30 Apr 2012

Valencia in November or Gran Canaria in January?


Why do there have to be so many marathons I want to run?? How is a girl expected to choose between them all?
Gran Canaria

Valencia
After checking out flight and hotel costs to Valencia it seems to cost more than last year. I started looking at other marathons I could possibly run instead.

I found Firenze and Nice to Cannes but I'd have to send (and pay out for) a medical certificate for them.

I found San Sebastian but the flights out there are very expensive (and are with Iberia who I really don't trust not to be striking when I want to fly)

So then I thought instead of waiting until 2014 to run Gran Canaria marathon why not run it in 2013!!

That would then mean that I wouldn't be running Valencia marathon in November.

My pros for Valencia are:-
- I can try and get a new personal best on the same course
- I still have some museums there I want to visit
- I do love the city

My pros for Gran Canaria are:-
- It will count towards my 50 marathons in 50 cities goal
- I haven't been there before
- I know someone (Pancho) running it
- It's in January which means I'll be in the warm while the rest of Denmark is freezing
- The hotels seem to be cheaper there while the flights are around the same price as Valencia

I can't run both of them as I will still be running Barcelona in March 2013 so need some money for that too :-)

I don't suppose anyone in Valencia or Gran Canaria has (or knows of) a cheap room to rent for a few days? ;-)

So the question is which do I run: Valencia Marathon or Gran Canaria Marathon??
Any suggestions and help would be very much appreciated :-)

27 Apr 2012

My Marathon Wish List for the Next Year!

Madrid Memories
My plan is now to become a 'Marathon Maniac' like my friend Paul from 50 is the new 30. All I have to do is run 3 marathons in 90 days. I'm not sure if I can do that this year or not. There is a marathon not far from me on October 14th which is 2 weeks after Berlin and one month before Valencia. You don't have to sign up much in advance so I think I'll see how I recover from Berlin and take it from there. If I do run all 3 I'll be doing three marathons in less than 2 months!!

This is my 'marathon wish list' for the next year (or so).

30th Sept 2012 - Berlin Marathon (already have a place)
14th Oct 2012 - Sydkyst Marathon (this depends how easily I recover from Berlin)
18th Nov 2012 - Valencia Marathon (again)
17th March 2013 - Barcelona Marathon (please please please Ciry)
April 2013 - London Marathon (if I get a place in the lottery draw)
Jan 2014 - Gran Canaria Marathon (for Pancho!)

I was looking at Athens in November 2013 but think that 90 Euros is a little steep for race entry. I know London will be expensive too but it's almost my 'home town' so if I get a place I have to pay out for that one :-)

Valencia looks like it will be a definate one as I'm hoping to go there for a week and take 'part one' of a beginner Spanish course. I'll take part two 'when' I am in Barcelona to run the marathon there next March!

I'm really hoping that Ciry wants to run Barcelona in 2013!! There are so many people we know that are going to. Come on Ciry......you know you want to :-)





More Madrid Marathon Photos!

At the expo

Expo again

Pasta Party

At the Start

This photo of Ciry was in the Spanish Newspapers

Finish Line

Me and Ciry at the Finish

26 Apr 2012

Valencia - To Be or Not To Be??

As I seem to be visiting Spain so much I want to take some Spanish lessons in a school somewhere there.

First I was thinking of just visiting Madrid again in July but then I come up with the idea of taking them in Valencia and running the Valencia Marathon again while I'm there :-)

Maybe I could go to both places?

I have Berlin marathon on 30th September and as Valencia Marathon isn't until 18th November I have time to recover in between. But then again if I can run another marathon after Valencia would that then make me a member of the 'Marathon Maniacs' club?


BRONZE LEVEL 
1. 2 Marathons within a 16 day time frame.
2. 3 Marathons within a 90 day time frame.


Decisions! Decisions!

25 Apr 2012

I Want to Run Another Marathon Now!

I am still on such a high from running the Rock 'n' Roll Madrid Marathon!!

I have had hardly any arches and pains and what I did have was gone by Monday afternoon. I do have some blisters but they are heeling up nicely and my toenails actually look like they are staying on this time.

I have even started running (slowly) up the metro steps again!

I am seriously considering signing up for Copenhagen Marathon 2012 which is on the 20th May!! I just can't wait until September 30th to run Berlin Marathon. It's just way too long to wait!

