nice, historical course.  City to Surf is probably the best example I have experienced. Heartbreak Hill is a special piece of pavement; taking a glimpse back over the sea of people just after the start is a sight etched in my memory; and what about coming around that last turn towards the finish at Bondi?  It can be magic.

I am not in races to enjoy the scenery -or the ambiance for that matter- but sometimes they just make the race more fun and memorable.

Edited by iRonnie, 22 July 2011 - 09:26 AM.

[Davo]

Fair enough, Ron. As I said, whatever turns you on. And I've run near Ferny Grove railway station plenty of times when I lived in Brisbane (I used to work at Grovely) and I hear what you're saying. But somebody else's vomit would make you run faster, wouldn't it.....?

Halfwaydown, I love the scenery in Tasmania! It's just that I don't take any notice of it when I'm in an actual race. The rest of the time I really do appreciate it.

[JiveTurkey]

Didn't really consider the humidity, wouldn't have considered Sept to be a real problem but it's a possibility. Thanks for the advice guys, I'm in the mindset that few hills will be nice to break things up a bit. That last 10-12 at GC was mind numbing, bring on the Opera House/finish line!

[langswm]

Thats the spirit JiveTurkey! I reckon the last half of any marathon (and certainly the last 10-12k) is a much "mind over matter" and hence anything that takes you mind off what is going on in your matter (ie. your deteriorating body!) is a good thing! In that regard, Sydney ticks all the boxes.

Good luck by the way. Will be interested in your observations once you've finished.

Edited by langswm, 22 July 2011 - 12:27 PM.

[twosheds]

halfwaydown, on 22 July 2011 - 09:04 AM, said:

It was hot and humid in 2007 - but statistically it only occurs once every 4 years, so you should be ok.  

Thats just mean! I hate hate hate running in the humidity. The reason I am running sydney is because Gold coast was 88% and I changed race plans on the day. Ill be so upset if Sydney is like that

[langswm]

....that said, the last 2 k's of 6 Foot mara, which can be very scenic, by the way.....are the most soul-destroying final 2 k's that you could (never) wish for!

....but thats a whole nuther story!

[Supersam1979]

Unlikelyrunner, on 22 July 2011 - 08:46 AM, said:

Davo,

I disagree.  Last year at Sydney I only ran the half, but as I went under the harbour bridge nearing home my pace picked up significantly, more than ever in any race I had done before.  It was the sight of the Opera house, the harbour, and the finish line just a few kms away.  It really inspired me.  Sydney remains my half PB (for a few more weeks anyway).

And yes, it is quite hilly.  Early on there is a climb at the start line, one up Macquarie St, and up out of the gardens.  Then there are a few short sharp hills towards the end near Ultimo.  However, I enjoyed the course and found the hills OK.

I have run Gold Coast 3 times and Melbourne, and although Melbourne is hillier I would say its a faster course. Because of the variation you get the chance to work different muscle groups in your legs.....

With respect I would say that none of the marathons mentioned here are hilly. Sydney is at best undulating. A true hilly marathon (at least for the first 16K) is Auckland. I like Sydney as it presents a challenge (and because the old course is my PB). Both Sydney and Auckland have the awesome habour run into the finish and although you are hurting by the final water station near the bridge, once you come round the final bend and have the mile to run round the foreshore you start to open up again and go hard with all that is left.

[BlueZed]

Supersam1979, on 22 July 2011 - 01:07 PM, said:

... once you come round the final bend and have the mile to run round the foreshore you start to open up again and go hard with all that is left.

I sure hope I have something left!

[rodthehornet]

The removal of the Citywest link has definitely made it easier/better course.  The addition of numerous hairpin turns in Centennial Park, Moore Park etc have definitely made it more difficult - lots of bunching of runners and slowing for the turns.  The course is narrow in parts and with the turns, if you are a middle of pack runner, space is at a premium in spots.  Heat is a definite factor - last couple of years have been in the mid to high 20s by 10:30am. There were a few spots around Hyde Park last year where you had to watch your step with trip hazards - memory of having to negotiate gutters etc.

Hope this helps.

