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Salisbury 5-4-3-2-1 Trail Marathon
Looking at doing Salisbury this year, but some of the comments on the event page from past participants dont seem particularly positive. Anyone else doing it?
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i've just entered the 20k. have heard that people can be sent off in the wrong direction, but i need a long run that day and it's just too convenient for me to not do it. but i won't be racing, so will have plenty of time to make sure i'm on the correct route.
anyone else signed up?
I will probably be doing the 30k option again this year in place of a long run.
I wouldn't treat it as a race unless you compare the same distance on the same course as it is very up and down, winding and weather can be quite hot.
I was part of the many that got lost within a big field with about 20 other runners. In reality we were not really lost but unsure if the direction going out of the field was the correct one (it was) you are iven directions but as a runner you only bother to stop and read them when you're not following othersa or can see no obvious direction. I would have to ssy the field in question was the only place on the whole route (that I did) that I saw no flouro yellow arrow/sign and that it what made me second guess myself. at the time unsure if it was the right gate.
that sounds reassuring!
i did the compton 20 at easter which involved following directions, i really enjoyed it
TT - I also got lost in that field with the cows with about 20 other people, but once I bothered to read the map it was fine!
Mr F - the scenery is great and lack of on the ground directions makes for a more interesting run and chat with fellow navigators (or sheep). There are no distance markers which I found disconcerting at the time, but that run taught me a few things about coping in a less cossetted event. I'm going to do the full marathon this year - one of four - as I felt a pang of regret when the marathoners started 30 minutes before the rest of us.
Are you doing this as a warm up or cool down from the Ridgeway? Although haven't posted since Xmas - too busy doing FLM, insane kayaking and working:
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I did the full marathon last year and only went a tiny bit wrong once - following a crowd of people who'd also missed one of the very obvious yellow arrows (soon after the 2nd checkpoint I think it was so not even in the middle of a field !). It was a good race - bit more road than I'd expected (in the last 6 miles) but I'll probably do it again.
It does hurt seeing people peeling off at the 30km mark !!!
I'm thinking of doing the 20K version, first long run since Reading HM (my local) as have been doing 10Ks since. I grew up ner Salisbury and my Dad still lives near there so thinking of combining with a trip down. Is it well organised, what about parking, how early do you need to get there? Would it be worth coming down the night before to dodge the Stonehenge holiday traffic on the A303?
Thoughts and advice please!
I have just signed up again - done the marathon here 3 times before and can recommend it - loads of parking and checkpoints are good and the variety in the scenery stops any boredom. Pretty hard to get lost I'd say unless you lose concentration which is possible on a hot day.
Also the marathon works out at about 27.5 miles - be warned.
Am also using it as a training run for the Ridgeway
It should be a superb, fun day out again, looking forward to it.
quite like the sound of this
can any locals recommend a nearby campsite?
thanks
foxy, i'd say coming down the night before is a safe bet, although traffic shouldn't be too bad on a sunday morning - might be going home that's worse!
ultrakaz, from what i can make out unless you are racing it, and therefore not wanting to stop and check the directions too much, it should be fine. that's what i'm relying on anyway!!!
tmw, i don't know any campsites, sorry!
oh, yeh, doh!!
Campsite is located 3 quarters of a mile from start of race. It's in Hudson's field, off Castle Road at north end of Salisbury and in the shadow of Old Sarum (ancient hill fort site). It's a well recommended camp site. Hope this helps.
Knowing Salisbury and surrounding area very well (lived here for 20 years) I am extremely interested in doing the marathon (just need to work out if I am fit enough) as this area is majorly easy on the eye.
I am really thinking about doing the marathon in preperation for the L2B can any 1 tell me if they think it would be a good Prep for L2B or should i keep lookin 4 another event
This is not a good race if you are racing with issues at certain check points. It is also possible to get slightly confused even with the map when running quickly. We missed an arrow that was not in the middle of a field and ended up staring at a barb wire fence(first 6 runners WHOOPS). Other small incidents but as a rule the instructions worked well.
I know of a few people who were sent the wrong way in the 10 and 20km but recovered ok.
In conclusion
the course is pleasant and runs through lovely countryside and though I will not be back I would say it is fine for a long run but it is not really a race.
anyone else got their race pack? couldn't believe it when it popped through the letter box, how efficient is that?!
Signed up for the 30k.
I'm worried about getting lost now - i can't read a map and have an awful sense of direction!!
x
i'm sure it'll come soon, jellybaby! i applied very early, they probably send them off in batches.
i think if you take your time you are unlikely to get lost, don't worry!
I am also thinking about this one as a August mara, may well wait until the day though.