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!