Beachy Head marathon 2019

This was the concluding episode of the 2019 marathon trilogy after Snowdonia and Clarendon.  It began with a rather bemusing 4:30 alarm call and a dark drive to Eastbourne, where we managed to park on the sea front.  As it lightened, there was a glimpse of red sunlight on the horizon, and shortly afterwards the clouds lifted, revealing a glorious mild autumn day.

Lovely day for it

We were very privileged to be able to greet our friends Jon and Luretta who were getting married in Alfriston during the race.  The crowd was kept back from the start line while they were photographed, but we were lucky enough to be able to say hello.

Luretta and Jon, the nearlyweds

It's an unforgiving start - straight up a steep section of hill on to the South Downs.  I heaved along with everyone else - it's a big old field of 2000, and soon enough we were looking down onto Eastbourne.  The south-westerly wind was blowing like mad.  I was feeling good, but was rather regretting my choice of footwear on the bare chalk sections of path, where I felt my feet slipping several times.

The infamous starting hill

The hills in the first half are long steady drags leading up to immense views and strong winds.  Heading downhill towards Alfriston we were straight into the wind and it was eye-wateringly strong.  Then a long climb up to Borstall hill and more fierce winds as I turned south and crossed the halfway timing mat.

We all love a dry valley feature

Slippy chalk track heading downhill to Alfriston

The Cuckmere floodplain was underwater, which required a couple of diversions.  From the second crossing I was in to the final third of the race, where the hills get tighter and steeper.  I walked a few sections, particularly where there were steps.  One or two guys came past me, but I was making a net gain as folk around me started to tire.

The Cuckmere valley

Last year I found the whole final coastal section a real tribulation.  This time I found it much easier;a combination of (a) finding not as hard as I'd built it up in my memory, and (b) the wind now being largely at my back.  The Seven Sisters and the climb up to Beachy Head were tough, naturally, but I felt in control.  I had hoped to go faster than my 3:25 last year, but as the seconnd half progressed I realised that this would be a very tall order.

I caught a few more chaps in the final sections and enjoyed the final descent to the finish line, albeit exhausted and almost crippled afrerwards.  I finished in 3:32:14 in 21st place and 3rd M50. I had hoped to get top 20, having been 22nd last year, but I was content to have split the difference.  Any disappointment in being 7 minutes slower was mollified by the leaders being about 15 minutes slower in the windy conditions. Here are my stats.

The lovely Mrs S, finishing her 6th marathon in 5 months

This isn't yer average trail marathon - this is huge and magnificent landscape to be thoroughy respected.  We were incredibly lucky to run it in bright conditions on a day that had forecast rain... it started raining just as we were driving out of Eastbourne.

That's it for marathons for 6 months... next stop Milton Keynes in May!

Blenheim Palace 10k, 2019

The lovely Mrs S and I beetled up the A34 early doors on this chilly morning to Blenheim Palace for what has become an annual pilgrimage to the Rotary 10k race.

We were expecting more of the charmingly Britishly quirky organisation that comes as part of the deal, and we weren't disappointed.  The compere took up his sonorous monologue on the PA system, and a team of ladies earnestly explained how to pin our numbers.  An Olympic Rower (we were never told who, which we figured to mean that he hadn't done very well in the Olympics) led a warm up, and we were encouraged to get in the position, with elite runners at the front. (Elite meant sub-30 minute 5k and sub-45 minute 10k. Priceless.)

Chilly start

The first km was gently uphill and into the wind, and the exuberant start by many of the field faded away quite quickly.  At the turnaround in front of the palace two runners ahead turned left for the 5k, and I was in fourth place.  I caught number three a few minutes later and then number two (as it were) at the halfway point, just at the start of the long climb.

I was feeling good, albeit working hard at the top of my range.  The park landscape was fabulous.  Close to the end we took a long triangular detour off the tarmac path on to a bumpy gravel track and then wet grass.  Push as much as I could, every step felt laboured and slow.

