Mega Marathon Challenge 26 and 27th May.
I headed down to Jeskyns Woodlands near Gravesend for the Saxons, Vikings, Normans Mega Marathon Challenge. This event was a little different to their normal – which is either marathon distance only or challenge events whereby you only have to run one lap and you get a medal. For this event it was pretty much half or full marathon with a bonus if you did both on consecutive days then you got a bonus medal – which confirmed you had achieved a double half or a double marathon.
I’m not sure what quite made me think this was a good idea, but the decision was made last year that I’d attempt back-to-back marathons. I think we can safely say too many Saxons events really does make you think you can undertake things you never thought possible.
Day 1, go slow, conserve energy, heavy rain just before the start but the clouds cleared to produce a very warm day, I think we can safely say the harrier sun tan was worked on. The best way I can describe it was that it was like running in an oven, some parts of the course had a head wind – that was like when you stepped out of a plane somewhere really hot….. Every 3.2 (roughly) laps you were back at base camp, you got a card clipped to say you’d done another lap and lots of encouragement.
Day 2, weather was a tad cooler, still oven like but set at a lower temperature (until lap 7 and 8) when someone flipped the switch and on the un-shady parts of the course you were literally frying. Lap 1, happy bunny, lap 2, not quite so happy and trip to kit bag for much needed pain killers, lap 3 struggled round followed by a much needed pep talk from the RD. Lap 4 was a definite improvement (perhaps the pain killers kicking in) but I realised that I could do it I just had to slow the pace and just keep on going. Lap 5, 6 I carried on plodding, laps 7 and 8 – sun came out, but the knowledge that I would do it (despite the blisters) carried me round.
It may not have been a fantastic time but 52+ miles in one weekend I’ll settle with slow and steady.
Day 1: 06:07:30
Day 2: Slower than day one – but was so excited to finish forgot to turn Garmin off.
Amanda Bruneau