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Portsmouth Coastal Waterside Marathon
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Good luck tomorrow. I had toyed with this event but decided a longtime ago against it. I'm full of flu and looking at the weather I must say I'm relieved though I suspect that it could be quite epic!
If wind is west south west, does that mean its against us on the away back?
I'd say it is Zoe
could be a long day.
nevermind.still looking foward to it.
good luck everyone.
My aim is to just get round, the weather will make it more epic!
Good luck everyone
There is lightning in Fareham!
what a morning!
good luck people, see you there
Contemplated pulling out... Decided not to, will head down and see what it is like. I am hoping the weather being so awful will make the after food allowance better.
and in Port Solent Francis - it's wet, wild and windy still, in fact it sounds worse than yesterday - I'm leaving venturing out in it until I have to! Never mind a pack to run in, I may need a tether
I'm weighing down my pockets with mince pies I think!
Oh dear, looks like it going to be fun folks! Good luck everyone, I'll see you in battle!
Just picked up my number ... It's blowing and raining!! Good luck everyone ... Those mince pies will be worked for today.
Each and every one thereafter will be a piece of cake!
Sooooo.....
how was that then for everybody!
The downpour at the start was not quite what I hoped for, but at least it was dry afterwards.
I came in in 4.07. Disappointed with that as I was on four sub 4 but cramp in the old hamstrings got in the way. Lots of stretching and once cramp hits, just seems that I can't get out of 1st gear...
Atmosphere was great I thought, but the course was tough. And those last two miles! Shall we say tortuous?
hope you all got what you wanted out of the race....
Happy XMas!
Really enjoyed it; I agree DF I could have done without the wind at the end. I don't really remember the wind helping along that section at the start, though that was probably because it was tipping it down along that section! I, along with most others was dodging the puddles quite carefully at the start but a few miles in realised that there was no option but to have soaked feet so just went for it!
On a flattish tarmac course I'd have been hoping for sub 3:30 so my aim was sub 3:45 for this. I got 3:37:04 so pretty happy. I say 'got' that's what my Garmin and Runkeeper say, but the official result has me as 'started' but not finished even though I'm sitting at home... something has obviously gone wrong with the chip
Let's hope I can get that fixed 
Well done Dutch Francis. I was 3.30 exactly, having hope for 3.20s (might sneak into 3.20s when chip times come in). My fault for running a bad split - 1.40 out and 1.50 back, but with the wind on my back it was difficult to put the brakes on, and actually I passed many people on the run back, so others must have done the same.
Miles 13-24 seemed okay, my problem was that I didn't leave enough in the tank for the last two miles (the esplanade seemed so easy at the start I'd collapsed it in my mind into a short final sprint!) And I should have practiced running with sodden trainers and socks. Loved the first 24 miles, tortuous was definitely the word for the last 2.
Hope everyone else enjoyed the day. Amazing that the sun came out, the marshalls and atmosphere were great. I'll be back next year..
Happy xmas!
Hope they can sort that for you Phil.
Long report:
Portsmouth Coastal Marathon
Well although the wind as still howling this morning it was dry when we arrived at the race start - until about ten minutes before the off when the heavens opened and it poured down! With about five minutes to go I gave up, stripped down to my vest and shorts and pushed into the middle of the crowd for some shelter. Such was the noise of the steel drums that were playing that the first I knew of the start was seeing the people in front of me start running. Pretty soon I was over the timing mats and off for a flying first mile down the esplanade with the wind behind me. I knew that it was too fast but as usual decided that the 'first mile is free'. Lots of chatty people in the first few miles which was nice. The rain stopped quite soon after we were off and I settled into the run. The course was interesting - a bit like an old fashioned school cross country or an adventure race. Not much in the way of tarmac, lots of trail, some of which was very muddy, puddles that were large, muddy and deep, two sections of shingle beach which we crossed twice, through the woods, next to the sea, by the side of a busy road - lots to look at. In places I was struggling to stay on the path where the wind was blowing so strongly off the sea but I managed to find a few people to tuck in with and was having some nice chats.
The day brightened up, the grey skies were replaced by sunshine and the miles were ticking by most comfortably at sub 8s. Along the Billy Trail, turn round and hey, on the way home already. The great thing was that the course looked quite different in the opposite direction, the tide was coming in, further changing the landscape and some of the views were beautiful. I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd rather be or anything else I'd rather be doing today. At some point I made it into a little group with two guys, a very chatty Roger and a less so Mr White Cap. I said that I'd be happy if we could keep ticking along at 8 min miles and that if they took m home in less than 3.30 I'd buy them a beer if ever they found themselves in Derby.