[Paul Every]

Jive Turkey, given you live in Roseville and the hills you have been training on are presumably around you locality, I doubt you'll find anything intimidating on race day.

The great thing about having trained through to your second marathon is that you also have the benefit of the training for your first in your legs plus the experience of your debut.

It could easily be a PB for you.

[Brick]

rodthehornet, on 22 July 2011 - 02:38 PM, said:

The removal of the Citywest link has definitely made it easier/better course.  The addition of numerous hairpin turns in Centennial Park, Moore Park etc have definitely made it more difficult - lots of bunching of runners and slowing for the turns.  The course is narrow in parts and with the turns, if you are a middle of pack runner, space is at a premium in spots.  Heat is a definite factor - last couple of years have been in the mid to high 20s by 10:30am. There were a few spots around Hyde Park last year where you had to watch your step with trip hazards - memory of having to negotiate gutters etc.

Hope this helps.

rodthehornet is spot on.

One thing he missed or might not of encontered.
I paced the 4:15 bus last year and you had to cross over a temporary bridge as I was crossing the bridge was totally filled by runners the problems was the lead wheel chair competitor came flying the other way.
I was amazed nobody got hurt.

So please be careful and follow course marshals instruction when told to stay left or any other instruction do so.

[Caniggia33]

One factor that hasn't been mentioned that can make or break a marathon is how quick you can get into your running.  The sydney marathon is about the right size to be big enough to get right up for the event but not so big that you just get bogged down in the crowds.  Over this side of the world Rotterdam and Berlin always get the reputation of being fast courses because they are flat as a pancake and world records have tumbled on a number of occasions.  In reality unless you are Kenyan or Ethiopian and starting at the front of the field you are stuffed as the 1st couple of miles can be so slow you are struggling to get anywhere near your target time within 15 minutes of the gun going.  As a mid pack runner I'd say that New York has a better potential for a PB than Berlin despite being a tougher course where elite runners rarely trouble any world records as the 3 start zones and wave starts they use allow everybody to be well into their running by the mile marker.  Sydney looks like a place where that seems to be possible as any pictures I've seen of the Mecano set bridge you have has runners pretty well strung out and able to run at their own pace without bobbing, weaving and tripping over folk.

I do like a course with a bit of scenery but have to admit to missing most of the places of any tourist interest when I ran the Barcelona marathon and the going got tough.  I was amazed when I was out sightseeing on the Monday and Tuesday after the race to find all the places I was going to see had a mysterious blue line painted right in front of their doorsteps.  I could remember the hills I was running up but as pain set in I looked more and more at my feet and missed just about everything of any tourist interest.

I have to say that it is crowds that tend to make races for me rather than the scenery.  There is nothing better than getting off a plane and feeling marathon fever has hit town days before the event like it does in Boston, Rotterdam or Newcastle for the Great North Run.  All 3 of those courses would be pretty bleak if you ran them on a Tuesday morning on their own but come alive when they are lined throughout the route by amazing crowds.  From what I have heard Sydney is very much City to Surf's poor relation in terms of size of event and crowds which would be a shame as the everybody's a superstar treatment you get in big races can be such a spur on.

[aDrain]

1 the Mechano Set is an enormous set of traffic lights towards the south west suburbs of Sydney. The bridge is The Bridge

2 some of the best scenery is when you are 100% fresh, ie running over The Bridge (see 1), so you do get a chance to take it in. Gazing at feet to ensure you haven't inadvertently lost one comes later.

3 agree re crowds. Did the innagural Brighton (UK) marathon a couple of years ago and was blown away by the crowd numbers and support

4 to answer the question originally posed: Sydney Marathon is the hardest most grueling city marathon ever and all entrants deserve a very large tax break from the government to account for their obvious Hero status. Any claims otherwise are just poor attempts at self promotion to attempt to claim Hero status.

[Digger]

Unlikelyrunner, on 22 July 2011 - 08:46 AM, said:

I have run Gold Coast 3 times and Melbourne, and although Melbourne is hillier I would say its a faster course. Because of the variation you get the chance to work different muscle groups in your legs.....

Were on drugs when you ran these?

You must have bee hallucinating.

Relative to live, these are Flat.

