Category: Race Report

28 Years in the Making

By Andy Inchley

In 1989, before the Leighton bypass was built and when I was just a scrawny 13 year old, dad dragged me out of bed on Boxing day to go and do the Christmas handicap. The 5.6 mile race may well have been the furthest I’d ever run at that time and the handicapper (probably Geoff Roe) had me down to run 39 minutes. I actually ran 37:22 which earned me fourth place on the day, with Pat Neilan taking the title. There were 26 club members taking part that day and that is just about the closest I have come to winning the elusive Langmay trophy in a further 20 attempts. That is until this year!! read more

Furness in the Brighton Furnace

Brighton Marathon – 9th April 2017

by Michael Furness

The Brighton Marathon was going to be my first marathon for five years, having previously done London and Milton Keynes.  My PB stood at 3:34, which was achieved at the 2012 MK marathon; remembered by all who attended as being the wettest and coldest April Sunday ever experienced.

Training had gone well during the weeks and months leading up to the race so I was reasonably confident I could get another PB and break the 3:30 barrier and possibly even 3:20 if everything went was well as it could do. read more

Oakley 20 – 2017

By Kate Johnson

Oakley 20 is not my favourite race by a long shot, but I wanted to do another 20 mile race in the run up to London. It was on the right weekend for me, 3 weeks out and 4 weeks after my last 20 miler at MK.

The last time I ran this race it was 2014 and I was preparing for my first Marathon. I struggled to cover the distance and finished in 3:59:57, the marshals were trying to take me out of the race from about 17 miles, as they thought I wouldn’t finish. All in all a pretty soul destroying experience. read more

Sandy 10 – 2017

‘Have you ever run the Sandy 10?’ Susan asked me on a cold February Sunday, I looked at her, wondering if this was one of those loaded questions that mothers usually ask. ‘No, I haven’t’ I replied. ‘I think we should run it’ she responded. I raised my eye brow and gave her the ‘do-you-think-that-is-a-good-idea’ look.

Fast forward to the end of March and to mother’s day, which dawned very sunny with a chilly wind, when we found our selves driving over to Sandy. Susan was busy plotting her race strategy, working out if she was wearing the right kit and I was feeling like I had lost far more than an hour’s sleep. read more

The Grizzly

By Chris George

It was my second time at the Grizzly 20 miler down in Seaton (Devon) after racing last year for the first time and enjoying it so much. I entered the ballot again for 2017 and was lucky enough to get a place.

So what’s it all about “Twentyish muddy, hilly, boggy, beachy miles of the multiest-terrain running experience you will find this side of the end of time” is the quote on the website, and to be fair that’s pretty accurate

The Grizzly has over 3,500ft of ascent in its 20 miles; there are two sections of beach, totalling close to 2 miles; 2 bogs and the infamous “Stairway to Heaven”, a steep path up the side of a cliff.  The pre-race advice is that it will take roughly your road marathon time, perhaps longer if conditions are grim. read more

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