Marlborough Downs Challegne - 33 miles

I’ll be up front from the start , I love this race - if I could design a perfect race it would be very similar to this (except of course I’d win my perfect race)

The Marlborough Downs Challenge has all the right ingredients:

• A sensible distance: long enough to be a challenge (33 miles) but not so long that it takes all day.

• A mix of great scenery:  The course runs through bluebell woods (with spring being a little late this year – they looked fantastic), rolling hills with stunning views from the top.

• Educational: The route runs passed the white horses of Marlborough (Preshute) and Cherhill .  Through the ancient stones of Avesbury and runs along the top of Wansdyke earthworks.

• Aid stations: Plenty of aid stations – 8 in all, which over 33 miles is one every 4 miles, each one full of special race fuel – you can keep you gels and energy bars – fig rolls and jaffa cakes is where it is at (dark chocolate jaffa cakes at that).

• A novel memento:  I have a draw full of T-shirts but a nice pottery mug made by a local pottery www.whitehorsepottery.co.uk makes a nice change and useful for showing off at work.

• Run in a loop:  so much easier that point to point, no bus rides or support required to pick you up

• Hot food at the end:  Nothing better than getting to the finish, getting changed (showers available here too) and being able to tuck in to hot food and a cup of tea – all very civilized.

As I said this is almost a perfect race - so how did race day pan out::

There is something magical working through a small town early in the morning, just as it is waking up – parking is easy, people are just waking up, setting out for a paper and runners with kit bags are marching though on the way to registration.

Registration was hassle free with plenty of room to get changed and have a sit down before we started.  After the course briefing we walked over the road to Marlborough College to the start line (actually the start line moved with us).  With little announcement or fanfare, which caught most people at the back (me included) out, we were off.  This was my fourth running of the race, so I know the route quite well, although this was the first time I actually noticed the white horse above Marlborough (remember stop and stare – or at least stare).

The overnight rain had made the grass at the start of the course a little slippy.   I watched the guy in front slip – assuming he had hit a rut, thinking I would not make the same mistake, I ran wide and still did the same.  The ground soon dried out and there was very little mud on the course.  Weather warmed up too and there was a five minute period when I started to regret wearing a long sleeved top.  At that point the wind picked up and was pleased with my decision after all.

Running along the Wansdyke is a fantastic experience – the manual effort to create this defensive work must have been incredible – still I was please they had created it. Running at a elevated level made for good views, the occasional gap in the dyke did mean so technical running with a very quick down followed by a very quick up. It also allowed a chain gang to form – I was at the back of 10 runners – all running at the same pace. It felt timeless, we could have been a defense party running to hold off the invading hordes (although swords and amour may have slowed us down somewhat).

The rest of the race was a joy to run, the only slip up was taking the wrong track.  I could see the Cherwell monument in the distance and headed towards it.  I should have listened to the GPS or at the very least had a proper look at the course directions.  All the information was there – I just thought I knew better – I didn’t.  All those people I had run passed in the last hour were now ahead and I had to start picking them off again.

With about 4 miles to go the rain started to get heavier but that didn’t dampen down the spirits – after last months SDW50 this rain was nothing mere drizzle.

So how did I do?  Well I didn’t win, but ran better than previous years which is always good.

Notes

Ground Conditions: Mainly trail – solid conditions under foot

Weather: Cool – not too windy, rain at the end.

Position 34/152

Time: 5:20:59

Food tried: Jaffa cakes, fig rolls, a Clif Bar.

What I learnt:  

Read the directions – listen to the GPS!

The Ultra world is a small one!  I was walking back to the car and saw a fellow runner ahead.  Started talking and he said, “yes was pure chance I did this race, I was in a minibus going from Eastbourse to Worthing a few guy were singing the praises of this race”.   “I was in that mini bus – and I was one of those guys” said I.

Small word or do special idiots flock together?