[Supersam1979]

Digger, on 24 July 2011 - 09:20 AM, said:

Were on drugs when you ran these?

You must have bee hallucinating.

Relative to live, these are Flat.

Well put mate - I agree Melbourne and the Goldie are both flat! In fact feel free to correct me, but I was always told that anyone running a particular time on the old Sydney course, could expect to knock off 5 - 7 minutes on that on the Goldie or Melbourne.

[Supersam1979]

Caniggia33, on 24 July 2011 - 06:24 AM, said:

  From what I have heard Sydney is very much City to Surf's poor relation in terms of size of event and crowds which would be a shame as the everybody's a superstar treatment you get in big races can be such a spur on.

There are a number of reasons why the events are different in size and personally I doubt you would ever get a marathon anywhere in Australia with the same numbers as a London or New York or City to Circus.

The Sydney Running Festival is far better organised than the Circus and they treat runners as people. Granted the price is not the cheapest, but Wayne Larden and his team treat you like more than just a number. Suggestions are actively welcomed and acted on. Biggest bonus of The Sydney Marathon is the absence of Fairfax. The Circus are only numbers driven.

It is wrong to equate The Sydney running festival to the City to Circus. What you have to remember is that the Circus runs through more suburban neighbourhoods and people can watch from their driveways or verandahs etc. People do watch the marathon in September and in fact an enduring feature of the old course was the party goers spilling out from Oxford Street and trying to keep pace.

[BeesKnees]

Last year for the marathon I started in Wave 3 (the slowies) there was a good gap between us and the 2nd group which meant you could run from the very start.

After running the previous course with City west link and Observatory Hill I said I wouldn't run Sydney again it was too hot for a BOPer.

I loved the turns at Centennial Park as I saw lots of friends who were in front of me running and so everytime I saw them I received (and gave) a cheer, which was a huge boost.

And of course there was the legendary CR cheer squad at the MCA, on the way back I kept counting off the kms till I got back to them.
I am planning that I will be there in September.

[twosheds]

All I know is one of the girls in our training group ran 3:42 at Gold Coast last year and then ran Sydney in 3:32. She enjoyed the new course  and found the hills helpful for a bit of change in working muscles occasionally.
I hope I feel the same.
twosheds

[walshy2]

Time of year is the biggest factor in my view and Sydney can get quite warm

I have ran both GC and Sydney and if aiming for a PB would take GC anyday over Sydney

[Chelbub]

I am hoping for an overcast day...heat knocks me about hence why I chose this run as a debut marathon instead of Melbourne (I knew it was still risky but this run was my debut half and thought it apt to be my debut full) ...I hope the training pays off but decided on my run today to try and aclimatise in the month leading up to Sydney.   I wont go out as early for my weekend runs....

Rach

[Caniggia33]

Please god let it me lucky and get a cold and wet marathon in Sydney.    

Had 19 and a bit miles in the sunshine and swirling wind today (carnoustie is always windy as anybody that likes their golf will know) and it was tough.  Training for such an early Autumn marathon is pretty tough as I have to do it in the warmest months of the year even though they are nowhere near the temperatures you lot get.  There is a lot to be said for running Autumn marathons in late October/early November where the bulk of the miles are in September and beyond when it is a bit cooler.  What does the song say only mad dogs and marathon runners go out in the midday sun.  

[DoggieDoctor]

walshy2, on 24 July 2011 - 08:44 PM, said:

Time of year is the biggest factor in my view and Sydney can get quite warm

Agree completely. Swore I would never, ever, ever run Sydney again after 2009 and running out the through that furnace called the Western distributor and across the bitumen on the old Glebe Island bridge where the temp must have been 40 C due to the radiant heat. Then the RD goes and changes the route! The good part about the new route is that when you are amongst the buildings, the shadows are quite cool. I would expect the worst bit of the new route to be Flinders St which shouldn't be too bad.

[Caniggia33]

Does it get that hot that early in Sydney?  I think the race starts at supid o'clock (7ish?).  Do you get a good couple of hours worth of running in before you really start to feel it or is it pretty hot from the off.  It might seem a stupid question but it is amazing how much earlier it feels hot in northern europe on hot summers days here the days are longer compared to southern europe where the sun comes up later.

