21st June: South Downs Marathon

After my failure to adhere to the 7P’s at the previous outing down in Flete I made sure I came in to the 10th edition of the South Downs marathon in a suitable condition for the run.

I had been out on a ‘streak’; undertaking a physical activity each day for over 2 weeks to ensure my fitness levels were back to where they should be, and thanks to all the running and cycling I had undertaken I was feeling decidedly fruity about the day’s race.

Neighbour Pini was also running in it having deferred from last year and heading down to the finish at Queen Elizabeth Country Park on the edge of the South Downs at sparrow’s fart in the morning, we were hoping for a fitting day for the event to celebrate its 10th birthday.

Slindon College pre-race with Pini either meditating or wondering whether to trust a fart that's brewing.

When I ran this two years ago it was my 9th marathon, with this latest outing becoming my 40th! Back then it was my first proper summer marathon and boy did I suffer in the heat and from the unrelenting nature of the course especially in the latter stages. As a consequence I felt I owed myself something so I was lining-up today determined to psychologically make amends.

All bussed to the start, registered and baggage checked-in at Slindon College we were left to mill around and kill time. Pini and I bagged a spot by the back of the retaining wall looking over the field to afford protection from any wind but this year with the skies overcast and the air still there was not really a problem with getting too cold. As we waited I bumped into Luke, whom I know as a regular from the CTS series and always seems to finish just in front of me in every race! Next to us by the wall was a Guildford-based runner called ‘Ry’ who knew a lot of the runners Pini does from the ‘Fitstuff’ running club there. Ry is more in to his ultras than mere marathons and from his patter I could tell he was a pretty fast guy playing-down his abilities, which could be interesting as no doubt he and Pini will be challenging at the front-end of the field.

Corralled together for the start.

Soon we were off under the clouded skies, the perfect running conditions especially with the morning not having warmed-up.

I fell in to my familiar trap of starting off faster than I should, but this time I did not seem to feel any fatigue along the way, especially as the first 4 miles are essentially an uphill slog on to the top of the Downs, in fact I was feeling really good in myself and made the conscious effort to push-on as hard as I could for as long as possible.

On the trails.

As a consequence I was less focussed on the surroundings around me than normal, which with the grey overcast nature of the day were not lending themselves really to any decent photography anyway, so I was guilty of just putting my head down and CHARGE! Although I did manage to have a conversation with a couple of ladies on the second stage, one of whom was running this as her first marathon having run part of it as a relay last year and the other has been running a fair few of them, including the Glencoe marathon last year that still remains my favourite one to date.

Looking back on fellow sufferers!

Reaching the final quarter of the race and the struggle of the previous running still on my mind I still found the last couple of hills - in particular one long slow drag along the country lanes a challenge, but safe in the knowledge that I had been running strongly it spurred me on to cross the line in as quick a time as I could muster: shaving a good 20 minutes off my previous time, taking me comfortably below the 5 hour mark and posting my 4th best marathon time to date!

One of the views from atop the Downs.

Pini on the other hand… Well, he was there at the finish to congratulate me and it turned out he had finished 5th overall and 3rd in category, and merited a podium, so a huge congratulations were deserved for him. I had been correct in my hunch about Ry, as he and Pini had indeed been running close to each other before Pini pulled away, leaving Ry to finish in a brilliant 10th place.

Pini deserving his well-earned rest!

Not a bad day all round!

Eat pies.
Drink beer.
Run far.