A little over a year ago I ran my first marathon at Brighton and on Sunday last (3rd May) I ran my tenth overall, and sixth of this year!
It's all part of the bigger picture with the North Downs Way 50 rapidly approaching on the 16th May. The more recent marathons have been training runs and its been great to run them with all of their associated support, and of course a medal at the end of it!
Three Forts was billed as the tough one and having fairly recently completed the Steyning Stinger and Moyleman Marathons which have similar terrain and elevation I wasn't expecting it to be too much of a challenge. How wrong can you be? The ascent profile is pretty brutal (circa 3400ft overall) although in fairness I didn't feel the uphills too much until about mile 10.
Hmmmmmm!
It was a pretty buzzing start area with plenty of fellow Boshers in the mix running both the half and full marathon routes. Despite the weather there was plenty of positivity about and lots of smiles to go with it. The support from the Bosh Run crew and their loved ones is immense and never fails to humble me and its always great to chat with everyone and feed off of their energy.
The Three Forts Bosh Massive
Starting next to Worthing College the route heads straight up to Cissbury Ring, turning East from there to Botolphs, crossing the river at Lower Beeding before heading further East up to the turn point at Devils Dyke. The route then returns West, following the South Downs Way back to Lower Beeding and onto Chanctonbury Ring Before heading back to Cissbury Ring via Findon Park Farm. Measuring 27 and a bit miles in all it's a worthy route and you've certainly earned your finishers medal that's for sure. The conditions were pretty miserable with intermittent rain throughout and a pretty persistent gale blowing. Coupled with the restricted visibility, which in places was down to around 50 feet, it felt longer than 27 miles! It's hard to measure any sort of progress when you can't see your surroundings. But in all a useful character building experience (LOL).
My training preceding the event had included plenty of hills and I was suffering from a sore left shin, probably as a result of me going all out to improve my downhill technique and speed. It was little more than a niggle on the start line but I could feel it and at times over the distance it came and went, mostly appearing on the down hills.
I am enjoying myself.......honest!
I felt like I ran pretty hard at it although interspersed with regular walking breaks. I couldn't quite put my finger on why it seemed to be harder work than usual but it was. I had been up late the night before with family for my Dads birthday. I also hadn't eaten that much and possibly wasn't fuelled enough, although that said I had plenty of food with me and kept eating as I felt I needed it. I didn't drink a great deal but then it wasn't really a day for dehydration! I must also consider my other training I guess and that this would bring my total weekly mileage up to 52 miles, which for me is quite a bit. Maybe it was just fatigue. Regardless whatever it was I cant be certain, although looking back it was likely to be a combination of factors.
There was some great support on the way around. Lucy & Poppy Bartholomew were fantastic, appearing out of nowhere at various points along the route and shouting encouragement. On the long slog through the mist up to Chanctonbury Ring, at somewhere between 20-21 miles, I was actually asking myself why I keep entering marathons, when out of the mist appears BoshMother Lucy Dean and hubby Mark. What a sight for sore eyes and much needed hugs support at a low point.
Courtesy of Lucy Dean (the look says it all really)
I perked up a bit after that, pushing fairly hard on the downhill from Chanctonbury to Findon Park Farm. I ran most of the last 3-4 miles consistently, with the exception of a walk over Cissbury Ring chatting to fellow Bosher Sam Currie. I pushed pretty hard on the last downhill section to the finish in quite a bit of discomfort but by now just wanting to finish. I was a looking to sneak in just under 5hrs 30 but just missed out as I hadn't anticipated the course being much over 27 miles. My finishing time was 5.31.32 with Sam just behind closely followed by Boshers Janna Dickinson and Ash Bartholomew. The speed demons amongst us, John Fitzgerald & Darren Chilcott, had managed impressive times and had wisely headed home.
I was seriously pleased to finish
I should give myself more credit for the acheivment but I did come away feeling slightly low. My leg got progressively more uncomfortable through the evening and into the Monday. After plenty of ice and elevation it settled although only to flare up again on Tuesday when back at work and on my feet.
And so onto the next challenge that is 50 miles in less than two weeks! I have trained hard, I have covered a lot of miles and I have committed a lot of time along the way. To say I am concerned about the sore leg is an understatement, to have come this far and not be fit to make the start line would be devastating, although I am trying to keep a sense of perspective.
A marathon is a bloody long way and a long time for something to go wrong, the thought of doubling that distance and the associated risks is concerning to say the least. But I have to practice what I preach to others and trust my training. I was going to have a 25 mile taper over two weeks but I'm keeping my feet up for the foreseeable. As I write this (Thursday 7th May) the leg is much better but still sore, I know I couldn't run on it for any distance, so until Saturday 16th I will keep everything crossed and rest well. If I don't make the NDW start then its a lesson learned. I have the Lakeland 50 scheduled for the end of July so I wont have to wait long to have a crack at the distance if things don't work out.
Happy trails x
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