South Downs Marathon

Listed by Hills of Death (HOD)
  • Rated 73%
  • 26.2mi
  • Road
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Entrants (2)
Club		 PB SB Pred Time WAVA
atrain247
Liss Runners 		3:43:20 4:51:30 5:33:00 36.61
plodding hippo South Downs Marathon Report 2006 Oooooooooooooo, I have a good idea! Lets do a hot hilly off road marathon a week after a hot hilly road ultra----------- It took 5 days for the pain in my shins and quads to disappear after Dartmoor. Just in time for this event where I would revisit part of the Trailwalker route.Sacrificing the football, I met TmR in Birmigham for a lift down to the event.Nattered for 3 hours about running, marathons, running and marathons. Spent a pleasant evening at limpers, being well fed and watered before a sleepless night. Whats to be nervous about? Its “only “ a marathon! The sun appeared sometime after 4 am-and rose balefully in the sky.By eight it was already warm.Then it was a 40 minute drive to White Ways park, where I met up with forunmites hilly, BR, TmR , LHWMG(who had also done DD the week before), and Dustin-at last! We lined up on the track, and then we were off---------- Oops, not quite-a bit of congestion and a bit of a wallk Off we go Within the first mile was the first hill.I ran up half of it, then common sense got the better of me, and I slowed to a brisk walk.My initial plan of 12 min miling now seemed somewhat ambitious! Fairly soon, I was at the back, but not completely-which was odd. There were people behind me!Sure that wont last. After the 2.2 loop we recrossed the start line and gratefully took on water before heading up Monarch Way to the South Downs Way.The terrain underfoot was flinty chalk or track-quite hard on the feet(I shouldnt have worn old trainers)and I kept stumbling on the flint.Run walk seemed to be keeping me ahead of the 5 behind me, although by this time I was 13 min miling. Mile 4, and an evilly grinning marshal warned me of a steep hill.He wasn’t joking-PHEEEEEEWEEE!.Huff(not as bad as dartmoor), huff(not as), huff(nnnnnn)----- The view at the top was well worth it though.Just after 5 miles, I almost went the wrong way.I don’t know if it is just me, but usually in races, signs are fixed on the path where you SHOULD go.This one wasn’t, it was positioned where one should NOT go, but clearly had arrows pointing in the correct direction.Now, guess who didn’t look at the arrow, but just followed the yellow? Luckily my subconscious registered this, so I went back to check after 100yds, and set off in the correct direction once more. Look at the bloody arrows! Watch your feet!(Trip, stumble!) The plan was to walk up the hills briskly, run /walk the flat, and run all the downhills. Heres a nice descent-oh, im running—whahay— SPLAT!!!!!!! WAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIL! First thought was to look round and make sure no-one had seen/heard me Second was to see if I had smashed my Garmin Third was to see an enormous rip in my leggings-that’s them in the bin. My subconscious told me I had no joint damage, so I was on my feet in 30 seconds and walking down the hill.Then I became aawre of something dripping-oh yeah-blood.Staunched the flow with my precious store of tissues(lets hope I don’t get trotts), and continued walking.The fall dented my confidence, but eventuially I was able to start gentle jogging again and the first checkpoint came into view. A very pleasant surprise to have water AND electrolyte drink! stocked up, said hello to Dips-and off it was again. None of the course looked at all familiar-even though in theory I had done the route the other way roound in 2003.The yellow arrow pointed straight into a field of plants as tall as me.Help! But there did seem to be a path-so I plunged in and ignored the omnious buzzing from around my feet.Looking behind me, I saw 2 of the relay runners following me-I hoped they knew where they were going.Eventually, I came out of the vegetation,and was relieved to see a yellow sign.back to run –walk.The relay runners overtook me, but so far-no-one else had,How odd-Id been doing a LOT of walking.Mile 8 took me 20 minutes, and the average was 15 minute miling-in theory that should get me in under 6 hours 30. It was now really hot, and I started to feel