Race 12 : The Moyleman Marathon Relay
Race: The Moyleman Marathon Relay
Distance: 13.1
Time: 2 hours 12 mins
Hooray- it’s finally here. The 4th Half marathon distance race I need to complete in as many weekends. Boy oh boy am I looking forward to a weekend off running next weekend!
This race was a little different as Alex and I were running as a relay team to cover half of a full marathon each. We didn’t know too much about the Moyleman marathon however it certainly has a good reputation amongst local running enthusiasts so we had a feeling it would be a good one. We were looking forward to covering some familiar territory as the race takes place in the hills around Lewes where many of our weekends spent running with the Southdown Trailblazers take place.
Rather than just parking the car outside of the running HQ- this time we needed to park our car at the end destination (Harvey’s Brewery) and walk 20 minutes to get to the school where it was all starting. This was a brisk 20 minute uphill slog (an effective warm up!). Once we reached the school it was clear that there were quite a few people running. The main hall was filled with people. We managed to wiggle our way through, have a pre race wee and get Alex’s bag dropped off to be taken to the midway point of the race where I would take over. The race intro was lovely and heartfelt and casual. “Have fun, pick up your litter, leave no trace. Except for an occasional wee”. We also learnt that this race was organised in memory of a fellow local trail runner who passed away a few years ago. It was in it’s 3rd year of being a public event and was growing every year. A Race with a heart AND no ‘safety’ rules. I love it already! (oh and free beer and pizza at the end… absolute DREAM)
The start of the race was a further 5 minute walk from the school up on the old Lewes race course. We could not believe how lucky we had got with the weather. The day before BBC weather was promising heavy rain for the entire morning- but instead all we had was a light spattering of cloud and hardly any breeze. Our friends Paul and Sam who live just down the road popped up to see Alex on his way. The race started 5 minutes behind schedule (gotta love a relaxed race!). First we saw the Marathon runners off on their way and 5 minutes later we cheered the first lot of relay runners as they headed off!
I don’t know a lot about the first part of the relay race- I can quote Alex and tell you that “it was the hardest race I have ever done” The swap over point was at Southease YHA about a 10 minute drive out of Lewes (thank’s again to Paul Fielding and Sam Hawkins for supplying me with tea and doggys to play with for a couple of hours before driving me to the half way point). There was a light spattering of rain while we were waiting for Alex to get there- but it didn’t feel too cold. He got to us just after the 2 hour mark- the few full marathon runners who had passed or relay runners that had stopped before him all looked truly exhausted so it wasn’t too much of a surprise to see how pooped Alex looked when he got to me. I was ready and raring to go and grabbed the ‘baton’ from him gave him a quick kiss - and started the immediate climb up to Firle beacon.
I was faffing around quite a bit at the start of the race - trying to get my music right/ trying to get my temperature right. I was also AMAZED to pass a guy running the full marathon in casual wear!? He was wearing cargo shorts, a striped t-shirt and what may as well have been loafers. Whattt!? I passed a few marathon runners on my climb up Firle- I can only imagine how much they must of disliked me. “Stupid fresh faced relay runner” they must have been thinking to themselves. Once I got on the top of the beacon the race opens up and it is my favourite part of the downs by far. Undulating ups and downs with views in all directions. I was flying along- but I was also very puzzled with the absolute absence of any form of breeze. It is always windy up there- not today apparently. I was very relieved that there were no cattle to be found on the top of the hill- as this part of the downs is where a cow took a severe disliking to me a few years ago while on a trail run. I was very much enjoying Craig Charles’ Funk and Soul show from the night before and was running along quite happily! Soon it was time to descend from the top of Firle Beacon and the route took us down Bo Peep Lane (don’t be fooled by this cute name- it is a curly, tarmaced monstrosity of a hill either way you need to run it in my opinion - running up is horrible- but running down conjures up nothing but potentially hideous face planting possibilities in my mind!)
I was relieved to get to the bottom of the hill and onto a relatively flat part of the race. Through fields and potholed and puddly farmers tracks- I flew through this part of the race. I was warmed up, and I was feeling strong and passed a few sorry looking marathon runners. (I’m sorry guys- I salute you from the bottom of my heart!!). I was really enjoying myself, perhaps a little too much as i had convinced myself we had covered a lot further than we actually had. The race met the road again through Glynde village and this part was nice as there were quite a few people out and about to cheer on their family and friends and they kindly threw a little encouragement my way also.
I reached the final drink stop a little tired and heard the marshall telling another runner that “it is unfortunately rather hilly from here to the end”... oh no! I changed the tempo of my music and put on Funeral by Arcade fire (one of my all time favourite albums in general but it also happens to be fantastic to run with also!). After the drinks stop it was along a road for a little bit and then up through a familiar looking stile.. uh oh… I know where we are heading and it isn’t pretty… Mount Caburn.
This was easily one of the hardest parts of any race I have ever done. It is such a steep climb to the top. Please take a look at the elevation graph below. Yes… it’s that final pointy triangle near the end!!
I walked a lot of it- It was just far too hard to run…. Even with my (previously) failsafe 30 walks 30 runs method. Arcade fire timed it perfectly- As i reached the very top- their song Wake Up also reached its up tempo crescendo with the lyrics screaming into my ears “you better look out below” I felt absolutely INCREDIBLE! Time to get the last part of this race finished!! The glory at the top of mount caburn is short lived. It’s quite literally a hop over a stile and then it’s all downhill from there! - it’s a good job the end of the song is short and sweet also. I whizzed down the hill (complete with airplane arms for a few seconds… I couldn’t help myself). I passed a few more marathon runners on this part. It could not have been kind on 24 mile weary knees!!
I had to walk a bit more on the uphill that followed and then found myself running through a field of cows. Arghhh. I had to slow to a walk as some of them were on the move and looking straight at me. Other runners overtook at a run and all I could think was “do you want to DIE?! “ Anyway- I probably wasted a good few minutes walking carefully through this field and trying and succeeding to not cry- hurrah. Face your fears and all that. The race was pretty much done after that. A careful negotiation of the very steep downhill from Lewes golf course and a victory run through Lewes high street right into Harvey’s Brewery where our half pints of Ale awaited. My watch told me I had done it in about 2 hrs 13 mins. That is CRAZY fast for me, so I am ever so pleased. Team Tortoise and the Hare did good- go us!
