Maidenhead Easter 10M - March 2008

This year was the 55th running of the event and the first year with chip timing. The race was based around the Maidenhead “Office Park” and there was some grumbling on the Runners World forum because the first three miles comprise one small loop then two big loops of the Office Park and the long approach road from the A4. The route then turned west along a tarmac path and into the teeth of a bracing north westerly wind that weather nerds would class as a ‘”strong breeze”, strong enough, though, to blow us sideways at times. Happily, the route turned round at 5 miles and the next mile or so was a delight along a vehicle free country lane with the wind at our backs and the sun in our faces. The route then followed the pavement of a busy road before turning up a back lane, along two more gravel tracks then back into the business park for the final mile.

This is a generally fast road race with real PB potential with good weather. Even in less than perfect conditions, the winning time was 51.52 and the first woman finished inside 60 minutes. 1445 entered and 1139 finished. I was 199th, with a chip time of 69.55. Sadly, the race was marred by the death of one of the competitors, a Vale of Aylesbury runner who as a V45 the previous year had run sub 60 minutes for the 10 mile course. This time he collapsed near the finish. Paramedics arrived within 6 minutes and an air ambulance sped him to Wexham Park hospital but, tragically, he died eight days later.

Martin Truran
March 2008

Paris Half Marathon - March 2008

Well, it was always going to be an excuse for eating, drinking and shopping – the Paris Half marathon that is. And indeed it was a truly international weekend. James, Hilary and Molly the dog trained it in from Zurich; Ted and Jane took the quaint, like-flying-used-to-be flight from Southampton and Jo and Kirsty flew in, executive style, for less than 48 hours.

Jane and Hilary managed to shop until they almost dropped (the boys already had) with regular energy stops in the form of brandy and cake. Needless to say we prepared for the race with large quantities of protein and beer.

The race day was a leisurely affair. We managed to deposit James with dog and luggage in a local café while the rest of us ran the 21.1 km – well we had said we would! Nursing injuries and with limited training under our belt, most of us were keen to get round in a semi respectable time but no great aspirations. The course was grim to start with but became more scenic. Clearly the big sights are reserved for the marathon proper.

Well we all managed something within our expectations. Thankfully the results don’t appear to be published. Ted and Hilary seem to have matching injuries but slightly different attitudes to dealing with them. Hilary has moved into triathlons (little ones) and Ted is carrying on regardless. What does that say?

Hilary Kennedy
13 March 08

Club Skiing Trip - January 2008

Five a.m. never feels like a good time to be awake but it felt even stranger when we arrived at Debbie's to find her...ready to go?! After an uneventful journey we arrived in Geneva and boarded our mini bus headed for La Rosiere in France. We paid a visit to a traditional French cafe en route - McDonalds - and several members of our party showed what committed athletes they really are by 'going large'.

Having arrived at La Rosiere we quickly settled into our Chalet and spent the evening celebrating Ross's birthday. Disaster struck within hours of arrival when it was alleged that an unknown individual had blocked the basement toilet (it must have been the McDonalds); our hosts managed to secure the services of 'the only plumber in the village' but alas the 'phantom basement bog blocker' struck again and we were without a fully functional toilet in the basement for the rest of the holiday! As if matters couldn't get any worse for the 'basement crew', a member of our party was struck down with travellers trots and managed to get in a bit of speed work making endless trips to the upstairs toilet!

Between toilet jokes, entertainment from Chris and Ann's glove puppet (should we be worried about them?) and talk of Ross sleepwalking with a light sabre (!), we did manage to get in some excellent skiing. In our chalet, the beginners went from level 1 (defined as 'a hazard to ourselves and others'), to skiing all the way over to Italy with a little help from the more experienced skiers in our party. Chris did try to end his holiday on day 1 by following Paul down a green run which turned out to be a blue run (a good advertisement for learning some basic French), but thanks to Debbie's healing hands he was back skiing the next morning. John's attempt to learn to snowboard was over on day 3 when he cracked a rib falling off a button lift, but he gets 10 out of 10 for his efforts to justify the need for another trip to the slopes later this year to make up for missing out this time - will Alison buy it?! Paul presided over another misadventure later in the week that ended with him and Pete missing the last ski lift home and having to get a taxi back to La Rosiere! Lesson...don't follow Paul...