If not, then I'll try and find a June marathon either in Denmark or close by. Maybe I should try and become a 'Marathon Maniac' next year :-)

I'll have to take a second job to pay for all these trips I need to go on :-)

24 Apr 2012

Rock 'n' Roll Madrid Marathon Write-Up

Warning:- Go to the toilet and then get yourself a coffee before beginning to read. This is long.....

Before the marathon
I completed Rock 'n' Roll Madrid Marathon 2012 in 4 hours, 35 minutes and 41 seconds!!!


Madrid marathon route
I didn't get a new personal best but am still very happy with this time. I was only 4 minutes faster in Valencia and that course was almost as flat as a pancake. The Madrid course was like a rollercoaster ride in that you reach the top of a hill and run down the other side, turn a corner and there's a steep hill waiting for you!!

My good friend 'Supergirl'
I got all my equipment ready the night before which was the usual outfit of the orange Running Copenhagen t-shirt, my nike shorts, Nimbus 12 Asics trainers, knee supports, Sis gel belt, running underwear, 9 gels, and all the other bits and bobs I might need.

Me and Ciry
I woke up at 6.30am and was out of the hotel by 7.15 as I was going to meet my friend Ciry from San Diego who I would be running the marathon with. She is so cool and was dressed up as Supergirl!!
We went down by the start and waited outside the Town Hall where we meet many other bloggers and had lots of group photos taken by complete strangers :-)

Me in the orange shirt and white hat at the front
At 8.30 it was time for the usual 20 minute wait for the port-a-loo (which was already disgusting), and then we went up to the start of Corral 5. That's where we found our friend Greg from South Carolina, and another of Cirys friends.

By 9am the marathon had started but we were still waiting. I think it took around 10 minutes for us to cross the start line. Yippee!! Then we were off!

I was a little quiet for the first 2 or 3k and then I hit my high and wouldn't stop talking. Ciry is the opposite and didn't want to talk at all.

At 3.5k we ran past the fantastic Real Madrid stadium 'Santiago Bernabéu'


At 15k I really needed a toilet stop so went into a port-a-loo again. This one was so disgusting I had never seen anything like it before. When I came out I sped up my pace so I could catch up with Ciry before we got to Puerta del Sol. I managed this with only a minute to spare. As I zoomed past one of the bands while on my way to catch up they shouted out 'Vamoss Copenhagen Vamoss :-)


As we just left Puerta del Sol I saw the policeman that I had had my photo taken with a couple of days before so quickly stopped to say hello before I went on my way again.


I was still going strong up to the 25k marker which is when we headed into the Casa de Campo area. There was not much going on here except a couple of 'nice' hills to climb! I said to Ciry that I'd meet her at the 30k drinks station so we can play our mental game. In the meantime I just put my head down and kept saying to myself 'climb the hill, climb the hill'. This seemed to work.

At the drinks station I waited for Ciry (she was only 40 seconds or so behind me). We said good morning to each other, had a drink of water and some Powerade, then decided it was time to have a nice 12k run. A guy at the drinks station kept saying 'go, go'. He didn't know, of course, that what we were doing was using our mental training to help trick our bodies into thinking we were just starting the days run. It sounds weird but I've done it in all 3 marathons now and it really helps. After 2 minutes we were off again.

At around 35k the course changed. Instead of going up and down now we were just running up and up and up. It was never ending!!

Somewhere between 32k and 36k (not sure where) I badly needed a toilet stop again. I couldn't find a port-a-loo but did see a cafe that was open. I run inot it shouting 'el banjo' and they very kindly let me use it. Once again, when I came out I ran a little faster to catch up with Ciry.

At 38k I knew I needed to just put my head down and go. I said to Ciry that I'd see her at 40k or at the end. I put Will Smiths 'Getting Jiggy with it' in my ears and was soon happily singing away while still running up that damn hill!


At 40k we were back by the Town Hall and there were so many people cheering everyone on. It was at that point that a great big smile formed on my lips and stayed there for nearly 2k. I must have looked like the cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland!

At 42k I could see the finish in sight!! I sped up my pace and clapped high above my head and, of course, all the Spanish spectators did the same! I love the Spanish!!!


As I came over the finish line I raised my arms above my head. I was so happy :-) This marathon has been the best yet and Madrid is the best city I have visited!! My marathon choices just keep getting better!

And I still haven't 'hit the wall' in any of my marathons so I must be doing something right!!


