Beachy Head Marathon - A roller coaster of fun on the South Downs
I haven't run a marathon for my birthday in a few years. Normally it would be Snowdonia, but with the advent of the ballot system for that event, I hunted around for something scenic and interesting to mark the passing of another year. My search led me to Beachy Head, a trail marathon that has some great reviews and still had spaces left, so I took the plunge and entered. Accommodation booked and a plan to enjoy the day unfolded. Happily, I was not staying too far from the start line, so the morning was relaxed and I joined the steady flow of runners walking towards St Bede's prep school at the Western end of the seafront in Eastbourne. It was a great feeling to be among so many runners, with quite a large contingent from the Netherlands and some French and Belgians in the mix too. It dawned on me that this event is iconic and draws people back year-after-year and a chat with one participant revealed that the course can change a lot depending on the weather. For this year, the ...