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4 Jan
11:28am, 4 Jan 2025
337 posts
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DT19
Oo, no chance, I'm not being sucked in any further to the majors concept!
Gdawg, just looked on my runners portal, my current average is 2.56 over 11 runs. I'd prefer it if they showed your average time for the fastest of each of the 6. My time is skewed by 5 of my 7 Londons ranging from 2.57- 3.18.
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4 Jan
12:20pm, 4 Jan 2025
4,369 posts
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Big_G
When you do your 6th Major, the system seems to choose your fastest time from each Major in terms of the final certificate etc. At least, that’s what they did for me….i.e., I didn’t choose the events/times to include, as it was done automatically.
It’s not just Sydney, as it seems possible that Cape Town and Shanghai will also be added in due course.
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4 Jan
1:55pm, 4 Jan 2025
338 posts
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DT19
Do you choose when the certificate is issued by any chance? Just my best London in 2 47 from 2021 and I'm reasonably hopeful of improving on that in April.
I could see myself visiting Sydney one day, I don't see myself visiting Cape Town or Shanghai however.
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4 Jan
2:47pm, 4 Jan 2025
4,370 posts
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Big_G
I would imagine, but I actually don’t know for sure, that you may be able generate a new one after London 2025. But your first one would be generated after Tokyo 2025. There is a World Majors thread on here, and I think Foxy may well know as he’s close to having gone around twice I think. If not twice, he’s certainly done the likes of Berlin, Chicago and London multiple times so he may be able to say if he can generate a new certificate.
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4 Jan
2:47pm, 4 Jan 2025
690 posts
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OO61
I have the same view DT. I'm not bothering with Chicago unless I somehow get into Tokyo. If it happens, it happens. There are many other great marathons in cities I'd like to visit, at a fraction of the cost. I think most people are more interested in how many marathons I've run and the times, that whether I completed all the Majors.
I ran an off road parkrun today as most locals were cancelled. Left the watch at home as my recent times are depressing. Just ran on feel and enjoyed it. A relatively slow 20:30. 15 miles tomorrow will get me to 50, but if I feel OK I might push on. I feel like the London campaign has started😋
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4 Jan
3:28pm, 4 Jan 2025
339 posts
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DT19
Thanks, Big G, I'll take a look there at relevant time. Does the certificate get posted to you or something?
Oo, yes lots in Europe I'd rather and I can see myself running Berlin again. There's other ways to enhance Tokyo chances beyond ballot. In particular the 9 challenges they do. Cost about £7 to enter and it's really easy stuff like running 30m in a week. There's then a draw each time with 100 places up for grabs. My mate who I'm meeting in Tokyo won a place this way in June.
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4 Jan
4:01pm, 4 Jan 2025
4,371 posts
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Big_G
Actually, I’ve just gone onto the Portal to check, and it says “By default, the fastest race for each major will be selected”, so I would hope that if you run London 2025 faster, you could go in after London and regenerate the certificate if you wanted. No, it doesn’t get posted - it’s just generated online. I’m sure you’ve done so already, but make sure you’ve claimed your other 5 Majors on the Portal already, and probably there’s the ‘Set for Six’ option that will be available soon if not already, so do that so that Abbott know Tokyo is your sixth, and provide it your race number when you know it. And then nearer the race Abbott will contact you about what to do after the race, and at number pickup you’ll get an extra item in the pack too. For NYC, which was my 6th, my race number had a small, extra logo on it to signify to the volunteers at the end that it was my 6th (I don’t know if all the races do the same, but I imagine so). Don’t know if you’re interested in a shakeout run on the Saturday, but I bagged a free place on the Abbott one (Martin Yelling and Deena Kastor were hosting it) which, although sceptical to begin with, was good.
Yes, I love a European race and have a few lined up this year, so looking forward to those.
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5 Jan
11:09pm, 5 Jan 2025
343 posts
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DT19
Big G, yes I am all up to date with my portal and my set for 6 is done.
