Maverick South Downs Marathon 28 June 2025
An event like this, you have to ask yourself why? Why do I put myself through this abject torture? From the outset, the extensive hills are a known quantity. My Garmin registered an elevation gain of 1,044m! Also the weather in June is pretty much going to be hot. However, on 28 June 2025, it was bang in the middle of a heatwave!
For those running this in the future, be aware that the free car park (in a spacious grass field) is a 1.5-mile round trip. So it is best to sort yourself out, walk down to the registration area/start and pin your bib on there, rather than collect it, go back to your car and then go walk back down again nearer to the start time! Please Maverick - put the Bib collection/registration tent in the car park!
Be fully aware that despite being called "South Downs" very little of the marathon (Long Route) is on the actual South Downs Way itself. Most of the route was on chalky rough farmer’s access roads or paths with flints poking through and loose gravel. Footpaths were overgrown at the time with brambles across and barely enough room for one person, or an unclear path around a farmer’s field. Also be fully aware, the route is 45% uphill and 45% downhill with very little actually flat.
Oh those hills!
All of the uphill sections will need to be walked! Do not even try to attempt to run up these. It would be a challenge for a 20-year-old Army recruit, let alone us recreational runners. I made up my walking time by running fast downhill.
Pride comes before a fall
After speeding past others downhill and them catching me up because they walk quicker up the hills for 18 miles, my luck finally ran out and I paid the price, stepping on a protruding flint and going over on my left ankle resulting in painful sprain and a fall (even at a reduced speed of 6.4km/h) hitting my head and sustaining injury and covering myself in the only wet mud in the whole of Sussex!
Although I protested I was alright, despite blood pouring out of my nose and head wounds, passing fellow runners insisted on calling the emergency number. One kindly even walked with me for about 2 miles (very much appreciated) until the paramedic truck met us and a lovely lady paramedic named Esther, patched up my head wounds. Stoically, I elected to carry on to actually finish in 7 hrs 29 mins as I wanted the medal, not a DNF. After crossing the finish I was greeted by a lovely lady who knew me by name, asked how their "fallen hero" was and congratulated me on finishing. Esther was also there at the finish and we had a nice chat about running, with me, despite my injuries, informing her how enjoyable running is.
I would like to wholeheartedly thank all those concerned that organised this event which was well signposted and although the aid stations were too few, (just three for a marathon on a hot day isn’t enough) the aid stations were well stocked and a welcome sight after 7.5miles.
I couldn’t have wished for better support. The care that I received after my fall I will never forget. When you ask yourself why you put yourself through all of this, you will know it is because of the camaraderie, especially in those times of difficulty and towards the end of a marathon or Ultra. You don't find friendliness, kindness and support like this in normal life, which is why a few days after each event, you look forward to the next one.
For me it, will be the New Forest marathon which is fairly flat and hopefully on better paths.
One final thing I do have to mention, the rather disappointing medal. It didn’t have the word marathon on it or on the ribbon. Whatever the distance, everyone got the same medal.
