Race Report: Pilgrim Marathon 16/09/2012

Well, after having to drop out of the Médoc marathon due to a wedding commitment I simply had to find another race to do in preparation for the upcoming track marathon.

Approaching mile 20

The race I chose was the Pilgrims marathon in Surrey. The race was described as a hilly multi terrain event that travels from near Farnham into Guildford and back using much of the old Pilgrims way.

The reason why I chose this particular race was that I actually grew up in the area so thought it would be nice to visit some of my old haunts that I spent my youth in. Also it meant that I could offer the family a visit to Grandma's for the weekend and make a family weekend of it.

I had been excited for weeks and believed that I had done the necessary training in order to finish this race. It was to be my third marathon in a year and I had also fitted in some very tough 20 milers, including the round Belper run. However I had squeezed in a holiday during that time which meant alcohol, cake and rubbish food. And during the week leading up to this run I had nothing but minor aches and pains that simply put were pre-race nerves.

The finish

So eventually with the family squeezed into the car we set off arriving safely at Grandma's. A few pleasantries and it was off to bed to get some much needed sleep.
Awake fresh and ready to go we set off for the Start of the race. The start was in a gorgeous area in the Sands Surrey. Again I was faced with meeting so many people in club shirts. There was only a field of 400 in the marathon and the same amount in the half marathon that got on its way an hour after the marathon. At this point Nikki informed me that I was actually wearing the club shirt myself so she couldn't understand why I was worrying.

The race got underway and so did I. My plan was simple, don't go off too fast, ease my way in and ensure I finish. Time aimed for? Who knows? But under 5 hours would be nice. However, as I started off and got through a couple of miles I had a thought, the race seemed nearly all downhill and there I was putting in 10 minute miles hoping for a nice paced run. This was simply because I had studied the map at length and realised what I was running down I would be running up in the last 6 miles. In hindsight I should have taken of like a rabbit and used the 7-8 mile downhill to get some quick time behind me. As I was to reach miles 9 -13 I could not have been in for a bigger shock. I was faced with running up a serious incline for the next 4 miles. Much of it was simply not runable for me so I reverted to the run/walk 30 second mode. This was a shame because up to this point I felt really really good and having to resort to the run/walk method had completely disturbed my rhythm. Most of the run so far had taken place on sand and fields and through bracken and stone through some beautiful scenery and past houses owned by the likes of Sir Cliff Richard and some very famous actors.

As I plodded along l could sense the mammoth task I had undertaken, it seemed pretty much that I was now doing nothing more than running up hills pretty much constantly. As I reached mile 15 I was tasked with crossing a road. Simple you might have thought? Well no, this road was lined with 1000s of people who had turned out to watch the Tour of Britain. What's more, as I arrived I saw Mark Cavendish and the entourage of cars flash by,. Then as I arrived I was cheered by some 1000 people cheering me over the road and on to the river bank. Things continued to get tough and tougher as I came toward mile 20. I worked out I had been running along sand for miles and miles which takes its toll but the plus side was that my legs felt good with no injury problems.  

As I entered mile 20 I was greeted by a pleasant sight, it was my family who had come to give me a cheer, and boy did I need it. My pace had dropped off to an average of 12 min miles and I was now struggling. At this point I met up with 3 ultra runners and begged them to help drag me to the line. There was an Irish lady from Belfast, a local chap called Dennis and another chap called Doug. Together they would help me in my time of need. 

At mile 20 I had worked out that I could get over the line in well under 5 hours, well I could if I wasn't to be faced with more hills after hills and punishment of heat. However I then came up with a new plan. The plan was simply FINISH, my legs were cramping up my calves in particular were stating that they had had enough. Lil (the Irish lady) was telling me that I should stretch them, but I just felt if I stopped they would not go again. So I would run to the point whereby they were going to explode and then walk, generally this meant that I could manage about 40-50 seconds of running before having to walk for the same distance.

 

Now, I had really enjoyed this race but had now reached the point whereby I just wanted it over. I had been running for 5 hours and covered 23 and a bit miles. I was in pain from my calves, I had a stitch, and I felt sick, enough was enough. We kept plodding along and supporting each other until all of sudden there was a mile to go. I was still struggling but somehow found the courage to say we would run the last mile regardless of what it meant. Me and my big mouth, how was I to know the last mile would be uphill!!! We somehow passed a pub with 200 meters to go and I never gave up and walked in. A left left and then a right saw us enter the finishing field. The announcer mentioned not just my name but the name of the Striders as I approached the line. The four of us grabbed hands, Lil Dennis and Douglas as well as myself for the finishing line and in a second it was over, another special ultra tough marathon finished in 5 hrs 25 only 10 mins outside my PB which was achieved on a road marathon, this was 100 times tougher so I feel quite confident of a good result in the Déjà vu in a few weeks time.

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Paul N