Beachy Head Marathon

16791112

Comments

  • RedheadRedhead ✭✭✭

    Old Gwasshopper, just do Beachy and treat it as a long training run ie don't push the pace.  Although it's a tough route it won't trash your legs in the same way that a road marathon does IMHO image

    Possum, you'll love it!

  • QBQB ✭✭✭

    I agree with you Redhead, OG just go for it as it's your favourite run and have an excuse to go slower than you'd otherwise try to.

    Mind BHM was my excuse for slowing down later in the Greensands marathon last Sunday and my legs still feel rough today after light exercise yesterday - so I may change my tune if they don't improve soon!

  • Guess I'm eating Low GI Carbs for the rest of the week then.. image

  • Been tapering sensibly - Jog Shop Jog 20 was my last long run (and a good reminder about how slippery it is on wet chalk downhill) after 31 + 15.5 miles the previous weekend. This last weekend I only did 10 miles - a four-mile cross-country race with some short sharp hills, and a 10K undulating road race image. So, that's my legs reminded about long runs, mud, hills and even fast running. Now I just have to not do anything stupid in the next few days...

  • Debra - well done on doing Jog Shop Jog 20, it's a tough 20 miler.
  • What's the general view on footwear? Are trail/off road shoes a must for this? Would really prefer not too, as I prefer my road ones for marathon distance. Wet chalk downhill? mmm interesting.
  • I'm sticking to road.  I've found that the lack of grip on chalk, grass etc. far outweighs the added grip on trail.

  • Thanks for the views - RedHead, agree entirely re being beaten up. The trail maras have nothing like the same residual effect - have no problem jogging the day after events like Beachy, SDM etc, but not after a road run. I'm more worried about truing an ankle or somethimg stupid like that.

    I think it'll definitely be a trail shoe day. I know the grass will be fine but there are going to be some pretty muddy stretches (Friston Forest will be like a skating rink, particularly if your there after 500+ runners have gone through already like I might be). Had a difficult experience back in Feb at the Steyning Stinger in road shoes. Never again !! I wear Roclites now, they are sensational grip-wise and also not too bad on tarmac sections as the tread is soft.

    I'm still undecided.......image

     

  • Trail shoes for me. They did me okay for Jog Shop (except on aforementioned wet chalk, but I don't think anything would help on that except maybe spikes) and for NDW50.

    How much of the route is likely to be slippery chalk? And how much is tarmac?

    Tracey G: Thanks. Yes, Jog Shop 20 was a good workout!. Think it would have been easier without the 46 miles on my legs the previous weekend... Hoping that means Beachy will be okay.

  • hello all

    looking forward to this but im in the same boat as a few runners on here , i really want to keep my road shoes  on , dont want to go and buy a pair of trail shoes just for this event , i know i entered a long time ago and should of purchased a pair in advance but hey ho school boy error ! not sure what to do now !

  • for those in a dilemma on what shoes - the simple answer is trail.  road shoes will just not offer enough grip in the muddy/slippy sections and there are going to be enough of them this year.

    "How much of the route is likely to be slippery chalk? And how much is tarmac?"

    20% chalk, 1% tarmac - rest a mix of grass, stones, field, mud and leaves.   in a dry year that's fine with road shoes, but not this year.  and the grassy sections are also likley to be damp.

    seriously if you want to avoid groining yourself get trail shoes.  if you can get the trail equivalent of your road shoes - many brands have them - you will find the fit close to your road shoes so you should adapt quickly.  but don't be tempted to go with anything else that you haven't run in - that could be a recipe for very sore feet!!

    one other thing that maye have escaped notice for those with friends/family coming down to spectate - both Jevington and Litlington are closed to traffic this year (only open for local traffic) to prevent congestion on the vary narrow roads through.  for those who have done BHM before - you will have seen this problem in Litlington as you get stuck behind cars.   if your spectators are planning to go to either of these villages tell them not to - they will not get in and could be forced to do a long walk to get to them or maybe turned around.   they would be better served going to Exceat (start of the Bitches) or Birling Gap where there are big car parks and easy access to the course to watch.    

    it's even causing us problems as marshalls as me and P need to be in Litlington to park so we can walk up to Lullington Heath (closest access) - and parking is by no means a given for us!!

  • Thanks a lot for the info FB. Cannot wait!