I didn't always see the mile splits as my wrist was a little numb so I wasn't feeling the Garmin vibrate (I don't have an audible alarm) and the mile markers were positioned where they could get them rather than strictly at the mile points but I felt I was ticking along quite happily. At just past sixteen miles the man in front of me stopped dead in the middle of the path at a drinks station, it was on wet tarmac on a downward slope and I went flying, 'measured my length' as it were. I was straight up, palms stinging, shoulder jarred, knee hurting and the mood somewhat ruined, I'd also dropped the bottle of water that I'd picked up at the drinks station. Picked myself straight up with Roger expressing his concern, started running and did a little mental inventory. Palms very sore, not a problem for running, shoulder hurts, shake arms out and relax, knee is sore, don't look unless you're going to do something about it. Made an effort to take in the view, remember how fortunate I was to be able to run and put the smile and positive attitude back in place. Roger shared his water with me - top man. The aches and pains receded and I concentrated on clocking the next couple of mile times to ensure that I was working and to keep it comfortable until the twenty mile mark.
Hit that in 2.37 and knew that if I could just keep running I was on for a PB - mud, puddles and shingle beach still to come notwithstanding. I was gradually catching and passing people from here on in with very few going past me. Mr White Cap had disappeared at some point, I have no idea if ahead or behind, but Roger was still telling me that we were on track and entertaining me with a marathon tour of the world (he
Sorry - I did say that it was long
(he's run loads of marathons in lots of countries). At twenty three miles I was doing the math and knew that 9 min miles would get me the PB but I also knew that the last mile along the promenade would be totally exposed and straight into the wind. I lost Roger here as he wasn't as quick across the mud as I and I could see some miles creeping over the 8 minutes but I also knew that I had some time in hand. I focussed on staying comfortable, running strong and picking off any women I could see. At last we hit the esplanade and Mr White Cap reappeared and kindly acted as a windbreak - as much as he could. There was a woman just in front of me but I was working very hard into the wind and couldn't find anything else, with a mile still to go it was all I could do to stay strong and push for that PB. And push I did. There as nothing left for a sprint finish but it didn't matter. I crossed the line in 3.27.11 (chip time); 5th woman and 1st woman 40 - 49. Happy Christmas!
Oh, great stuff Little M.iss!
that is excellent, on such a tricky course in unfavourable conditions!
well done.
Enjoy more mince pies and some mulled wine!
Excellent work!
Little M.iss - well done - great run! I think I must have been running with you at some point - you were perhaps in a small group that seemed to steaming along at 22-23 miles. Well done!!
I wish my trainers had been more waterproof! 9 miles and my knees were killing me, medial ligament pain, took painkillers, 17 miles had to take zinc oxide off one toe as it has caused a blister on the other!
5:06:47, but I finished and I ran all the way,
is anyone tempted to do the costal half in feb?
Francis - we walked to Tesco in a search for gf mince pies as I was feeling a little left out but they had none - will have to wait until I get back to the in-laws tomorrow.
Craig - I was wearing a Shelton Striders, Derby, vest.
Well toughed out Zoe. If only I were closer I'd definitely consider joining you.
Ow. Do marathons always hurt that much? I was pretty much on my planned time of 3:50. I crossed the line with the clock showing 3:49:06 and a chip time of 3:48:34. It doesn't tell the whole story, though, with a fairly serene first sixteen miles and a steady drop off once the wind took its toll on the stretch by the A27, followed by an excrutiating last couple of miles from the beach section and onto the esplanade.
Keeping running for that last section has to be one of the hardest things I've done. Still, I didn't actually get overtaken by many people, so I guess not many others were enjoying it either.
Well done to Little M.iss - that's a fantastic time.
Afraid they do in my experience Moonshining - but it does get less painful with practice. Well done on beating your target time.
i was tempted a while back to do this.....after reading the reports not sure if i am glad I didn't or if I wish i had.......
soem great runs...and congratulations LMH on a cracking Pb and result
Seren Nos, I'd say that if you're feeling good the course is not all that slow, but once you start struggling you slow down much more than if it were smooth tarmac and a light wind.
It's a lovely way to kick off the XMas holidays.....
Loved the run and one to add to my list for next year. Its not often you have to wade/run through ice cold sea water on a marathon route.
Unfortunately for me it was one of those days where things just don't line up and i ended up calling my racing attempt quits after 16 miles and dragged myself around the remainder of the course, which although enjoyable was not the plan and is part of the reason I will return.
One minor grip was the baggage queue at the start was very understaffed which led to a 25 minute wait, causing me to miss the start and have to sprint over to join. I made it but I do feel sorry for all the other runners who were still trying to drop things off at the time. I know with chip timing its not as essential to be part of the mass but I would much rather be in the group than running to catch up.
Not my finest hour - 4.40.36 but still enjoyed it and now I am home eating chips I think I will do it again next year so not all bad! Wasn't expecting quite so much mud but such an interesting course - beats the usual road races. Congestion better than expected too. Bit chaotic at the beginning I thought - I didn't realise the start gun had gone - but appreciated the support along the way and the showers at the end to try to scrape off the mud. Next one will be a nice flatty on dry tarmac!