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Marathon of Britain - 6 days, 175 miles
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Weather-fantastic. Not good for running as it's very very hot. The 1st runners started to come in around 11:50am. Yogi and another chap, both of which are walking, are due back around 3, 3:15 ish,if they keep to their normal pace(so I'm informed) I believe they have only had 1 hours kip inbetween finishing yesterday and and starting off this morning.
Heidi is apparently fine, she's been back a while, well done Heidi. You were probably in the pub when I was there, drinking a well earned lemonade... yeah right! I'm told you got in around 3am this morning! what a long day you had.
I spoke to one of the MOB 'blue t-shirt' gang who was holding the finishing time sheet, sorry forgot to ask your name, and guzzling pints of larger. He gave me this info, thank you whoever you were.
There were a few people with yellow t-shirts on, and wearing 'medals', well done all of you. In fact all looks very impressive and what an idea place to finish, just under the castle walls, more-so outside a pub!
Most of the people around the finish are guzzeling pints of larger like there's no tomorrow, including the 'MOBs', but well deserved I'm sure.
All in all I've found this weeks event thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring. The website forum is brill. And, with the added bonus that it has finished in the 'worlds best city'.
Sadly it hasn't inspired me to enter this event, it's far beyond me, but I will continue in my quest to complete a half marathon instead, which doesn't seem far at all now....
think I may have my fact wrong about Heidi's fnish time last night, perhaps 3am was when Yogi and the other chap got in, soz.
Well done to Anke and Rob cousins - what a fantastic team and Andy Rivett who sadly wasn't well on day two had to take a day off but ran all the other days - MARVELLOUS!
I'm going to go back and sit by the pool - far too hot to be sitting at a computer!
She said that (as always) the support crew have been fantastic - so a huge thank you to them. We runners do not always appreciate that without these people who give up their time for us we couldn't do what we love to do. So - THANKS.
Well done to everyone who has finished. You are all stars!!
weell done
enjoy the lager
So.. who's up for the Iron Man MOB?? Turn round and run back again....!!!
Looking forward to a write-up... if I'm in need of a challenge next year I'll know where to look. It sounds like a fantastic event to be involved with, and the money & awareness raised are for such a good charity too. The big question I'd have to ask myself is would I be brave enough to give it a try?
Just got back in the office and just been reading all your comments. Thank you very, very much. I had a fantastic time, and my feet are already reducing back to their normal size! I have just spoken to Rory, and he has promised me the last two entries I wrote on Friday night will be posted this morning (apologies for the delay, they couldn't get to the internet to post it)
Hope you you enjoy it !
Heidi xx
My feet are still killing me and I can't really walk but it was worth it.......
I won't be doing it next year, but would recommend it to anyone as a life changing experience.
James.
Hi guys, I am still here, only just mind you! It took me 9hr 42mins to get in today, and what a relief it was. EVERYTHING hurts, A LOT! I cannot believe that in a few hours I will be running (maybe not all running!) another 54 miles to Sawley – it all seems far too daunting.
Today we had staggered starts. First start at 7.30am for the slowest, next for middle runners at 8.30am, and the fastest at 10.30am (for some reason Mike and I were slotted in to this group). We headed off, in a sort of slow painful shuffle round the canal, through checkpoint one, and onto checkpoint 2 at Warwick Castle. It was after this point that our navigational skills let us down again. Fortunately, I spotted an OAP, armed with a ramblers stick and cornetto, moving very slowly indeed. I thought he must have been headed onto a footpath so we sneaked behind him, and slowly, very slowly he found the path for us – hooray! The sun really beat down on us, and it was bizarre to go from saying ‘Morning’, to ‘Afternoon’, to finally ‘Evening’ to passers by that dared to say hello to smelly, sweaty, crippled pair of ‘runners’. I realised just how bad 4 days of the same sweaty clothes looked, as the nice guy selling the Big Issue turned to me, opened his mouth, looked me up and down, and turned away! We plodded on! The day went on, and on, through Kenilworth and on to the finish at Coombe Country Park. I didn’t get in until after 8pm so I headed straight for the food, then waited at the doctors van to have my blisters seen to (I have three blisters on each of my little toes, but this is not as bad as most people – eek!) and I am off to bed now as it is a 6.30am start tomorrow.
Mimi – YES, the stinging nettles are definitely still there, and they are still up to the armpits – lots of thorns mixed in too. Dan is currently over my shoulder saying hello to you, and Shields, and Neil.
Hopefully I will be back in time to write about tomorrows long day.
The messages are all amazing, thank you all. Rich prints out your emails and I pass them around. We finish at Nottingham Castle, anytime after 12pm I think. You can use GPS systems, but they wouldn’t work on an event like this, there is too much navigation for it.
Puff – YES, that was us!!
Neil – You had better have November issue sorted – I want a relaxing week next week! Give Pauline a hug for me too please.
The first man in was Jeremy Bragg, the overall winner at the moment. He won in an amazing 5hr 49mins. The last person came in 13hr 32mins.
Sorry for the delay in this post. I haven’t been able to read any of your last messages, so apologies if I am ignoring any of you! I came in very late last night, and was up out this morning before I got chance to write anything.