[Supersam1979]

Caniggia33, on 26 July 2011 - 05:48 AM, said:

Does it get that hot that early in Sydney?  I think the race starts at supid o'clock (7ish?).  Do you get a good couple of hours worth of running in before you really start to feel it or is it pretty hot from the off.  It might seem a stupid question but it is amazing how much earlier it feels hot in northern europe on hot summers days here the days are longer compared to southern europe where the sun comes up later.

It amazes me how many people spend energy fretting about the weather in a marathon or other race. Surely you do your training expecting any sort of weather and then are ready on the day or adjust accordingly?? Do some sauna time to build up heat resistence and run in a tracksuit in the middle of the day ala Ron Clarke. Am I making this too easy or perhaps it is just me...

I will be very happy to see some sun on the day after all this rain we have had although last year it was ideal in overcast and about 19c. Many should have run PBs in that weather, but there was still whinging about 'the heat'. 2009 I ran my PB in the heat where it did get up to about 27c and given that I finished in just over 3 hours, I reckon it could have gotten hotter if you were further down the field.

The weather is part and parcel of the challenge (you are there to test yourself against the course, the clock and the weather) and none of us can control it - put it out of your mind and concentrate on running hard from the get go. Good luck!

[halfwaydown]

Caniggia33, on 26 July 2011 - 05:48 AM, said:

Does it get that hot that early in Sydney?  I think the race starts at supid o'clock (7ish?).  Do you get a good couple of hours worth of running in before you really start to feel it or is it pretty hot from the off.  It might seem a stupid question but it is amazing how much earlier it feels hot in northern europe on hot summers days here the days are longer compared to southern europe where the sun comes up later.

Caniggia33, In the same way there's no such thing as summer in Scotland - in Australia they tend to miss out Autumn and Spring. One day its mild and cool, next day summer starts. Sydney marathon time is on the cusp.
Having said that - the running gods have been kind to us these past few months which has seen ideal running conditions generally - so chances are it could be perfect on the day.  
Or to super summer-ize Supersam1979 - No Worries, Mate!

[aDrain]

It's all just part of being the toughest marathon.

[Wayne Larden]

Hi CR's

I've been trying to hunt down some meaningful stats for you to give you some perspective. The below info is historical data from the BOM website (www.bom.gov.au). Mean max temp in Sept is 20 degrees, lowest max temp is 9.5 degrees, mean 9am relative humidity is 62% (second lowest annually).

So, if you go by historical data, Sydney weather is very favourable to marathon running. I haven't compared this to either Melbourne or Gold Coast, but I think you'll find it compares favourably (on average). But of course this will vary from day to day and year to year - but on average, Sydney is a good place to run (weather wise).

In terms of 'toughness' in terms of "hillyness" (is that a word - it is now), of course Gold Coast is without doubt the fastest in Australia (possibly the world - except for downhill courses), but I would probably compare Sydney (new course) to Melbourne on pretty even terms (correct me if you think I'm wrong). But what Sydney does have (I think above the other, and possibly most marathons) - is a spectacular course that offers a range of different sceneries that are interesting and do take your mind of the pain / monotony / boredom of many other courses. Some undulations to me is positive, it breaks up the muscle fatigue and gives you a break from exactly the same stride pattern which could make you fatigue faster.

Anyway, I will admit I am a bit bias as the Race Director, but just thought I'd provide a bit of data for you to ponder as opposed to anecdotal experiences.

Good luck to you all in the final weeks of your prep!

