Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
South Downs Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K
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
Must stop posting on my old PC as it turns my carefully crafted responses to gibberish.
Beachy - Redhead has it covered. Even when full it is often possible to arrange number swaps with people who have pulled out up till September.
Salisbury 54321 is nice though mixes in a bit more road and pavement with the trail. Arrows are sometimes moved meaning it is possible to go off course occasionally.
Portsmouth is a different kettle of fish, not exactly trail but fun nevertheless. It's a small race so fills up quickly. (I'm also planning a post race drink in the conveniently located Florence Arms after).
Greensands is also beautiful but would I imagine be very tough if the weather was bad as some paths are narrow and steep and rooty.
Daisydoo, shoegirl, Merrowman - welcome to the dark side
. I generally enter races rather than train as a) I live in not very traily London and b) I am lazy.
????
Daisydoodoo, I have to agree with you. Saturday was absolutely FAB!!! I've only ever run the VLM marathons last year and again this year with times of 4.42 and 4.36. I managed 4.42 on Saturday and had a much better time that ANY urban race. I actually said this year that I didn't enjoy the VLM because of the noise etc. and would like to run a completely rural race, more akin to my training.
The SD was absolutely fantastic. I can't believe the downhills ended up hurting as much as the uphills after a while ;0)
I have the New Forest Marathon booked on 23rd September and will look for another towards the end of the year so I can utilise my current fitness.
Bring on the trails ..........
Big stuff next for me is the London to Brighton off road bike ride in September and the Abingdon Marathon in October, with a few road halfs dotted before, between and after. I'm looking for a long race around 8th or 15th July - anyone know anything about the Fairlands Valley mara in Stevenage, or the Chichester Challenge?
Considering entering for the Portsmouth marathon, but as it's on 23rd December may need to consult family it being so close to Christmas and a fair distance from Reading. Would hopefully make maintaining Marathon level fitness over the year easier if I could do one every quarter and yet not impact too much on family life and other commitments...
Chichester Challenge is a nice route but don't bank on any organisation.
If you do it just think of it as a solo run that you've mysteriously paid for the privilege of running.
IMHO.
Limper - thanks for that - seems to be a fair bit of criticism of the organisation on the event page here
Daisydoo - I agree with all the comments/info above - Beachy, Farnham, Stinger and Three Forts all great in their own way. I find the trail maras a far more life enhancing enjoyable experience than road plodding.......
Re training, I do a long run most weekends, plus a tempo run and some intervals during the week, bu no with any real structure. I'm aiming to do around a marathon every 4/6 weeks, so just kind of bumble along really
Daisydoo - I agree with all the comments/info above - Beachy, Farnham, Stinger and Three Forts all great in their own way. I find the trail maras a far more life enhancing enjoyable experience than road plodding.......
Re training, I do a long run most weekends, plus a tempo run and some intervals during the week, but not with any real structure. I'm aiming to do around a marathon every 4/6 weeks, so just kind of bumble along really
Daisydoodoo, I never train specifically for trail marathons - you put far less pressure on yourself if you just treat them as an extra long training run. Like OG, I don't have a particularly structured training programme - I usually do a LSR of 12-14 miles at the w/e, a fartlek session - otherwise known as a hash run - and a couple of 6/7 milers - all c/c. In the winter I replace one of the c/c runs with a treadmill session and also do some circuit training, spinning and yoga.
Shoegirl, Salisbury is an incredibly well-organised event, just like SD, but has nothing like the hills. However it is tough - particularly when it's hot - and the magnificent cathedral that you run past near the end never seems to get any closer!
As I said, if anyone wantsa lift to either Chichester or Salisbury, I can collect them at Barnham station.
See you all at Chichester next month. Make yourselves known - I will be wearing my 100 marathon vest, of course!
OG btw, I wouldn't call 4.10 at the SD bumbling along.
I would also reiterate that, if you like trail events, join the LDWA - they organise fantastic value-for-money events and produce an excellent quarterly magazine.
