Stirling Scottish Marathon 2017
33 watchers
May 2017
8:45am, 22 May 2017
11,043 posts
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ElDuderino
Well done to all Stirling runners. I was cheering on at the uni for a while with my wife and kids. Found a dry spot just before the uphill section. Also did the family mile with my 5 year old on the Saturday. It was good fun and we got to meet Liz McColgan.
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May 2017
8:59am, 22 May 2017
3,688 posts
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Metro_Nome
oh shame, hope that girl got back to her car eventually! Did anybody else come from out of the city and use the park and rides? I had the details and map from the website but we could not for the life of us find them- we just kept encountering closed roads. The staff there were super unhelpful; asked for help "this road is closed" "yes we can see that, we don't want to go through, but we're trying to find the park and ride" "it's sign-posted" "we haven't seen a single sign" "move on please" Eventually ended up in the centre and saw runners waiting at the bus station so just jumped out the car while OH went and parked in a street somewhere, and I proceeded to wait over an hour for a bus. good job we left in plenty of time! |
May 2017
11:44am, 22 May 2017
1,113 posts
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Tigerlily
I used the Springkerse park and ride. Coming from Glasgow I happened upon the standard signage, didn't see any Great Run directions. Waited a fair bit for a bus, no loos at the bus stop either. The driver got lost in Rapploch and dropped us off at 08:40. Pure trek to the baggage bus and queue like an execution for the toilets meant I went off in the pink wave. No drama about that but the organisers could take some helpful tips from Loch Ness Mara. And I HATED the loops.
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May 2017
11:45am, 22 May 2017
1,114 posts
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Tigerlily
And I'm another one who climbed the wall twice and scuffed her arse!
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May 2017
12:00pm, 22 May 2017
13,629 posts
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Dvorak
What way did you come to Stirling, M_N? I did think that the park and rides would be easy to find - then again I'm from the area so know exactly where they are anyway ;-). Disappointing that event staff were so unhelpful. Had a good day spectating (last half mile) though only saw the latter half of finishers as I left the earlier rain to the runners. Wandered round "City Park" as well. Seemed ok (£4 for a pint of Schiehallion was not too bad, gin a bit dear) but would have been a quagmire in wetter conditions in the extended area. Exit plan poorly thought out. I was going to climb the wall to escape but it was too high with the pointy stones on top. Watching marathoners clamber over did provide some wicked amusement ;-). Seemed to go very well as an event (with some issues eg lack of start loos). Someone asked how people felt about the laps on a FB group - seems around 50/50 (though those against tend to be very against). One thing I haven't seen mentioned - how did people find the "empty" section, that is Causewayhead to Springkerse (miles 14-16)? (Trivia fact - the bridge you crossed there, the Taylorton Bridge is the sixth and final bridge over the Firth of Forth from the sea. It might look like the river, but the water is still estuarine beyond that point (brackish mix of salt and fresh).) |
May 2017
12:09pm, 22 May 2017
74 posts
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Ally-C
The empty section from after Corrieri's to the Peak was OK I thought. Can't have spectators everywhere.
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May 2017
12:12pm, 22 May 2017
75 posts
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Ally-C
Most of the event staff had no idea of the local geography which didn't help imho.
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May 2017
1:00pm, 22 May 2017
118 posts
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Nessie
I was fortunate that hubby knows the industrial estate and we were staying out at Kincardine Bridge, so I got dropped off at Springkerse at 7:15, straight on a bus and off 10 minutes later. The bus did stop at the bus station, but there were only about 4 empty seats, so unless they sent a couple of empty buses, the 50 or so people waiting there would have had a long wait. Used the loo at the park entrance (despite the helpful marshall saying there were plenty in the park) on the basis that I'd use them too! The wee out and back just past the T-junction was unusual, and given the laps at the end, could possibly have been better utilised. Just getting into a rhythm and had to slow to a walk to turn round. Odd. The support through the towns was immense - really had to check back my pace after Doune - it's amazing the boost cheering and high-fiving kids gives to your pace. We'd driven part of the route the night before, but I still had to walk a bit up to the Uni, partly due to choking on water, but the downhill was worse, because my toes were starting to complain. Didn't mind the "empty" bit - it was tipping down by now, and it was quite good to get into a rhythm after the ups and downs playing havoc with my pace. Got into town and immediately started getting confused about the laps. Must have read it wrong/not listened, but I was convinced the gantry was when you entered the town centre, just past the cinema. So then all I saw was 40k, then 25 miles, then the finish. It was only when I saw the gantry half way down the hill that I started to relax. And the laps -oh my god! My toes were hurting a lot on any downhill by now, so the underpasses were hell. The wee twisty bit under the railway bridge must have been tricky for those at the pointy end, but not too bad for the slow ones at the back. I thought I'd feel better when I got onto the last lap, but knowing I had all those sore bits to do again really messed with my head. Might be better next time, knowing what to expect and not worrying about getting it wrong. The crowds were great, especially on my first lap. Saw hubby and kids just before the jelly baby bit, which was fab, and some kids called out my name along the "top" bit when I was walking, and gave me a huge cheer when I started running. Crowds had thinned a lot by the time I was on my last lap, and it must have been pretty deserted for the last few people (I finished in 5:22 and there were several over 7 hours). Hubby and kids had made their way to the finish (although they didn't see me!), but had found the exit gate so no wall climbing for me. The walk back to the baggage bus was painful, but I got my bag easily because there weren't all that many left (see, it pays to be slow!). Would I do it again? Yes, probably. They may change the laps (a lot of comments on Facebook) but even if it was the same, being prepared for it would have made a big difference. But overall, I had a great day. |
May 2017
1:06pm, 22 May 2017
26,690 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Good report Nessie, thanks for that. And well done! Well done all Stirling marathoners. Sounds like an 8 out of 10 type score for Great Run? Not perfect, but pretty good?  G
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May 2017
1:41pm, 22 May 2017
3,689 posts
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Metro_Nome
yes Happy I'd agree with that! have blogged my race for anybody that cares to read.. runsforcake.wordpress.com |
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