Yes a shskeout might be good if it's local to hotel and not early. My biggest error in Chicago was entering the 5k. I can't do a parkrun as I have a vanity project ongoing of getting to 100 all under 20 mins. I'm on 68 in 12 years so at that rate I'm still a while off do it may eventually become a challenging target again. However, I don't want to run 3 Miles at 6.20s day before.
On another note, and I'll do my research, but any top tips on Tokyo? Must see tourist bits, things I can't get there I should take with me? I was caught short in Chicago with no kettle in my room. Debating buying a travel kettle for Tokyo. Are they commonly in hotel rooms?
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6 Jan
7:13am, 6 Jan 2025
4,375 posts
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Big_G
Yes, we stayed in only fairly budget hotels in our 3.5 weeks in Japan, and they all had kettles, also small fridges. For food pre race, we found a chain called Lawson was okay - we found it better than the 7/11 and Family Mart chains. As our hotel had a small fridge I had yogurt and cereal from the supermarket before the race and I was okay with that. There are rules about what you can take into the start area pre race - rules around bottle sizes, so have a read of those to get your head around them as they are strictly enforced.
For the shakeout, I think all the 6 star hopefuls got an email inviting them to it maybe 2-3 weeks beforehand. I just replied to the email and got a spot. It was actually nice chatting to other people about what they’d done. Some fast runners (I was talking to a 2:45 lady), and some more regular runners, but it was nice. Quite a large, international group and it got strung out, but it was fine. Don’t know if they do it for every race.
Regarding touristy bits, we weren’t actually ‘full on’ in Tokyo so didn’t do absolutely everything. But highlights were probably Shibuya Sky, which is a sky scraper with views over Shibuya Scramble and the city. You need to book though. We happened to do it on a very nice, clear day and it was very good.
You may see some cherry blossom. We saw some at Yoyogi Park. This is also very nice to walk around, and there’s a temple complex there.
Because my foot was playing up a bit, on the Saturday we actually took a day trip to Mount Fuji. I wouldn’t usually do a tour but we booked it on the Friday and got a tour (we found one via Viatour) and it was actually really good. For us, it meant we didn’t have to go there during the rest of our trip.
For temples, we went to Sensō-ji. I think it’s one of the oldest. It was busy but we enjoyed it there, and we did Shibuya Scramble on the same day, walking down on the Monday after the race.
I really liked Shinjuku and spent quite some time there as there was some decent food, although I can’t give recommendations really. We just used Google or Tripadvisor to find ones we wanted to try.
We didn’t go to the shopping district really and also we didn’t go to the Palace, as we missed the opening times. Also, the Disneyland is popular but we didn’t fancy that. Depends on your interests I think, but there’s lots of stuff going on.
For the race, I did go to the race start a couple of days before as I found the map confusing and I wanted to get my bearings. It all becomes clear on race day, but the area is kind of on a couple of levels and I wanted to get my head around where things were.
We didn’t take much home really, although Kit Kats are a huge thing there. All sorts of different flavours - someone mentioned there’s over 200? So we took some back for friends, and us. We actually got ours in Kyoto so not sure where to go for them in Tokyo.
Food wise, the ramen was very, very good!!
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6 Jan
2:06pm, 6 Jan 2025
65 posts
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G-Dawg
Some really good info there, thanks, Big_G. I have a Google Map I'm adding places/attractions to, I'll add the ones you mention that I don't already have.
Halfway through the campaign and got the first 20 miler done in cold conditions on Saturday. Bagged 55 miles for the week and just under 100 for the 2-week festive period, pretty pleased with that, given the excesses.
Starting to feel like a runner again. Both Achilles are pretty much fixed and the hamstrings are allowing me to do speed sessions, unlike the last few campaigns. Didn't put any weight on over Chrimbo, so feel ready to kick-on in the second half.
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RW sub3/3.15
Jan 2025