I will definitely look into some of those, liking the sound of Beachy Head. I've done a LDWA event once and I especially liked the beans and chips at the end and massive cup of tea - all for £6 or something. Brilliant day.....except I'm rubbish at reading maps and got lost (by 5 miles)
. Do fancy doing one of their 30 milers but think I should do it with someone that is a bit more clued in.
now that we're all fans of trail races - can I convince you to all do them in "flip flops"???
LOL Merrowman! I can trip over thin air so the idea of me trying to run in your footwear is probably not a good idea
Re LDWA events. I did the 15 mile option on the Windmill Walks & Marathon event several years ago but I haven't seen that advertised since. Does it still exist?
Still not sure if I should enter Farnham. I told my self southdowns was going to be my last marathon of this year!
Think I'll do two/three weeks training and then decide.
Its great to see so many good reports of this years event, and even better to hear of those that have fallen in love with trail events.
I have run the South Downs marathon the past 2 years (my only marathon event), and had entered/trained for this year aiming for 4:15 based on previous times. I sadly had to pull out due to a chest infection that started with 5 days to go. It was a tough decision, and I was sorely tempted to turn up to the start but lets face it .... we all know this event is tough enough in tip top condition let alone with tight airwaves and a hacking cough. Gutted, given my training felt like it was working, but it was the right decision I'm sure.
Still its been great to catch up on this thread and hear how well everyone did and how enjoyable it was.
@Chillies, great time. Congrats on your sub 4.
@Merrowman, fantastic time ... and in flip flops!
@OGH, a great time too .. plus I'm another advocate of your training plan!
@SDM, huge congratulations on your 100th marathon.
@HellyD, glad to hear you sorted the entry issue ... I remember you from last years event thread. Great sub 4 time
Well done to everyone, I'm sure you'll be back again next yeat - see you then!
Thanks for highlighting some upcoming trail events this year. I have just entered the Farnham Pilgrim marathon in Sept to get my trail mara fix for 2012
. Anyone else fancy it?
Cheers
Pic of me and Chillies for breakfast going through the first check point (I think).
I'm planning on entering the farnham one too...
Daisydoodoo, you don't need to read maps - just be able to follow instructions. Anyway becoming temporarily unaware of your whereabouts - quite different from getting lost - is part of the fun!
Merrowman, why wear flipflops when you can run in bare feet - as I saw one guy doing on Saturday?
Merrowman - that's me!! Was that taken by your wife at the bottom of Littleton Down? I didn't get picked up by that checkpoint somehow. I'd like a copy of that pic if you have a full size one
if you send me your email address (send me a message here) I'll email it over. She took a number
cheers Merrowman - you haven't got private messaging open on your profile, so I'll have to stick my email address here - no spamming/phishing me please, forumites
guy@wigmore.clara.co.uk
Did somebody mention a Salisbury trail event in August?
Yeah the Salisbury 5-4-3-2-1 on August 12th, choice of distances, looks good
legs have just about recovered from Saturday now!!!!
Meon - Farnham is fabulous........if you like the SDM you'll love it.
OGH, glad that i've signed up for Farnham. Are you running it too, is it as hilly as the SDM?
Salisbury, Farnham and Clarendon have similar total ascents, although the terrain is different, particularly on Farnham that goes along the North Downs Way.
Chichester is more like the SD, but much less of the route is on the ridge. However it has lovely scenery, particularly around Goodwood.
Southdownsman - I get lost in a supermarket, I've embraced the fact that I have this amazing gift and enjoy the journeys, unfortunately those with me don't.
I'm trying to go down the chirunning route, as I was getting injured and told to stop heel striking. Would be interested to hear how you've done it, OG. I'm even thinking about going the whole hog and go barefoot. Was going to try and do it very slowly and build it up. But was worried, is it all ruined if I then put on my heavy trainers, as I don't want to decrease the mileage? Just beginning to look into it and still very green about it all. Was impressed to see vibrams and sandals on Saturday - think it is the future
Daisy - drop me a pm or your email address and I'll reply - don't want to bore everyone else here with my views.......it's been a journey.......and not finished yet. I'm by no means an expert but can explain what I've done, what has worked, what hasn't worked and the huge benefits I've seen......