We enjoyed the après ski and became firm friends with 'Red Erik', the local ale. No one was really sure what % alcohol it contained but it tasted good and definitely provided a bit of extra warmth on the walk home to the chalet. Our hosts were excellent and made sure we were all well fed with wonderful 3 course meals every night, a few of us will be feeling the extra pounds on our runs in February.

Thanks to Ted, Jay and Nella for organising such a superb holiday, we'll definitely be up for next years ski trip and would recommend it any other 'Ski Virgins' in the running club who want to give it a go - Ski Sunday here we come!

Editor’s note: you may be interested to know that our Alpine members who drove from Switzerland didn't realise there are several other, less well known, La Rosieres. Unfortunately their GPS had them all, and kindly took them there. Let's just say the journey took rather a long time!

Jungfrau Marathon Race Report - September 2007

A popular marathon – also known as The World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge Held annually in the heart of the Swiss Alps this marathon is famous for NOT being flat. In fact there is 1839 metres of ascent. The start is at Interlaken and it seems just like any other marathon start, except for the surrounding mountains, looking very large and very steep!

Ted, Simon L and Pete H set out in perfect weather to accept the challenge. Good roads and trails for the first 10K and not much ascent, not bad so far. Stunning scenery all around and gentle uphill progress towards Lauterbrunnen passing half way with plenty of water stations and lots of support along the route. Higher mountains looming ahead, from here it gets serious.

A long steep ascent in the forest, zigzags ever upwards towards Wengen and suddenly it becomes more of a walking event. Still great support and a friendly international atmosphere, bands playing and cow bells ringing, all diversions from the increasing pain and bursting lungs.

12Km left to go – the air is getting thin – is the “death zone”? The real hard work is ahead, steep trails and paths up, up and up some more, above the tree line and into a more barren mountain landscape. Perfect clear skies gives close up views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau all covered in snow and ice Towards the highest point of the race at 2205 metres is the open exposed ridge path to the edge of the glacier. At last! The route turns downhill for a short glorious descent to the finish line at Kline Sheidegg, with all the relief and elation that follows.

A really great challenge and a very well organised event that may become a running club favourite. Thanks to Hillary and James for coming over from Zurich to support and encourage. Also a special thanks to Jackie L for organising and supporting.

16th Jungfrau Marathon
Saturday 6th September 2008
www.jungfrau-marathon.ch

A Coast to Coast (C2C) Adventure - July 2004

Available for download is the story of the Coast to Coast Run, an adventure involving members of Marlborough Running Club, written by Phil Griffiths.

Click here to download "A Coast to Coast Adventure". (10.6 MB).

No broadband ? Then click here for a more download friendly "Coast to Coast Adventure" (no photos). (107 KB).

Medoc Marathon - September 2004 - A Marathon with a difference

8000 runners "racing" through the worlds top vineyards - Lafite Rothschild, Lynch Bages, Mouton Rothschild , Latour ... If you want a PB don't do it - but if you want a two day festival of wine with a 26 mile run thrown in - then this is the one to go for .

Starting & finishing at the sea front town of Paulliac, the course winds its way through the vineyards of the Medoc past - :

Yately Yomp Adventure Race - October 2004 by Clare Padfield

Earlier this year my so called friend Rachael suggested I join her a team for an adventure race - the amusingly entitled "Yately Yomp" on 2nd October 2004. Advertised as an event for adventure race novices, it turned out to be some what different in reality. After totally failing to undertake the necessary training over the Summer for the event, I was woefully unprepared for the fun (!) that is adventure racing. The venue was Gibralter Barracks in Surrey and to get in we had to go through security checks. Had I known what the day would bring, I would have told the nearest squaddie that I was Osama Bin Ladin's long lost sister and spent the day blissfully curled up in a centrally heated cell. But there was to be no escape. There were 110 teams, each comprising of three idiots, at the start, and the day enfolded as follows.

