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Beachy Head Marathon
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I am hoping the weather is nicer this year and that I don't fall over in the mud and get cramp and cannot get myself up.
Claire - Good luck with your goal this year. I am just going to enjoy it and see what time I get.
Thanks Tracey...yes lets hope the weather is good this year, nearly got lost last yr!
I just want to enjoy it too, that's why I like this race, it's a challenge that everyone is just trying to complete! Plus I'm staying in a Lighthouse, so more excited about that than anything else!!!
Claire - I read about it in a magazine. I will be staying in our Abbey Vogue caravan in Brighton with hubby.
Tracey - that will just as romantic I'm sure!
(just got my VLM entry pack through!)
mord's thanks for reply got a good idea gana wear a road shoe on left foot and trail shoe on right. problem solved!
Thanks again.
First post on RW, Hi to all
This is my first BH, I don't really know what to expect except I did some training down there at the end of July in the rain/fog and the hills chewed me up a bit. Been loosely following a Pfitzinger 70m+ schedule and for the past 5 sundays I've done: trail marathon (3.25) half m (1.24) 23m hilly, 24m flat and today 26m flat. Can anyone give any pointers as to what time would be reasonable to aim for? I'd like a sub-4 but am going into this one with big respect for the course.
Above all though I want to enjoy it.. sounds like a great experience - hope I feel the same after!
Sub 4 could be doable, weather dependant!!
5 (or is it 6) Beachys for me and road shoes have been fine, but I dont go rattling down the hills like some
M..eldy - you could have gone down hill faster on our bums last year.
I hope this rain stops soon our we will have a muddy race.
fubes - How hilly was the trail marathon? For your HM time I'd expect your 'normal' marathon time to be close to 3 hours. If your hill running form is any good, Beachy shouldn't be any more than 30-40 mins slower than a flat road marathon, so 4 hours is very conservative IMO. Having said that, the second half is harder than the first, what with the Seven Sisters at the end, so do leave something in reserve. I reckon 3:45 would be a comfortable target (halfway about 1:45-50).
BTW I 'managed' in road shoes last year but would've used trail shoes if I'd had any.
I rode some of the BHM trails on Saturday - namely from the start to the 1st water station mainly to see how muddy the section is in Friston Forest.
after Friday's downpour the verdict is - muddy. and with more rain since they will have got worse. and with 3 weeks to go and more rain forecast for this week at least, then I doubt they are going to dry out enough. the section at the bottom of the chalk track out of Jevington is also going to get muddy as it pools water.
the good news is that the main open tracks and grass areas are fine - they soak the water up and dry quickly so even hammering down those on the MTB there was plenty of grip.
so, my advice as it stands at the mo is to go with trail shoes. the front runners may not be too badly off with road shoes as the likely muddy sections won't have cut up so much, but for those coming later they're going to be well chewed up and slippery
Hi Phil,
The trail marathon was constantly undulating and muddy in places, but nowhere near the climbs on the BH. After 25k my legs went and did a much slower 2nd half. I think I'll aim for a 1.50 at halfway and take it from there.. I'm looking forward to experience the 'seven bitches'
Thinking hard about trail shoes now, don't have any but sounds like there'll be some muddy parts.
you will probably want to revise "looking forward to" afterwards....
Hi Fubes, I ran Beachy for the first time last year and ran in my trail shoes, I will do so again this year.
Still not done a long run yet....did our club first x country race yesterday in my spikes which was very wet, muddy and hilly. Hoping to run a 20 miler this coming weekend.
this is deja vu - back again a year later and all the talk is still about will the course dry out and trail / road shoes! Judging by last year, no the course won't dry out and road shoes are fine because if you've not got trail shoes well worn in yet, it's too late now!
Is there a profile anywhere please? Slightly silly question I know as I do remember one or two hills from last year in amidst the mist and driving rain, but just want to check again as to when and where if possible.
with the amount of rain we have had since we did the trail check at the w/e (and it's still raining!) then I think it really is a trail shoe year. OK we may be lucky and it will stop between now and the 23rd, but the forest sections and riverbank at Litlington are not going to dry out even if the open areas are fine.
Afternoon all - this is my first BH - but from the comments i've read it becomes addictive - in the sado masochistic sense!!!!!!
Have had a mare training for this one and have done just one run over 17 - my normal marathon time is between 4 and 4.15 - what should i be expecting this time round??? 6? 7? overnight stay??
cf: my road PB is just under 4, my BH PB is just under 5.
James, I agree with Fat Buddha...I'm usually a 3.35/3.45 marathon runner, I did Beachy for the first time last year and finished in 4hrs 18.
Don't worry about the time...it's just a great event which is a challenge and one that is a huge achievement to finish.