Salomon South Downs Marathon

[Deleted User]

kent 50 mile challenge on July 15th Firmmy
you know you want to


Dickie, i will mail you now

[Deleted User]

Pictures of the marathon at:

http://timwatt.smugmug.com/gallery/3015086

Prints and downloads can be ordered via the site.

Well done to all finishers - many were even sprinting the last few metres!

Tim

goldbeetle

Tim is there more pics to go up Im not in any of your pics?
.....and I did my hair and everything

[Deleted User]

Hi

What was your number, and can you describe yourself in Cilla style?

Didn't get everybody but I have more to upload...

Tim

Southdownsman

PH, XL is what I'm after, although the organisers have kindly promised to send me one of last year's versions.

Purple Tiger

Thanks to all the organisers, helpers, supporters, marshalls, etc who helped make this event happen.

Does anyone know where to find the results?

Thanks

_Woody

Results are here, PT:
http://www.raceahead.net/SearchEvents.aspx

[Deleted User]

FT - I went from 11th to 2nd during the race - but I don't remember seeing you en route- I passed a guy in UJ shorts, a young lad from Blackheath and Bromley and a guy walking at 18 miles. What vest did you have on and did you run a strong race working your way through the field or were you in the group of 5 who sped off at the start?

goldbeetle

if anyone is interested my Garmin showed 4583 feet of climb and 4608feet of descent

if thats accurate give yourselves a pat on the back

Southdownsman

GB, that's an interesting stat - does anyone know how it compares with the other Downland marathons, i.e. Steyning Stinger, 3 Forts, Windmill and Beachy Head?

_Woody

Mike
Some feedback for you on the idea of a split start next year with slower runners going off early, then relay, then the individual race. I think it's a good idea that will reduce the burden on the marshals. They did a great job on Saturday, especially at the road crossings, but that's a long old day for them.

My one concern would be that the slower runners have cleared the single file path up to the Monarch Way before the quick relay runners come through as it's really difficult to pass there.

I reckon you could ask anyone predicted over 4:45 to start early. It will take about 50 minutes to clear the single file bit and the fastest relay runners would be there in about 20. So as long as you have a minimum of 30 mins between the two that should work well.

You could also consider still having 2 starts, with the slower individual runners combining with the relay runners. But I guess that would only save 30 minutes from the marshalls shifts.

This would probably mean more coach logistics to sort out as well as it would be a long wait for the later starters if all travel at the same time from finish to start.

Thanks again for a great event.

[Deleted User]

GB,

I got 5066 ft Ascent, 5046 ft Descent...

SR

goldbeetle

hmmm thats a big difference I wonder why?


anyonelse use a garmin?
we could total them all up and get an average

blimey that sounds really geeky

[Deleted User]

I use a polar foot pod which doesn't use GPS but can monitor ascent. I've never been sure what technology it uses, magic perhaps. Anyway, mine says it was only 3120 feet of ascent and that felt about right to me, not that I'm disputing Garmin's stats.

[Deleted User]

Sole Runner / Goldbeetle - I use a Polar hr monitor with altimeter and it came out at around 3000 feet of climbing. In my extremely humble opinion, beachy head and 3 forts are a bit tougher on the legs and I clocked both of them at 3500 feet, which concur with their organisers' respective descriptions. Steyning came out at about 3000 feet from memory.

That said, I should recalibrate the Polar to the appropriate altitude at the start of each race and I generally can't be arsed, so that could explain the discrepancy between my measurement and yours.

Barnsley, I was wearing a white Seaford Striders vest with a black band. I started off in the first ten or so, stayed well clear of that initial group of five (which included the Blackheath guy), stopped to answer a fairly explosive call of nature at about 6 miles (and got passed by several people) and then just plodded along, picking people up again. I think the guy you saw walking may have done something to his leg. Was he wearing a green vest? I passed the guy in UJ shorts within a half mile of the finish, but I thought he was a relay runner. Maybe not. Anyway, I was very surprised to end up 4th.

Congratulations to you on a great run. What do you do a road marathon in? I seem to do ok on these off road runs, but my best on road is only ten or so minutes quicker. What to do?

Mike Gratton 2

Woody,

I'm thinking of seeing if we can get a better start area if Duke of Norfolk Estate can allow us to start in Arundel - it would need police support to get across the A29 but would mean we can get straight on to the wider SDW and miss the Monarch Way. The estate office wouldn't give us permission when we asked last year but things change.

Interesting looking at all your different gps readings - I haven't downloaded mine from laying the course on friday yet - but I haven't had the same reading twice in the 8 or so times I have been over the course. Tree cover etc. is always going to affect any reading - the first time we measured it as a full circuit it said 26.2 on my 305 - since then it has been +/- 0.4.

Southdownsman

FT, having done all of them quite a few times, I would agree that the others seem to have a bit more climbing. However I was feeling good on Saturday and the weather was ideal.

[Deleted User]

neil Sampson

oh dear you just made me chuckle

"im not sure what technology it uses-maybe magic"

hahahahahahaha!

they should quote that in RW!

goldbeetle

Mike why did the Norfolk estate urn you down??

Mike Gratton 2

Results are now on our website as well.

goldbeetle

or Turn you down even my spellings gone

Mike Gratton 2

We wanted to start in the Castle grounds behind the cricket area - which is the obvious place and there is a nearby Junior school we could use for assembly.

goldbeetle

that sounds ideal good bit of PR for the estate as well, maybe next year

Purple Tiger

What would the ascent & descent be for FLM -or is it pretty much zero?

Firmmy

HI Hippo, the Kent 50 miler sounds quite good, although I have never run 50 miles before!

I have tried to find the race online without success, do you know the link to the web page?

[Deleted User]

you wont regret it Firmmy

http://www.50milechallenge.co.uk/

[Deleted User]

br- the blackheath guy was me. my calves went bye bye at about 17m, from then it was a slow walk!! great event, needs a couple of tweaks, but very good fun!

Southdownsman

Mike, I doubt the police would agree to the race crossing the A29 as it's a busy road, whatever the Norfolk Estate say.

However another alternative would be to use the Monarch's way up to Bignor Hill (to avoid the narrow path from Whiteways to the SDW) and then put in loop later on the route (possibly going straight down to Hooksway at the drinks station between Cocking and Harting, and back up the valley west of Beacon Hill).

I haven't measured this, but there are other options involving loops to the south of the SDW.

limper

Or why not leave it as it is [which is PERFECT] and recruit enough volunteers for relay marshalling?

Taff Boy

Ello all. Good event, well planned , great scenery and lots of water. Big thumbs up from me.