It started with a 3km run to collect life jackets. A short stretch of a ski challenge followed and we then dumped our life jackets in the "transition " zone i.e. the car park, and jumped on our mountain bikes - I first considered consider quitting at this point when I realised that no one else had stabilisers on their bike! We then had to cycle 24km - 2 laps - up steep hills, down hills, up even steeper hills, down more hills,through mud, through very deep puddles, past bleeding semi conscious fellow competitors, over logs, between trees, in my case, in the trees, round bushes, in bushes etc. After almost 2 hours of this my leg muscles were burning, my bum went beyond numb, my knuckles were lily white and I must admit I was, for most of this time, absolutely terrified. But to look on the bright side, I suspect that after two hours of relentless pounding I may possibly have shifted some cellulite. (N.B. Chaps- if you don't know what this is, ask the nearest girlie!)

Once the cycle ride mercifully ended we returned to the transition zone, where I once again seriously considered quitting, while stuffing a banana in my mouth. We then started a 10km run wearing the life jacket. The run took us through woods, past signs saying do not stray off paths - explosives!, over hills, through long grass, over a small man made beach used by the army for amphibious landing, where I was worried I might be mistaken for a small, very slow moving tank. We followed the red markers until they ran out at the waters edge. Where now, we asked the marshall. He pointed at the lake. We had to wade across. This would have been ok if the race was held in July instead of October and if I was 6ft 1 instead of 5ft 1. I got out the otherside a colder, wetter & even more miserable woman.

We then had to run to a small bay where we expected to find some kayaks ready to go for a 1 mile row . Instead, incredibly, we found that we were expected to swim 25m across the lake, and then make numerous pathetic attempts to climb into our inflatable kayaks while standing in the water. I suppose that we should be grateful that they had already blown them up for us. We then attempted to row the kayaks for 1 mile across the lake. However it was rather a windy day and so I think that we rowed closer to 2 miles but mostly round in circles. I gave up after a while but luckily one person from our team managed to complete the row. We could then get back in the water and try to swim 25m back across lake. But by this stage I had to resort to swimming on my back, doing drowning doggy paddle, as my leg muscles refused to work in any recognisable forward swimming stroke.

On reaching the shore I was pulled out of the water by sympathetic observers. We then had to run the 5km back to the finish. Approaching the end, physically and mentally, we had to go under a cargo net and over a steep slippery wall to complete the course. We managed to complete the course in 4hrs 15minutes - the winners did it in 2hrs 20 min. I confess - we were last - but in our defence, at least we finished and survived mostly intact- not all the other competitors did . The only damage I sustained was a couple of truly spectacular bruises from climbing over the wall, mud in my bra & severe long term damage to my ego. I can honestly say that I will never ever ever ever enter an adventure race again - two legs good, two wheels down steep hills baaaddd - but if you feel that adventure racing is for you , then you can get more info at www.trailplus.com. Just don't say I didn't warn you...

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Dartmoor Long 'O' - 10 October 2004 - Jane Grout

Whilst there is no doubt Dartmoor is not on our doorstep, this is an excellent and well organised event across beautiful wild open moorland. There are three classes 23k, 15k and 6k which you can enter as a team or solo. Nicola, Alan and I formed an unofficial team of three as a late injury forcing withdrawal by Tim A had left Alan without partner. Tim G would also be making an appearance - but more of that later.

As mere mortals we opted for the medium distance - 15.6 k and a total of 18 controls - you can choose your start time (9-12) but the course is divided into 2 parts, (medium course 10.9k and then 4.5k), and to get the controls for the second half you need to make the 14.00 cut of time - so a sensible start time is needed.