lightheaded.Glucose, fluid, and carry on.!0 miles in 2.26-still on for sub 6.30, but I knew there was a big hill coming at 13 miles. I arrived at the second checkpoint and forced down half a Nutrigrain bar.This was an experiment to see if I could manage solid food in a marathon.The hardest and longest part of the course loomed, timed nicely to coincide with my 12-18 mile “bad patch”. Right Cocking hill, here I come. Surprisingly, despite several stops to catch breath, I did walk up the whole of it in 20 minutes. I was looking forward to doing a bit of run –walk at the top-but it was not to be.The hordes of Sunday walkers and their lethal walking poles started to appear.And they werent moving out of the way for anyone, least of all a large hippo with a race number on.!!!!!!The rutted track was only safe to run on where the walkers were walking-I had to settle for a walk in the furrows.Track rage –grrrrrrrrrrrr-but I didn’t have the energy to charge at them! Eventually, the track dipped down ito the woods.Downhill should have meant running, but it was almost impossible with the walkers, and having to dodge out of their way.At least it was shady. I was losing time fast now-and my time target was revised to sub 7 hours.If I couldn’t run the dowhills, I was only going to get slower-and I knew there was more uphill to come. Fifteen miles was reached in about 3 hours 50 minutes-oh dear. I texted Limper(who was going to be doing the last 6 miles with me), and hoped there were ice creams at Harting Down to keep her occupied. Ahead of me I could see the path curving up and around what looked like a mountain.Sometimes you don’t appreciate the view ahead. Huffing and puffing up that hill, I spotted three runners catching me up, two orange vests made them very visible.About time-I was wondering where they had been!That hill seemed to go on forever-suffice it to sayI posted a 21 minute mile. And suddenly I espied orange vests 100 yards in front of me.They had taken the short cut over the hill-cutting about a mile off the route-but I am not sure I would have wanted to go up THAT hill. I felt profoundly irritated, particularly when the sweep bikes informed me I was last.There had bend 5 people behind me-I guess two were relay runners.The irritation meant I didn’t run as much as I could have. It became clear that here wasn’t going to be any “second wind”-it was a case of grit teeth and get to the finish line-hopefully in under 7 hours. Just before 20 miles, I met Limper, refuelled with SIS and water, and tried to avoid gels being pressed upon me.Sorry-but they look like pus-I just cant get them into me(the paramedic agreed with me). 20 miles in 5 hours 20 And I was getting slower.Low abdominal pain of unknown aetiology didn’t help.Lets just finish Just after 20 miles, we were startled by a runner bursting forth form the undergrowth.She had gone the wrong way, and was none too pleased about it! The sweep bike rode a little way ahead of us, taking down the signs.itsa scene I am all too familiar with. The mile 23 water station, and my Garmin read 24 miles-oh hell!Bloody thing! They were LOVELY at that water station, so encouraging.They told me less than 3 miles to go.Thankyou And then, much to my relief-the 25 mile marker coincided with my Garmin once more.Mr Limper joined us for the last mile or so of the course, and let us know what to expect.No more hills, and even a downhill-but by now I knew I couldn’t run more than a few seconds at a time.Nothing to do with the legs this time-oh no.But I was very fed up, and cross.Not very inspiring, I know, but that’s the truth.I cannot remember ever being so grumpy in a race-sorry Limper! Up through a wood, under the A3 and suddenly I coul;d see the finish line.Oh bugger-I was going to have to make an effort now, since Mike Gratton, TmR and Widsurfin Susie were all standing there cheering.Do I HAVE to??????????? That’s how Susie got a pic of me “running” at the end Great event, great T shirt, but I wouldn’t do this the week after an ultra again. The lack of pain in my legs tells me I could certainly have run more of this.Sometimes the brain protects the body, and maybe that’s no bad thing.
100 Marathon Club 		4:16:46 5:09:22 7:13:00 31.89

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