For more of my photos visit http://www.marathon-photos.com/scripts/event.py?new_search=1&event=Sports/GKDE/2012/Madrid%20Marathon&match=f845
It is no longer possible to save 'official marathon-photos' as they are protected by copyright :-(
(I look in pain in most of the photos)

Greg, Ciry, her friends, and I are all going to run a spring marathon in Europe together next year to celebrate Cirys birthday :-) (Dubai will have to wait until another time). The best part is that we are ALL going to dress up as Super Heroes for it!!!

23 Apr 2012

Madrid Marathon Splits!

Rock 'n' Roll madrid Marathon Official Time: 4 hours, 35 minutes and 41 seconds!!

A quick blog post of my Madrid Marathon splits!
The long write up with the official photos will be tomorrow. (the photos aren't online yet). And it will be a very long post....


You can see from the below data that I was a little slower towards the end. That's because the last 7k were up, up and up!!


LYNNE-DEANNE KNIGHTLEY
Personal data
Bib
Year of Birth
Category
Country

F845
1977
D-F
DEN DEN
Places
Overall
Female
Category

8669 / 9959
620 / 1015
130 / 179

Timing Points
Timing Point
Gross
Net
Pace
Average Speed
Place
Km 5
0:40:28
0:30:49
6:09 min/Km
9,73 Km/h
825
Km 10
1:12:10
1:02:31
6:15 min/Km
9,59 Km/h
775
Km 15
1:42:48
1:33:09
6:12 min/Km
9,66 Km/h
729
Km 20
2:14:08
2:04:29
6:13 min/Km
9,64 Km/h
703
Km 21.097
2:21:41
2:12:01
6:15 min/Km
9,58 Km/h
691
Km 25
2:45:05
2:35:25
6:12 min/Km
9,65 Km/h
661
Km 30
3:18:50
3:09:11
6:18 min/Km
9,51 Km/h
633
Km 35
3:56:09
3:46:29
6:28 min/Km
9,27 Km/h
654
Km 40
4:30:10
4:20:31
6:30 min/Km
9,21 Km/h
619
Km 42.195
4:45:20
4:35:41
6:32 min/Km
9,18 Km/h
620


21 Apr 2012

Madrid Marathon is in the Morning!


6 am

8°C

Feels Like
7°C
9 am

8°C

Feels Like
7°C
12 pm

14°C

Feels Like
13°C
3 pm

18°C

Feels Like
18°C




Isn't the weather looking great!!! Perfect for running :-)

After a great night out last night I had a lie in this morning.

I haven't done much today as I wanted to rest my legs for tomorrow. I went to visit Real Madrids football stadium in the morning. Wow what a stadium!! It has to be the best I have visited, even better than The Emirates and I love that stadium. I will post photos when I get back.

Afterwards I went to the pasta party in the expo. It was really busy!

This time tomorrow the marathon will have started and I'll be running the streets of Madrid :-) And I really can't wait.....................

20 Apr 2012

Keep an eye on number F845 Madrid Marathon!

My race number is F845 for Madrid marathon!!!

I've certainly enjoyed my first full day in Madrid!

I met my friend Ciry for breakfast and we chatted like we had known each other for years :-)

Then we went to the Expo together which was the best one I have been to yet. It was fun looking around. It wasn't very busy either as we got there when it first opened.

After around an hour I went off to the zoo by myself and spent a wonderful few hours there! It's a really big zoo and has koalas and pandas :-)

Then I visited the Temple of Debod!! This is a fantastic temple which comes from Egypt so I was stepping into and seeing a wonderful piece of history. I have a feeling I will visit it again before I go home!

Right now I'm back at the hotel having a rest before getting ready for tonight. I'm meeting up with Ciry, maybe her mum and also another 'blogger' who Ciry knows, and an american guy (I met him at the expo and he knew Ciry as he had also run the Edinburgh Rock and Roll half marathon last weekend).

We are going out for tapas at 8.30pm but won't be out late.....

Photos coming soon........

19 Apr 2012

I'm Finally in Madrid!


I have landed in Madrid :-)

The flight over was great. I sat for three and a half hours reading Adrian Mole - The Wilderness Years! I used to love these books so when I saw this in the bookstore the other day I knew it would serve me well for the flight.


Madrid is fantastic! I'm loving the buildings and the people :-) After arriving at my hotel (very nice by the way), I took an evening walk up Gran Via and then down to Puerta del Sol, on to Plaza Mayor and then back to the hotel as it was 10pm by then.


I need to get up around 8am in the morning as I'm meeting my friend Ciry at 9am for breakfast then we're going to the Expo :-)

By the way, the weather here is great for running!