Cheers
Wayne


Mean maximum temperature (°C) 25.925.824.722.419.416.916.317.820.022.123.625.221.71531859
2011Mean minimum temperature (°C)18.718.817.614.711.59.38.08.911.113.615.617.5Statistic ElementJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecemberMean maximum temperature (Degrees C) for years 1859 to 2011 25.925.824.722.419.416.916.317.82022.123.625.2
Mean maximum temperature (°C) 25.925.824.722.419.416.916.317.820.022.123.625.221.71531859
2011Mean minimum temperature (°C)18.718.817.614.711.59.38.08.911.113.615.617.5Mean maximum temperature (°C) 25.925.824.722.419.416.916.317.820.022.123.625.221.71531859
2011Mean minimum temperature (°C)18.718.817.614.711.59.38.08.911.113.615.617.5

Lowest maximum temperature (Degrees C) for years 1859 to 2011 17.215.616.213.811.39.77.79.19.512.113.715.2
Mean 9am relative humidity (%) for years 1955 to 2010 717474727474716662616667

halfwaydown, on 26 July 2011 - 09:47 AM, said:

Caniggia33, In the same way there's no such thing as summer in Scotland - in Australia they tend to miss out Autumn and Spring. One day its mild and cool, next day summer starts. Sydney marathon time is on the cusp.
Having said that - the running gods have been kind to us these past few months which has seen ideal running conditions generally - so chances are it could be perfect on the day.  
Or to super summer-ize Supersam1979 - No Worries, Mate!

http://www.bom.gov.a...Data=

Sorry guys, just saw that the data doesn't make much sense, I'll try to put into a spreadsheet for you, but here's a link to where I got the info.

W

[Wayne Larden]

This may work better. I hope.

Wayne

 Sydney Weather.pdf   126.22K   19 downloads

[Whippet gal]

Thanks Wayne - as others on CR have said, it's great to see a race director that listens and responds to runners.

I haven't done Sydney for the last two years and I'm really looking forward to checking out the new course. Hoping for a new PB so I've got my fingers crossed it's faster that M7 Cities!

[Wayne Larden]

Thankyou Whippet gal & all CR's I appreciate it, I try to provide as much info as I can and I do listen and as you all probably know, I do implement as many of your (and others) recommendations that I can (so long as they make sense of course and if not, I'll nicely let you know why). As far as whether Blackmores Sydney Marathon is faster than M7 goes - I have no idea - I have to admit I have not run or checked out the M7 course. But I guess it depends a bit on how you've pulled up and what the weather provides on the day! Goodluck to you and all!

Wayne

Whippet gal, on 08 August 2011 - 10:58 PM, said:

Thanks Wayne - as others on CR have said, it's great to see a race director that listens and responds to runners.

I haven't done Sydney for the last two years and I'm really looking forward to checking out the new course. Hoping for a new PB so I've got my fingers crossed it's faster that M7 Cities!

[Wayne Larden]

Supersam1979,

I agree with your sentiment. There is absolutely nothing any of us can do about the weather other than prepare for it. I posted some historical data earlier but I think the last three years have thrown up 2 reasonably warm days of about 23 (or so by about 11 or noon) and last year I think I recall it being a bit cooler (but I have to admit when I'm running around making sure everything is running to plan I don't have a good temperature gauge on me).

So, as Supersam says, if you are worried about it being hot then I'd suggest you train in the middle of the day from now until race day to get used to it. The other important thing to do is make sure you are well hydrated before race day and during the race, drink as much as you can! Hydration (or lack of) is probably the single biggest performance factor (other than fitness) on race day.

So once again, just get out there, train and get excited about the big day!

Cheers
Wayne

Supersam1979, on 26 July 2011 - 09:22 AM, said:

It amazes me how many people spend energy fretting about the weather in a marathon or other race. Surely you do your training expecting any sort of weather and then are ready on the day or adjust accordingly?? Do some sauna time to build up heat resistence and run in a tracksuit in the middle of the day ala Ron Clarke. Am I making this too easy or perhaps it is just me...

I will be very happy to see some sun on the day after all this rain we have had although last year it was ideal in overcast and about 19c. Many should have run PBs in that weather, but there was still whinging about 'the heat'. 2009 I ran my PB in the heat where it did get up to about 27c and given that I finished in just over 3 hours, I reckon it could have gotten hotter if you were further down the field.

The weather is part and parcel of the challenge (you are there to test yourself against the course, the clock and the weather) and none of us can control it - put it out of your mind and concentrate on running hard from the get go. Good luck!

[bumcrackjack]

I thought I saw somewhere a YouTube video that someone had posted of the new course.....cant find it now but does anyone know where that is?

Or did I not see it??