A synopsis of the two last stages:
Stage 5
I still can’t believe I have actually completed this stage. What a day. I came in at just before 11pm last night, taking just over 16 hours. It was long, long slog. If I had had time to write about it last night, it would probably be a very different story, but on reflection, I had a great time!!! The day started quite well, off at 6.30am (the middle pack – the leaders started at 8.30am, and the slower runners went off at 4.30am) painkillers were working a little and we managed to run for a long stretch up the canal towards Market Bosworth. We did manage to get lost, of course, by coming off too soon. We met up with Mark who was resting under a tree, he had got some serious chaffing in places where men would never want to have chaffing, he got vaselined up at the checkpoint at Coombe Park and we were off up the sneaky hill they shoved in for good measure. It was boiling hot at this point, and it took all we had to reach the point. We got up, and plodding down, we realised afterwards that we had not stopped to take in the view, we were so tired we had gone onto auto pilot. It was actually a really good point in the stage though, as we walked, joked and reflected until our legs were ready to shuffle again.
But then the rumbles started! And then it absolutely poured down. Within minutes the fields were flooding and we were running through mud and rain. It was funny at first, but it went on and on, and I got colder and colder. The run along the canal to checkpoint 5 seemed to never end, and running ankle deep in water was seriously getting me down. We finally reached checkpoint 5, then checkpoint 6. We had been going for over 14 hours by this point and we only had 3 miles to go – fantastic. It took us over an hour to get through those 3 miles. We got totally lost in the dark. We were so tired and cold, all we wanted to do was go to sleep, but we couldn’t even find where we were on the map, and by this time it was pitch black. We plodded up a long road, then back again, then back again. My vision had started to blur, and everything seemed to be in slow motion. I was panicking that I was going to have to give up, just a mile before the finish. I can’t explain what that feels, but I never want to feel it again. We got back though, to huge applauds, Rory gave me an almighty hug and I realised that it had all been worth it. Went to bed in wet clothes, and wet sleeping bag, but I was so glad.
The last person, Terry, came in at around 9am this morning after setting out at 4.30am the previous morning. He had a few minutes to get himself together, before setting out again for the last stage – and I thought I had it bad!
I’ve finished! Those 10 miles along Beeston canal was a slog after doing yesterday’s distance, but I knew that every step was nearer the finish. I honestly can’t believe it’s over. It still hasn’t sunk in. We have all covered a minimum of 175 miles, and climbed the equivalent of five eighths of Mount Everest. When I turned the corner, and saw the finish, I could hardly breath and the lump in my throat was too much. Yes, I cried, and when I hugged my Mum who was waiting for me at the finish, I cried some more. There is no point in writing how I felt, because I can’t put it into words – you will have to do it yourselves, and I would definitely recommend it.
Clive celebrates his 40th Birthday today. I can’t think of a better memory for him to look back on and say ‘I finished 175 miles on my 40th Birthday’. Happy Birthday Clive, and I hope the blisters recover soon! I will remember every single person that took part in this event. They are all amazing people and I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to meet these new friends, and hear of their amazing tales.
Jeremy Bragg won in an amazing 32 hours – unbelievable (the official times are on the www.marathonofbritain.com website if you are interested.)
I ended up second women. Maria won the first women around the course (although she didn’t navigate so wasn’t able to win the overall first place), and Anke came in first woman. Mike and I also got a bonus ‘who got lost the most’ mention!
Thanks again to all of your support, it was truly wonderful. I am back in the Runner’s World office on Monday, it all seems bizarre that I have to lead a normal life again!
A wonderful account of our journey (race does not seem appropriate) reading your commentary I can believe I had a great time – although I may not always have been too certain about that.
Strangely, I never thought we were lost that much (perhaps it was your navigational skills), in most of my training runs I was definitely lost more often and for longer – did I forget to mention that at the time? Although, Rory calling us over at the start line of the 54 miler and saying “you two really ought to team up with someone who knows what they are doing” should have been a clue that perhaps others were fairing better!
Anyway, hooray for all the jelly babies and marmite sandwiches – I won’t be eating either for a long time to come. Porridge is strangely unappealing as well!
You’ll no doubt be relieved to know that the blister on my toe did not prove fatal and so on Sunday I went for a run. How sad is that?
Mike.
I just wanted to add our congratulations from the MOB Directors and crew. It certainly was a week to remember and your face as you crossed the line on the 54 miler and at the end was a picture mostly of tears.
Still can't believe that you stuck with Smithy all the way...but you still got there all the same. Be interesting to know just how many miles you did!
For the on looker to your diary, Heidi's words go only part way to describe a week of a lifetime. Come and experience it yourself, entries are open for next year and people interested in the event please email rory@marathonofbritain.com .
Now Heidi, rest your feet and enjoy your acheivement.
Well done...
Rory Coleman
Race Director
Flame Health Marathon of Britain
thats all a hippo cares about
Thud
- gawping at a map
- getting lost
- armpit-high nettles
- carrying their clothing, sleeping bag, day food & drink
- eating, drinking
- refilling drinks containers
- trying not to run on their blisters
- avoiding lightening bolts
- trying not to fall in the canal
- various pastie and fish & chip shops
i think i could handle the armpit high nettles, but the pastie, fish & chip shops would finish me off for sure
Road half marathon PB: 1.49
(Bristol HM)
Estimated road marathon time: 3.49
(from the race time predictor at http://www.runningtimes.com/pace/predict.htm)
Signed hilly multiterain marathon: 4.48
(Beachy Head marathon)
Hilly multiterain marathon requiring navigation: 6.47
(MOB26.2)
Bunging my last time in the race time predictor gives an estimated 113.08.19 - one and a half miles per hour! Bl**dy hell! Is this right? Or do race time predictors go a bit adrift for higher distances?
Of course, knowing the route would be a big help.
Shelley's just had a look at this and said "no"!!!
Anyway, congratulations on a wonderful achievement Heidi.
Shelley hasnt done an ultra yet
i think she is sensible;)
It is just amazing.. total respect to you al, regardless of finish time. Just to finish at all is a massive achievement.