18 Apr 2012

4 Days to Go!

4 days until Rock 'n' Roll Madrid marathon and I am beginning to feel the nerves now!

Have I trained enough?
Am I too confident about the hills?
What if I can't make it up the big hill at the end?
What if it the sun is out and the temperature goes over 20 degrees again?

I know all these thoughts are normal and I do feel very confident about this marathon. This worries me very much as I think maybe I'm being a little blase.

Days leading up to a marathon = Worry about this, worry about that. Worry! Worry! Worry!
Day of marathon = Excitement! Confidence! Lots of fun! Meeting new friends! Achievement!

And now onto the weather.......

I just love the way the marathon weather keeps changing day by day......I learnt this in the week leading up to Copenhagen marathon last year! I just think it's interesting and don't really believe what the weather will be until the morning of the marathon. They seem to be able to predict it with some degree of accuracy then ;-)

Well with 4 days to go the weather for Sunday is now looking like this:-



Time

Weather

Temp

Feels

Rain

Cloud

Wind

Gust

09:00

14 °c

14 °c

0.0 mm

27%
4 mph
W

5 mph
12:00

18 °c

18 °c

0.4 mm

48%
8 mph
W

9 mph

15:00

19 °c

19 °c

0.5 mm

28%
10 mph
W

12 mph

17 Apr 2012

5 Days Until Madrid Marathon - A Summary of My Training


With 5 days to go until Madrid marathon this is how the weather is looking:-


Time

Weather

Temp

Feels

Rain

Cloud

Wind

Gust  

09:00

12 °c

11 °c

0.1 mm

50%
6 mph
W

7 mph

12:00

16 °c

16 °c

0.2 mm

29%
8 mph
W

9 mph

15:00

17 °c

17 °c

0.1 mm

20%
9 mph
WNW

11 mph

18:00

14 °c

13 °c

0.1 mm

32%
8 mph
NW

10 mph














And this is a summary of all the training I have done since January towards my goal of completing Madrid marathon:- (February looks a little scarce even though I managed 2 half marathons. Well you try training loads outside when it's around minus 5 each day with cold winds and snow!)

January 1st - Hill Training                                   February 6th - Hill Training
January 8th - Hill Training                                   February 8th - Interval Training
January 9th - 6.5k Run                                       February 12th - Interval Training
January 13th - 12k Run                                      February 20th - 21k Run
January 15th - Hill Training                                 February 25th - Fast 5k Run
January 16th - 7k Run                                        February 29th - 21k Run
January 21st - 10k Run
January 22nd - 7.5k Run
January 29th - Hill Training and 6k Run
January 30th - 8k Run

March 2nd - Interval Training                               April 1st - 28k Run
March 4th - Hill Training and Interval Training        April 5th - Hill Training
March 5th - 16k Run                                           April 7th - 10k Run
March 6th - Hill Training                                      April 9th - Hard Hill Training
March 8th - 12k Run                                           April 11th - 10.5k Run
March 9th - 4k Run                                             April 14th - 10k Bike and 6k Run
March 10th - Hill Training                                    April 16th - Hard Hill Training
March 12th - 10k Run                                         (April 18th - 10k Run)
March 14th - Hill Training
March 15th - Hill Training
March 17th - 21k Run
March 22nd - Hill Training
March 25th - 5k Run
March 26th - 5k Run
March 29th - Hill Training


16 Apr 2012

6 Days Until Madrid Marathon!


Only 6 days until the marathon and only 3 days until I leave for Madrid :-)

The weather for Sunday is still looking good and has even cooled down a little!


Day

Time

Weather

Temp

Feels

Rain

Cloud

Wind

Gust
Sun 22. April 

09:00

12 °c

11 °c

0.0 mm

4%
4 mph
NW

5 mph
 

12:00

16 °c

16 °c

0.0 mm

6%
7 mph
WNW

8 mph

 

15:00

14 °c

12 °c

0.0 mm

16%
14 mph
NW

16 mph











I only have two training sessions left; some hill training today and then a 10k on Wednesday and then I am done!! (I may also have a 5k run on the Friday or Saturday morning in Madrid)

I have some ideas of what I want to see in Madrid. I want to go to the zoo...


I want to see the Temple of Debod...


I want to have a tour of Real Madrids stadium...


I want to visit the Prado Museum...


And I am going to have Friday night out on the town....(Not drinking though, of course)