The controls were well hidden in pits / behind boulders - all the usual Orienteering tricks, but given the terrain on Dartmoor, a mix of rough tussocky ground combined with bog and streams, good route choice makes a big difference to speed. We made one or two errors of choice in the early stages so having battled with trees, gorse and missing the obvious route on 1 or 2 occasions we resolved to do better. (We actually ran 15.6k to cover the 10.9k section but only 5.5k for the 4.5k section)

We made the cut off control with just 2 minutes to spare (better than some 15 other teams in our class) - no choice then but to continue with the second half. The rain made an unwelcome reappearance and set in for the rest of the day. The joys of moorland running can be summed up in one delightful moment as leaping across a particularly boggy spot I land vanishing up to mid thigh in a mix of grassy bog and water - discover that I can't pull my foot out of this. Alan gallantly tries to come to the rescue and finds he too is now immersed in water - Nicola is just standing on more solid ground smug and laughing - her own revenge for our mirth when she had entertained us with a splendid but elegant fall combined with rolling somersault earlier in the day.

Adventures over we finished nearly last but, as Nicola reminds us, the last finisher beats the first retiree ( and there were 15 on our course). Back at the car changing, when a marshal appears - " Do you know Tim Gravina?" now how should one answer this question - tentatively we say " Yes..-????" "Well he hasn't been seen since the mid point" comes the reply. Ten minutes later a wet, white haired figure appears the other side of a five foot stone wall - Tim in excellent spirits having done the long 23k course.

This is a brilliant day out with excellent navigational practice, a one day version of Saunders without the steep hills. It is a long day but it is already in the dairy for next year.

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Offa's Orror - 3 October 2004 - Ted Townsend

A well named race, but we were warned:-

Salisbury 54321, 8 August 2004 - Tim Gravina

Event: Salisbury 54321, so called because it covers 5 rivers, 4 major hills, 3 Country Estates, 2 Castles & 1 cathedral. It is a circular route round Salisbury (except for short courses!). Most of the route is on country paths, including a bit of the Clarendon Way, with many excellent views.

Choice of 10K, 20K, 30K, 40K, 42K. These routes are not measured, and general opinion from other runners and measuring on the map afterwards is that the 42K route is in fact 46K; a fact I am glad I did not know beforehand.

Although intended as a walk, they welcome runners (no prizes) and I met runners from many clubs such as Bearbrook, Reading, Bournemouth, Hastings, Minehead, Finch Coasters etc.

There were about 15 checkpoints with cold drinks, but no sweets, biscuits, cake etc. Also some checkpoints were crowded/undermarshalled so that often you had to wait up to 5 minutes to check in!

The route marking and written description were OK. However I did set off from the start on the wrong side of the river for a mile or so; but managed to get back on the correct route by wading across!

My time for 42K (actually 46K) was 6hr 14m for what it's worth; (not worth a lot). But it was a hot humid day, and the last mile past the cathedral and through the town was congested with tourists! That is my excuse anyway.

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Beachy Head Marathon, 25th October 2003 - Simon Hewitt

This is a tough cross country marathon starting and ending in Eastbourne, East Sussex. It used to be known as the Seven Sisters marathon, it nearly died in 2002 but was taken over by Eastbourne Tourist board and renamed - No idea why, Seven Sisters is a much better name, but the event continues to be very popular (always oversubscribed) and very well organised. It has the unusual entry restriction of 500 runners, those who believe they can complete the course in under 5 hours, 500 joggers in under 7 hours and 500 walkers, aiming for under 9 hours. I last ran it in 2001 and ran 4:20, so I was certainly aiming to beat that.

The race starts at 9:00, and parking is OK if you arrive fairly early, with plenty of parking along the sea front and side streets, but the later you are the longer you will have to walk to the start. The start is at the east end of the town and seafront, right at the foot of the downs. And when the gun goes, yes you guessed it, the race goes straight up the hill. Too steep for all but the mountain goats to run, but not that high, certainly not that scary for you Saunders veterans. At the top of the steep bit it turns inland and climbs steadily for about 2 ½ miles along the edge of Eastbourne Downs golf club. (If ever you run it say hello to my dad Jim, his ashes are scattered near the 3rd green). The course reaches a peak (just over the hill from the Long Man of Wilmington, a huge chalk figure, worth a walk next day to loosen up), then plunges down again to the valley floor. This pretty much sets the pattern for the next 5 miles, up, down and up again. The first water stop is 8 ½ miles out, and there are only 5 water stations in all, so I like to carry a water bottle and fill up at each stop. There are snacks, mars-bars, biscuits, hot cross buns available, so there's no need to carry food. I carried energy drink powder to make up fresh energy drink at some stops.

