Beach Head Marathon
Date: 28th October 2006
Race Type: Off Road Marathon
Disciplines: Running - lots of it!
Team: Steve
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
www.beachyheadmarathon.org.uk
http://www.robin-web.co.uk/beachyhead/
Foolishly I mentioned to my father-in-law, Fred, that I was kind of thinking of maybe, possibly entering the Beachy Head Marathon. Next thing I know - everyone in Fred's Street thinks I'm doing it. I'd better enter it then, I thought!
Three months later on a mild October morning, I found myself in the starting area looking up at Beachy Head. I'd been agonising over shoes and hydration for the last month and had settled on my off-road shoes (forsaking the extra cushioning of my road shoes for a bit of extra grip) and a Camelbak for water duties - the thought of holding a water bottle for 26.2 miles wasn't appealing!
In the middle of the crowd I couldn't hear a thing the commentator was saying - the first indication I had of the start was a firework whizzing in the air and the sudden bobbing of heads in front. Then, I was off, but only for about 10 seconds before the crowd of 1750 runners, joggers (how do you know if you're a jogger or a walker?) and walkers started a slow climb up Beachy Head.
A fairly short climb later and I was able to get into a steady run as we skirted round to the right and made our way onto the bridleway leg of the South Downs Way going inland. I was on familiar territory as the in-laws are lucky enough to live only a few hundred yards from the end of the SDW. We were soon running past Joe the Lone Piper - lucky for him there wasn't a cold wind!
Half an hour in, I descending into Jevington then started up the first big climb of the day, only to be overtaken by a runner and his dog (Dave the dog apparently!). The course snaked off to the west of the SDW at this point crossing through the NW corner of Friston Forest and then up and over Windover Hill. It was around here I got chatting to a chap called Andy. As with everyone else I spoke to that day, he'd done the London Marathon before which had seemed a breeze compared to this. Trust me to pick a nice easy Marathon as my first!
After the summit of Windover, we descended to CP1 (12km) where I was greeted by my family. A quick kiss for Mrs B, half a Mars bar and it was more descending into Alfriston.
After Alfriston, things began to get - erm - interesting. The mother of all climbs took us (eventually) to CP3 - this marked about the halfway point. I was now past my furthest race distance. Now the aches in my legs started. Next was a large sweep round back towards Alfriston, down a hill and across a road to a feed station giving out jelly babies - my favourite sugary snack! After crossing the river, Andy and his friend Chris warned me of the infamous 227 steps in Friston Forest.
At this stage I was starting to feel very tired in the legs - I was glad to here that my fellow competitors seemed to be feeling the burn as well! It was starting to get psychological. After a quick Hot Cross Bun at a feed station, the 227 steps soon loomed ahead with Joe the Lone Piper standing at the top (gets about that chap!). At the top, myself and another withered runner desperately looked for a few more steps, just so that we could delay running for a few more seconds!
At around midday (three hours in), the route exited Friston Forest and Cuckmere Haven lay before us. A short run down the hill led to the busy main road and another brief stop (yehaa!) to let the traffic pass. I was now on the final quarter of the race and also further than I had ever ran before - and it was the dreaded Seven Sisters. The course now went up and down the sisters (of which I'm sure there were more than seven!). Everyone at this stage was walking up the ascents, but even the downhills were difficult to run down because of the steepness of the slope.
Forty five minutes later I came to Birling Gap for CP4 and a meeting with my travelling fans. I had meant to give them my now empty Camelbak, but forgot until I was running again - I couldn't bear to go back twenty yards, so I carried on regardless. The going was now seriously tough - I felt like I couldn't take another step but somehow managed to keep my legs running (except anything going up!). These last few miles dragged on, until I was on top of Beachy Head and someone shouted "One mile to go - all downhill" and I managed to run this last mile continuously.
Now, I had been thinking what I would do if someone tried to overtake me on the final section and had told myself firmly I was not to sprint it out. So what happens? Some chap in red comes up beside me and we sprint the last 50 meters! I only gave up as the Finish funnelled down to the width of one person. We both finished with big grins (thinking that we were acting like a couple of kids) and gave each other a Big Hand Shake. Then Andy saw me (he'd finished before me) and came over for mutual congratulations. And that was it - all over. I was pleased with my time of 4 hours 21 minutes and lately found that I had came 214th. I staggered over to my family and swore never again. until next year...