I deliberately hadn't looked at my watch during the race, so I was delighted to see the clock at the finish showing 37-something.  I finished in 37:55 in second place, 30 seconds ahead of last year and over a minute up on 2017.  Here are my stats.

Mrs S came storming home after a cracking run, narrowly missing out on a category prize.  The prizegiving didn't disappoint in its slightly bumbling charm.  I had to go forward for both a second and a V50 prize, and each time I had to be photographed having a handshake with the Rotary chairman... the second time the photographer got distracted by some ladies (we've all been there) and I had to stand there for about a minute in a clench with the old chap.

This has become a firm favourite family fixture!

Wait for it... wait for it...

Splendid pedunculates

Clarendon marathon, 2019

The Clarendon marathon is a glorious institution.  It's an off-road point-to-point pilgrimage trail, with terrific countryside and hills.  It's well-organised and friendly with no tacky plasticky nonsense.  After a year's absence in 2018 (doing the Chester metric marathon) I was itching to get back to it this year.  The lovely Mrs S was running the full distance for the first time and several friends were doing the full, the half or a relay leg.

Mrs S with Rob, Susie and her log-distance companion Kate

With Ian and Neil at the start line

After a rainy night, the morning was bright and breezy.  The gymnasium at Salisbury's Wyvern College was full of excited chatter and groups getting their photos taken.  It was good to eventually get outside and move around.

We were off at the stroke of 10:30.  I tried to set a sensible pace.  After a km or so I found myself running with Becky, who was running the first leg of the relay, and Neil, who I knew would finish way ahead of me... it was a bit disconcerting to be still with him until about 10 miles in, when he pulled ahead.

There was a westerly wind, which meant that we were being blown in the right direction.  The ground was soft underfoot with a few muddy sections and splashy puddles, but also some bare chalk slopes which were horribly slippery under my fell shoes and needed careful navigating.

It was a real pleasure to reacquaint myself with the course.  The marshals were friendly and the scenery as lovely as ever in the sunshine.  Coming down into Broughton I passed Dad and then Mum, both waving and fiddling frantically with their cameras as I passed.

Into the second half, and my legs were starting to feel heavier as I encountered the longer hills.  The final four miles or so were hard work, and especially a tough little hill covered in roots towards the end of the off-road section.  Someone told me I was in in third place behind Neil, and I was nervous at the prospect of being pipped off the podium in the final stages.  I was pushing hard up the final hill , just a few hundred metres from the finish, when I heard a pounding behind me.  Luckily it Ben Pitman, cruising towards a comfortable win in the half.

I crossed the finish line in third place in 3:07:50, 45 seconds slower than my fastest effort in 2009.  Mum and Dad had just arrived, bless them, which was quite miraculous as they'd forgotten which school they needed to drive to.  I had prizes thrust at me and photos taken... I was devoid of energy at this point and it was all a bit of a blur.  I wobbled off to a hall where I retrieved my bag, got some dry clothes on and ate some food.

Over the next couple of hours the place filled up and everyone was in buoyant form. The Hares had a successful relay, Romsey knocked up a wadge of successes, and Mrs S guided Susie Parker around her first ever marathon.

With Mum and Dad at the finish

Hares and Sons, plus grandaughter

Derek and his harem

Susie and Mrs S finish in triumph

So here's my Clarendon marathon history.  (I did the half a few times before 2008, but the results are lost in the mists of time).

     2008 - 3:16:41, 3rd place
     2009 - 3:07:05, 4th place
     2010 - 3:21:04, 12th place (this was when it all went horribly wrong)
     2012 - 3:13:41, 5th place
     2013 - 3:11:05, 3rd place
     2016 - 3:12:39, 2nd place
     2017 - 3:15:05, 6th place
     2019 - 3:07:50, 3rd place (and here are my stats).

Great fun! Huge kudos and admiration to JJ and the organising team for staging such a tremendous event. I'm looking forward to 2020 already.