Fairland Valley Marathon

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flyboydavey
flyboydavey
Jul 2012
12:03pm, 11 Jul 2012
253 posts
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flyboydavey
Just did my usual and signed up for another marathon just because I found out I had the day off !
Not recommended usually, but this will be No47.
Can anyone tell me whether this is trail shoes or running shoes ? hilly or flat ?

The Spartans website was a bit scarce with info although they had a direct link to runnersworld for immediate entry so I guess this is a well organised affair.
I dislike trail marathons purely for the reason that My orienteering is worse than useless !
BrianJ
BrianJ
Jul 2012
12:16pm, 11 Jul 2012
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BrianJ
It is nearly all trail, with written instructions in the style of an LDWA event, so hope you can tag along with someone who knows the route!
flyboydavey
flyboydavey
Jul 2012
12:27pm, 11 Jul 2012
254 posts
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flyboydavey
The LDWA have an early start so I,m hoping I can keep passing them along the way !
Naomi P
Naomi P
Jul 2012
12:53pm, 11 Jul 2012
10,165 posts
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Naomi P
I ran this in 2010 but couldn't remember much. So I looked at my blog and remembered why I'd forgotten.

I don't know about you, but these race reports can get a bit boring no? Haven't you heard enough of: I ran each 5k in the following splits, had a gel at the following miles, hit the wall at 18 miles, thought of my kids / cat / dead granny to get me through the last few miles, pulled a hamstring / got cramp / had my leg gnawed off by a rabid cow, had to stop for a comfort break (far too frequently supplied with all the associated and unnecessary detail), got competitive in the final 100 yards to finish one place higher in a field of 10,000 runners and half kill myself in the process etc etc? We've all done it, and it's important to you, of course. But there's a limited amount of things to say about a marathon and an even more limited amount of interesting things to say about a marathon. I'm not sure why I keep writing about them, some of my races are so unmemorable I'd be quite happy to let them slide into the deepest corners of my memory, and be forgotten. So if you're bored by reading about marathons, here's your Stop sign.

Fairlands Valley was infinitely better than I expected. It was much more runnable than Tanners with smoother, wider paths, fewer hills and lots of blissful tarmac. So runnable, in fact, that I got through the first half in just over 2 hours. Unfortunately I did hit the wall around 18 miles, having omitted to eat anything at the checkpoints. Walking a few miles meant that lots of 100 clubbers and Fetchies went past me, it was an excellent turnout, and things got much easier in the last few miles once a few sticky, stodgy, almost indigestible lumps of bread pudding at the last checkpoint worked their magic. I think that's the first time I've gone sub 5 in an LDWA style event.

There is a reason to celebrate. Having planned all my races through to my 100th, I don't have to do any more seriously off road events. There's still the Enigma, the 2 to go and the Grantham double, but the canal stuff is trail-lite (don't you just hate deliberately mispelt words?), nothing like Langport or Tanners or those horrific coastal things. I might not have to be out for more than 5 hours ever again.

Road shoes are fine for this one. There are a few bumps but no serious climbs. And there are a lot of regulars at this one so you may be lucky enough to find someone to tag along with*

*be careful about this, I once got so pissed off with someone following me I told him to fook off as it wasn't a fooking guided tour.
Fenland Runner
Fenland Runner
Jul 2012
12:59pm, 11 Jul 2012
13,659 posts
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Fenland Runner
Thanks for the report Naomi, see they is a purpose! Your blogs are an excellent guide :-)
Naomi P
Naomi P
Jul 2012
1:24pm, 11 Jul 2012
10,166 posts
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Naomi P
I'm very glad I wrote them, there's no way I'd remember more than 2% of the details without. And if they can be useful to other people, then all the better :-)
emdee
emdee
Jul 2012
1:51pm, 11 Jul 2012
2,023 posts
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emdee
I remember that one.. trail-lite - hehe :)
flyboydavey
flyboydavey
Jul 2012
2:32pm, 11 Jul 2012
255 posts
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flyboydavey
Running shoes it is then !

Not too hilly, but not too flat either.
Looking forward to it already !
BrianJ
BrianJ
Jul 2012
3:03pm, 11 Jul 2012
1,081 posts
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BrianJ
Like the blog Naomi, especially the bit about getting competitive at the end...pleads guilty!
Actually as a local to the area, the trails are in poor condition with all the rain, so I would go with trail shoes. I wasn't going to enter, but have changed my mind - though I'll probably have to run-walk given the lack of longer runs recently.
flyboydavey
flyboydavey
Jul 2012
3:58pm, 11 Jul 2012
256 posts
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flyboydavey
Apparently, the trails are a bit muddy after all that rain so I'll take trail shoes and runners and see on the day what it looks like.
There's a few Fetchies doing this one who haven't yet put it on their race portfolios.

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