  • now i'm panicking as i only have road shoes

  • FB: good luck on the parking front and thanks for the info on the underfoot. Have to admit that wet, slippery chalk is becoming one of my least-favourite surfaces for running. I'm half-wondering whether I should be bringing my Stabil-icers (ice cleats that go over shoes) for the chalk sections!

    Weather report is improving - sunny and cool I can live with.

  • I was out on some of the course last night in road shoes and was fine. Admitley not thro the woods that will be muddy but has been dry all week here and no rain forecast between now and race day (I live in Eastbourne). Fb is right if you already have trail shoes then wear them but if you haven't I wouldn't worry to much. I'll try get out to woods section tonight and report on here tomorrow.
  • Lingster - road shoes will be OK I reckon if you're only your own, or at the front - but by the time 500 or so pairs of feet have been over the softer sections and cut them up, then they aren't going to offer much grip.  and of course, it will be even worse in the woods.   

    I believe the forecast is for some drizzle tomorrow, but sunny all Saturday although only 8C max now.  brrrr.......

  • That chalk is going to get very very slippery in the rain...Wet shale sliding over each other too. Supposed to be really cold this weekend too...

    I'll be thinking of you all when in France this weekend. image

  • Any spare entry places knocking about for this? image

  • if there are, you're too late to transfer - that deadline was last week I believe

  • Trail shoes for me.

    Brighton Road Runner - I have a pal who was trying to shift a place two days ago - you'd have to run in his name if he still has it tho as yes, transfer dates have passed. Let me know if you are interested but I am not a fan of running in others names - but up to you. image

  • I've got access to a place from someone I know if one is still needed (at cost)..........as above though, you'll need to run incognito. PM me if interested

  • In my experience, a downhill rough paths into Jevington and Alfriston, you dont want to fall at these places. May be a bit muddy around friston forest and by river at Alfriston. Apart from this course should be dry, hopefuly no slippy chalk. I run around crowlink / birling gap / belle tout on sunday  in road shoes and it was fine in light dizzle. No rain since then so should be good running conditions. Watch out for wind chill up at Long Man / Bo Peep / Sisters.

    Good luck everyone, enjoy image

    PS

    Look behind you coming into Littlington, everyone misses the white chalk horse 

     

     

     

  • Good luck everyone, new runners and seasoned alike.  I'm a newbie - not only is this my first BHM but my first mara!  To say that I'm psyched for it is now an understatement.   Hope everyone has a great time and lots of adventure (in a good way). image

  • QFS - bad first choice !! Which ever you do after this will seem inferior ! Weather looks like being awesome - chilly, clear, not much wind. Bu**er New York next week, I'm doing this as well image



    Have a brilliant time everyone. Think it was Gary Player the golfer who said 'remember to take time to smell the flowers.....'. Great philosophy for this event - not many flowers, but unbelievable scenery, fabulous atmosphere, great runner camaraderie (you're allowed to chat!) and wonderful Marshalls - remember to speak to them !! Oh and beware the Sisters if it's your first - save a bit of gas for the last 6m. You'll need it.
  • QBQB ✭✭✭

    Great quote that one... I think I took long enough last year to not only smell the flowers but count the petals. This year further recovered from injury, I'll still be sure as ever to take it all in. Enjoy everyone - especially now it looks like the weather may come through for us as an unexpected bonus!

  • This will be my second Beachy, loved it last year but still recovering from Kielder three weeks ago so I'll be smelling anything in my path!!! (could be interesting through the cow field)

    Hey ho....good luck everyone and enjoy x

    FC

     

  • Looking forward to this, third one in a row, still slow as ever but slowly creeping towards a sub 5 hours image. So I shall be smelling the things that there are to smellimage

     

  • QFS - like you his is also my first marathon, really looking forwarded to it but nerves are really starting to build up.

    Weather looks like tis going to be good so should be some great views.

  • for those heading down today - have a good trip down and sleep well tonight.

    me and Petal look forward to greeting old friends and new as we give you some abus...encouragement image on your way over Lullington Heath.  say hello to us as we are freezing our nuts off up there!  then when you lot have passed through we head off to our 2nd marshalling station just above the steps on the start/finish slope - I suspect a few of you will look a little different by then!

    enjoy!

  • I'll be plodding round in my Milton Keynes AC top (black and orange); it'll almost certainly be the only one on display. So if you see a six foot tall 50 year old in an MK vest say hello; I  might even have enough puff to reply.

     

    Cheers and good luck - Raymond

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