The Running Thread --2025

[GuinnessRunner]

No go on London for me as well. Crazy how many entries they got this year.

 

[MissLiss279]

I haven’t received my London rejection email yet. Ha.

But seeing the numbers for the lottery makes me wonder how many entries NYC received for the Virtual Marathon - with guaranteed entry. I guess we’ll probably find out next week!

ETA: Just received my ‘Not This Time’ email from London.

 

[sandam1]

Any north of the border Dis folks near the falls?

I'm very nearby in Buffalo.

I'm assuming that you are doing the Niagara Ultra? I did the 10K race a couple of years ago and it is a beautiful course - and best thing mostly shaded (at least the 10K course was). Good luck!

 

[camaker]

Alas, no London for me, either.

 

[col1]

Didn’t get in to London, hoping someone on here will

I entered the Ballot for the London Landmarks Half so hoping my luck might go better with that, it’s drawn next month.

 

[Dopey 2020]

I'm very nearby in Buffalo.

I'm assuming that you are doing the Niagara Ultra? I did the 10K race a couple of years ago and it is a beautiful course

That’s the one, haven’t been in about 12 years, looking forward to seeing the falls again. Looks like a beautiful course out and back along the river. I’m definitely hoping for some shade.

 

[KCO5988]

Also no for London. Oh well.

 

[marty3d]

London: "Not this time"

Oh well

 

[sandam1]

That’s the one, haven’t been in about 12 years, looking forward to seeing the falls again. Looks like a beautiful course out and back along the river. I’m definitely hoping for some shade.

The year that I did was also pretty toasty. That's one of the reasons - the other being that you have to register way too far in advance - that I didn't do it this year. But it is on my "would do this again" list.

 

[michigandergirl]

Add me to the London reject list.

 

[avondale]

Looking for opinions on a watch. i know it gets discussed often but i might have a slightly different criteria so looking for opinions.

I have worked at my company for 25 years, so i can get a gift. There are some rules around this, but i think i have decided to get a new watch because it meets all those criteria. The most important being cost. I get a good amount of money, so this watch question means i don't have to worry about the price. My options are the new Garmin Forerunner 970 or the Apple watch ultra 2. I currently have a Garmin Forerunner 935, i think i got it in 2018, maybe 2017. i have had no issues with it. i like it. Only because i have to get a gift i thought about a new watch.

Pros for Garmin. I probably know how to use it since i have had the 935. It is more of a watch for activities then being a health watch or something to replace a phone. It will be great for running, walking, swimming and hiking. CONs for Garmin. I dont use many of the extra data features, i just want good GPS for running and doing intervals and then something to count laps for swimming.

Pros for apple. More of a health tracker and tied more to my phone. Looks better. Cons for Apple. I think the GPS capabilities have gotten better but it was not a very good run watch. I would have to learn the watch.

@camaker i know you have both and i think wear both for running, thoughts? @FFigawi been watching the DC rainmaker reviews and i am still torn.

I feel like the watches do different things. i am leaning towards Apple, because my running is struggling with my knees (that is a different post for next week). I want the garmin because it is familiar and i know its gps is better.

Help a girl out.

If money is no object...maybe consider the Garmin Epix gen 2? The big "upgrades" for it: the beautiful AMOLED screen and dual-band GPS.

I have had mine for over 2 years and absolutely love it. You can't beat the dual-band GPS - it connects within seconds and is so much more accurate and precise than regular GPS (previously had Venu and other "single-band" Garmins). No more "drunken walk" appearance for your track going down the path...

It has ton of fitness/activity stuff, but I'm not sure that's a big improvement over other high-end Garmins.

You can download a lot of maps right to the watch, which I haven't used much and not sure you'd care about. I did use this once for route-finding, though, and it was really pretty cool, so I may do it more.

 

[Blue Caterpillar]

On the "not this time" london band wagon.

 

[SheHulk]

No London for me either

 

[fatmanatee]

No London here. Not at that point where I’m ready to bite the bullet but given how insane the lotteries are getting I’ve started thinking about travel packages for some of these.

 

[The Expert]

Another London reject checking in.

 

[The Expert]

I’ve started thinking about travel packages for some of these.

I looked into one a few months ago. Doing the math, it's not a huge premium on top of what it would otherwise cost to book the same or similar accommodations. If I end up doing London, it'll most likely be that way.

 

[fatmanatee]

I looked into one a few months ago. Doing the math, it's not a huge premium on top of what it would otherwise cost to book the same or similar accommodations. If I end up doing London, it'll most likely be that way.

Yep, had the same thinking. I just wasn't all in this time, particularly with the potential of Springtime Surprise the prior weekend. It's either that or continue gambling on what I'm guessing is a 1-3 percent chance of getting in via the lotto.

 

[jmasgat]

I looked into one a few months ago. Doing the math, it's not a huge premium on top of what it would otherwise cost to book the same or similar accommodations. If I end up doing London, it'll most likely be that way.

For yucks, I went to one of the tour companies supposedly handling US participants…..I was put in a queue just to get into the web site…..so very Disney. They had packages left—pretty spendy, but there were like 3 hotels. Marathon tours was sold out. Seems like it’s a $4-5k outlay minimum. And more if you’re a single runner.

 

[marty3d]

I looked into one a few months ago. Doing the math, it's not a huge premium on top of what it would otherwise cost to book the same or similar accommodations. If I end up doing London, it'll most likely be that way.

Same for me if I do London - this is how I'm doing NYC this year - it was surprisingly close to what I would have paid for (the same) hotel + race. London seems similar.