Started training for first marathon in Oct. Thought this might be a good race to start with, followed by a couple of half marathons and of course loads of training!!!
Anyone else done this race, I hear it has loads of hills!
It is a beautiful race I run the route fairly often as it goes past my house twice. The hills aren't so much sharp as constant - there are a couple of flat bits, but only about 100m each! But, what goes up must come down!
We must pass each other from time to time! When I started running I used to run the Holybourne to Binsted section of this route and it never occurred to me that it was particularly hilly. It was only when another runner described it as 'that long, slow, uphill drag to Binsted' that I started thinking of it as a hill at all
They think of that as a hill? What about the road from holyborne to the froyle road, commonly known as holyborne hill? Absolute killer but the view from the top is gorgeous!
Brockham Hill? It is 2 miles from my house to the top of that road - 'top' being the operative word!
Husbando ran the Alton 10 in the 'old' days when it went up Upper Anstey Lane at the very start of the race (behind the Manor Estate up to the Old Odiham Road). He said that thinned out the field very quickly!
Actually, thinking about those two regular runs, the Alton 10 isn't very hilly at all! The hill to Binsted is the worst bit, and it is out of the way before you get to the water station at mile 3.
It's a long drag up to Binsted but I think the shorter hills are worst. The one around 7 miles after the railway bridge and the one at 8 miles after the mill. Senic course more than makes up for it. Enjoy!
I love this run. I do most of the 10 as my marathon training, digressing into the middle of Bentley and then picking the run up again at Mill Farm in Isington.
It is definitely not flat but the scenery is stunning. After 'that long drag' up to the top at Binstead, you get a quick steep short downhill to Blacknest, then it is pretty much flat until Isington when it undulates most of the way home. The view over to Froyle on about mile 7-8 is brilliant.
I dropped off my form last night with the race sec, who said they were a bit down on last year's numbers. I have entered on the day in the past with no bother at all, so I would say you should be fine.
Comments
Rob,
Done this race many times; it's a really well organised club race with a good mix of runners.
The course is undulating with two sharp hills.
Thinking about it I always think these races have 2 hills and there's always one I forget about, anyway I digress.
If I get back to fitness I'll be there.
Do it, you'll enjoy it
Piers
Yeh,
don't think about the hills, just take it as it comes, some lovely scenery in parts too. (Got a pb last year so the hills can't be too bad!)
See you there!
Paul.
It'll be my first time doing this one. Every year it clashes with other events but this year it falls on a free weekend.
I'll be interested to see whether it lives up to the claims about the hills. Would you say that it was hillier or flatter than Ryde 10?
I've also been warned that this weekend tends to get freak warm weather more than it should.
Husbando ran the Alton 10 in the 'old' days when it went up Upper Anstey Lane at the very start of the race (behind the Manor Estate up to the Old Odiham Road). He said that thinned out the field very quickly!
Actually, thinking about those two regular runs, the Alton 10 isn't very hilly at all! The hill to Binsted is the worst bit, and it is out of the way before you get to the water station at mile 3.
I like this race a lot
Yes....it is a great race!!!!
(I have to admit to being a little biased - I am an Alton Runner)
It's a long drag up to Binsted but I think the shorter hills are worst. The one around 7 miles after the railway bridge and the one at 8 miles after the mill. Senic course more than makes up for it. Enjoy!
I love this run. I do most of the 10 as my marathon training, digressing into the middle of Bentley and then picking the run up again at Mill Farm in Isington.
It is definitely not flat but the scenery is stunning. After 'that long drag' up to the top at Binstead, you get a quick steep short downhill to Blacknest, then it is pretty much flat until Isington when it undulates most of the way home. The view over to Froyle on about mile 7-8 is brilliant.
Do the run, you won't regret it!
Does this normally get full up? Thinking about entering on the day
I dropped off my form last night with the race sec, who said they were a bit down on last year's numbers. I have entered on the day in the past with no bother at all, so I would say you should be fine.
Why cant I enter through RW?
Oranges Rule - I think you need to be a RW mag subscriber for this run, not sure why?
Enter on the day, its only a couple of pounds extra