Hamsterley Marathon

[Sun 1st Jul] 

 

If there was a team prize at this one, our ladies would have won it! Susanne, Julie and Davina all taking part. With myself adding to the mix, Blyth were well represented.

Hosted by the North East Marathon Club, the race costs a little over £10 to enter; it’s local to us and very scenic.  All good things!

The route consists of basically three full laps, each one containing flat, very uphill and downhill trail surfaces.  Even after all the rain of late the course was more than ok for road shoes.  The scenery at times on top of the hills especially was quite breathtaking.

None of the NEMC events can be described as a PB course, this again was no exception, although as Susanne and I had just done the Keswick Trail Marathon two weeks before it wasn’t going to be as hard, or was it??

Although the hills on this occasion were run able (just) at the third time of asking you did start to doubt your sanity.  But the weather was good for running, even the stiff breeze helped cool you down.

There were two drinks stations on each lap, the second of which was at the end of the lap, all provided water, juice, jelly babies etc.  The marshals were helpful and the trail was well marked at all times.  There are always situations when you are by yourself, so you do need to be aware of your surroundings and the race route.

In addition to us four there were two famous or is that infamous? marshals/supporters there.  NEMC member Jane who used to be a member at Blyth plus our own Southern Ambassador Shaun Dodd were on hand to keep us right.  In fact Shaun was so enthusiastic in his support as he leapt over the ditch and forest foliage to get to the road, I was sure he was going to demand money which I must have owed him! Scary was not the word!!!.  Jane was one of the excellent marshals without whom no event could ever be put on.

No results are available to date, but whilst all of us were saying “never again” I think we did enjoy it and in any case we all did well. 

Together with the off road marathons at Alnmouth, Druridge Bay and Kielder this one of the series of Northumberland Marathons is certainly as stunning in places and as challenging if not more so than the others.

 

 

Iain