Just after the first water stop we run through the pretty village of Alfriston, where Ros & the kids were waiting to shout me on. From there it climbs again to the half way point at the summit of that down, and then there is some relief of several miles of gently undulating track or path along the ridge, where you can put some speed on. The it drops again, over a river, then up & down to the Cuckmere river approaching the sea. The Cuckmere has a most perfect example of an oxbow lake, but you don't see it for long as the race immediately climbs up and away from the river. Then, blow me, you cross the top and back down to the river! Then UP again, on the cliffs proper, the cliffs that give it both it's old and new names, as the seven sisters are the seven chalk cliffs, leading to the highest of all, Beachy Head.

You passed the actual halfway point about 4 miles back, but the start of this ascent is the spiritual half-way point, because tough as it was so far, it gets tougher from here by far. As you crest the first hill, about 500 feet, in the distance on the horizon and looking incredibly far away, you can see a lighthouse, and between you and that lighthouse is an endless series of drops and climbs along the cliff edge. I have bad news for you on two fronts, yes you run every climb, but that lighthouse is still 5 miles from the end, and the biggest cliffs are after that. For the first 4 or so miles, the uphills are nowhere near runnable and the downhills aren't either, this is a tough run. After that the organisers take some pity and take the route inland along a slanting track - Or perhaps not, this is on the edge of runnable, so you feel compelled to try but have to stop and walk every now and again.

You pass the lighthouse inland, and all you can see is more downs. There is a water stop at the top here, but be warned, this is not the official checkpoint number 4, this is the coastguard being nice. Nice it is too, to have fresh water, but you still have about 5 ½ to go, not the 4 miles from the last checkpoint. The official last checkpoint is at Berling Gap, the lowest point on these cliffs and another good spectator point. Now you have 4 ½ miles to go, but possibly the highest climb, from about 50' to 650' at Beachy Head. It is not so steep, but just up forever, again midway between runnable and not. By now I am VERY tired, but eventually we reach the huge, ugly Beach head pub. From here the true summit is an easier ½ mile up a more gentle slope, then less than a mile steeply down to the finish. The last 400 Yds are very steep, but I have a little energy left and bound down, then sprint the 200M of downhill roadway and pip an unfortunate South African runner by 2 or 3 seconds at the line.

There is water, free food and even a swimming pool (but no mud or skinny dipping, what's the point?), and a rather poxy medal. I finished 43rd (662 people finished in under 6 hours, including several walkers), at 3:45, and am pretty pleased. The winner was 3:07.

SO this run is slightly over 26.2 miles, 3500' of ascent (and the same of descent of course), all on rough chalk and flint tracks or woodland paths. It is well marshalled, with few but well equipped drink and food stops. It is tough underfoot, it is physically tough and I think it is mentally tough as well. The last third seems an unending undulation with no sweet running at all, just all grind. You can see the downs stretching out forever, but cannot see your destination until the last mile. Different to the Grizzly, it's all pure running, no obstacles except hills, but as tough or worse. It's not as beautiful as the Beast, but on a good day not far off it. If the weather is bad I think finishing at all would be very hard, but on a sunny day like this year the sea and the cliffs are magnificent. It's a great course for spectators, as there are four or five easily accessible points with good parking to see the runners pass, and a great stretch up towards Beachy Head where you can drive alongside and shout encouragement.

Will I do it aging? Absolutely! Will you? It is a long way to go (2 ½ - 3 hours drive), but in my view one of the classics that should be in our calendar. If you do want to run it, enter early, it fills up fast.

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