The Trionium Picnic Marathon

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Comments

  • Dr RobertDr Robert ✭✭✭

    Hmmm.. don't know why this race is flagged up by RW as 'full' - it's not (130 places gone of a possible 250 total). I will ask them to sort that....

  • Ran the half course yesterday so see what it was like. Haven't ran many hills in the last few months but it was tough. Now just have to double the distance and race it.The course would need to dry out an awful lot before anyone tries it in normal runners. Now I must get practising on those 300 steps in Hampstead station.

  • Shall i be a marshal again?

  • Have done Beachy head a few times {4-40 last year} how does it compare with the Picnic? Would love to do this but worried it might be too hard for me!! It would be my 40th marathon so quite an occasion if I take it on ! what do you think Dr robert?

  • Dr RobertDr Robert ✭✭✭

    Ho ho ho. Beachy Head is comparable to the Greensand Marathon, which is runnable. The Picnic is not runnable, after the second or third of the 20 (!) up hills. The downhills are not much runnable either, after a while. The race is only for poor demented souls who have nothing else to do for the summer (during which time they can convalesce...). Still, it would certainly be a milestone!

  • ha ha. I'll be marshalling again insha'allah. Just when I thought "Is there no end to my stupidity?" at least I am not running it.

  • Dr RobertDr Robert ✭✭✭
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    This is just to let you know that there will be a run-through of the outward leg of the Midsummer Munro (ie first quarter of the Picnic), starting at 4pm from the race start (bottom of the Zig Zag Road, Mickleham, RH5 6BN) on Saturday 2 June. We will be going slowly, and we will complete the 7 mile run in about 2 hours (we stop often!). You do not have to tell me that you are coming - or not - just turn up. Well behaved dogs are also welcome, as are non-registered runners/guests.

     

  • Can we run a quarter this Saturday and another quarter next Saturday and so on?

     

  • Dr RobertDr Robert ✭✭✭

    What, in addition to the race? Be my guest!

  • Dr RobertDr Robert ✭✭✭

    The run-through today revealed the full extent of this year's Picnic.... it will be approximately 29 miles in length, with an estimated 7000 feet of ascent and descent.

     

    So, good luck everyone... it all about finishing!

  • Dr RobertDr Robert ✭✭✭

    Recalculating... it will be closer to 30 miles than 29.

  • image Great!! Maybe you should extend the 7hr course limit Doc Rob, we'll be there all night at this rate!!!

  • South Downs done today. No heroics for a sensible 04:35. So I hope I'll be OK for the cut-off's....but.....image wishing you'd lie to us Dr Robert about the distance and make it nearer to 29 again?!

     

  • Doc Rob,  If one decides they would like to do just the half distance Midsummer Munro - Do we need to tell you at the beginning so taht we start at 4pm or can we start at 2pm with the marathon and see how we feel at the half way point and pull out then if we wish?

     

  • Dr RobertDr Robert ✭✭✭

    Anyone can make the sensible decision at any time to finish at the first lap of the Picnic (which will be equal in length to the Midsummer Munro) - you will get the medal for the Munro (but the t-shirt for the Picnic - your name is on it, after all). However, the second lap of the Picnic is shorter than the first by about 2 miles or 25 minutes.... so if you've done the first lap, the second will be a..... 

    I do expect a higher drop out rate than normal this year... but that might be two or three, not many more: you have to be hard as nails to even start this race.... 

    There will be no shame in collecting the medal for the Munro... it will also be a toughie!

  • Hi Doc, what do you expect the winning time to roughly be this year considering last years was under 4 hours?

  • Dr RobertDr Robert ✭✭✭

    The main extra distance is 'at the start' (a bizzarre notion, I know, but you'll see what I mean on the day of the race). I reckon that the winning time will be about 30 minutes slower this year, ie around 4:30.

  • Slightly scared about this 30 mile business image . So does it mean we have 3hrs to make the 16 mile munro cut-off ? thats gonna be tight !

  • Good point! What are the various time/distance cut-offs for this beast, Doc Rob?

  • Dr RobertDr Robert ✭✭✭

    The usual cut-off at the half way point is 3 hours. The cut-off this year will be htree and a half hours (ie 5.30pm). If you are not back at the half way point by 5.30pm, you will have no chance of completing the course within 7 hours (and probably even 8 hours) which is when it gets dark. But if you have taken 3.30 to do the first half, you might reasonably call it a day anyway and take the medal for the half!

    There are no other cut-off times this year - only for the half-Picnic distance.

  • That sounds very fair to me - see you at 2 on June 23! Come on!!

  • Not sure if I'm looking forward to this or not, but I have done my two training runs, the Three Forts and South Downs Marathons and I 'm now as ready as I will ever be.
  • Dr Rob .... I "ran" last year and managed to get the the half in 3 hours and finished in 6:10 ..... seems tight to squeeze in another 3 miles in 30 mins to duck under the 3:30 cutoff [which I fully agree with for everyones sake] ....... do I need to readjust my goals?!

  • QBQB ✭✭✭

    I think we're all adjusting our goals right now based on recent info! I was concerned enough about the usual course before hearing of just how much extra miles and hills we are getting for our money in this special running!

    I recently plodded out an undulating marathon in a bit under 4, so was looking at 6 but now would be happy to survive and finish in 7...

  • Dead right - it's all about finishing this killer Picnic, never mind times and positions - let's hope we all get our just desserts!!! image

  • Dr RobertDr Robert ✭✭✭

    If you got to the half within three hours, you will duck in under 3:30 this year, don't worry. The second 'half' is shorter than the first half.... don't worry, just 'enjoy'!

  • Comforting words Dr. Rob. I'm gonna set my garmin to 13.5 minute miles and heed your advice that this course 'cannot be run'; plod the downhills, crawl the ascents and pray at the bottom of the stairs. Easy.



    When I plead to dropout at halfway please someone just slap me.
  • I did the South Downs Marathon last week, with 5700ft of climbing, in 3:43.

    Is the The Picnic a lot tougher, at 7000ft?
  • helly dhelly d ✭✭✭

    The Picnic has steps - try running them image

  • QBQB ✭✭✭

    Steepness I am assuming will also come into it!

    SDM has three big slopes and they are gradual enough that they can be run (if you so wish!) and so finish times are much less than on this. You're not lulling me into feeling more relaxed about it at this late stage!

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