Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
The Great Clarendon Marathon
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Looks like it's going to be heavy rain on sunday for this
.
Jacket at the ready!
Looks like a repeat of 2008 conditions on the cards - bring your wellies!
On another point could any one in the know clear up what are the arrangements for parking/pre race transport for the marathon? The website says use the South Winchester park and ride but the race pack says to park at the Kings school and the buses will take us from there??
from what I understand the buses to the start (Salisbury) go from the Park & Ride now .... and then there are other buses from the finish (at the school) back to the P&R. All a bit confusing ...
at this rate muddier than 2008 if that's possible
Thanks Capricorn. Spoke to Paul and it seems I missed an email with the revised details. Good job you mentioned it in an earlier post or I would be stood at the school like a lemon wondering where everyone was!
Good luck to you and all the other posters. Enjoy the race and the mud!
Hi All,
I am signed up for this tomorrow, but have run in to car troubles. On the off chance is there anybody going to this that is from the Reading area? I will chip in towards fuel costs if someone is happy to share a lift down...
Many thanks.
Mike x
Can't make this now. just been advised by my physio not to train for at least a week due to Achilles tendon problem
Good luck everyone. man am i pi**ed off.
Paul
Weather's foul here (London), I'm just hoping it'll rain itself out and be a bit drier tomorrow.
It's going to be a swamp tomorrow, isn't it?
The day after I'm really glad I did it.
Hard, hard slog for me though, just miles an miles of no grip mud, honestly I thought a couple of the bits were impassable and possibly dangerous. This isn't a critism. I choose to do it, I could of stopped an if I had just a bit more sense I prob. would have.
It did stop raining after the first 3 hours and when the sun came out (yes it really did happen!) it is a very pretty course, that view over the valley and the swans on the rivers very beautiful indeed.
A great big Thank You to all the volunteers who made it happen, esp. those who got a soaking so we could go the right way! Very good job Winchester Rotary Club thanks so much.
The day after I'm really glad I did it . But next year I'm taking more notice of the weather forcast!
I loved it! I know I only did the half, so I had it easy and missed most of the rain, but I wasn't expecting to enjoy it.
I don't do off road, I don't do hills, I don't do mud... But I had company all the way round and the encouragement from everyone else was amazing.
I might ahve to get a bit more off road practice in so that I can have a better attempt at it next year. The sprained ankle and sore achilles I could do without.
No man, I am serious here. That was like a marathon stuck on top of a marathon for extra pain. The rain mixed with the mud made it hard to stay afloat especially going up hill, which seemed to be all the time.
I've had a few easy marathons recently and i'd forgotten just how wicked they can be when the going is against you.
Can't wait until next year.
Was my first time and I really enjoyed it, as much as you can obviously. Incredibly well organised and marshals at every turn. The few days before I was getting really worried about it with all the rain and while it was muddy it wasn't as slippery as I thought it might have been, even in road shoes.
Good to hear that other people found it tough, I was really starting to struggle around 18-19m which tied in nicely with arriving at the bottom of that monster hill. Managed to keep on going though and finished 42nd overall so very happy. Would be interesting to run it again without the mud & rain.
well, what can i say?
THANKYOU to Paul and the team for yet another superb event
well marshalled /singpostedat all points, fabulous well stocked checkpoints, some awesome views and a nice t shirt
I did this last year when it was bone dry, and WOW what a contrast this year was
i wore off roaders, but never again, i need my cushioning and will take my chances with the muddy puddles next time
was nice to help a young lass around her first marathon
Chantelle you are hardcore, i would not have picked this as a first!
Some piccies here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7736510@N08/
I never made it very clear but I thought this was everything an off-road marathon should be. Now that I have had a couple of days to recover a little I can now look back with pleasure at having conquered the Distance and terrain. This is a top marathon and next year i will be back to give it a kicking, in a nice way.
Many thanks to Paul and his team.
Well done to all Clarendon first timers!
I choose Clarendon for my first marathon too, so you aren't the only crazy ones!
I've never raced such a muddy, rooty, hilly and slippery course. The organisation was pretty slick and the marshals were great, standing around in those conditions for hours, clapping and cheering EVERY runner - fantastic.
Despite the conditions I really enjoyed it until the monster hill at 20 miles, the wheels fell off big time as I was hit by terrible cramp, I had to run/walk the rest in agony finishing in 4:18:08
Still proud to say I completed such a tough one though, and now I have a target for next year!
PS. great quality mementos
But this was the first marathon I ever did.
It was utter hell, but I am proud to say that I have done it. Nothing less than an adventure.
Lovely people on way handing out water and jelly babies. Why bother with massive city marathons when you can do these?
The best moment when some irate driver being stopped to allow the runners to cross the road shouting 'But this is our road!!!!'. The lady from the Roundtable marshals went over and told him to pack it in.