The Brighton Marathon - Sunday 7 April 2024
Since the start of the year, I had received weekly updates regarding training etc from London Marathon Events who now organise the Brighton Marathon. Having been lucky enough to run the London Marathon last April (2023) this was a comfort as it was very well organised.
An annoyance being the intention to revise the actual route which was only notified the week before the event. Thankfully the changes were only minor tweaks, with added "out and backs" which I and many others do not really like as you see runners either having to go where you have run or worse, have them looking at you knowing what you have in store.
I had a niggling and worrying injury to my left leg shin/inside calf and I was concerned that I may not be able to finish. This happened whilst running a very slippery (and dangerous) half marathon at Kingley Vale on 24 February 2024, which impacted my training with maximum long runs of only 13 miles with a rest then required while I limped around for 3 to 4 days which was not going to be ideal.
Despite my injury, I decided that it would be useful to do a trial run of the hills on the first 17 miles of the Brighton marathon route to avoid any surprises on the actual day. I ran this on 28 February, no doubt further aggravating my leg injury. During the run, I found the hill at the start Preston Park was no too bad and runable. The next hill was Franklin Road which is a must walk hill. Following this St James’s Street was also a walk up, as was the hill after Ovingdean roundabout to Rottingdean. It is pointless running up these hills, then being tired and walking downhill afterwards.
The day arrived. Weather was perfect, sunny but not too hot, no rain and the wind had eased. Everything was carefully planned. I travelled by train from Chichester to Brighton. I took my car and parked a mile from the station. When I got out, I realised I had left my outward train ticket at home! Luckily I had a credit card with me so I had to buy another for £17.50. I had decided the park and ride was an absolute rip-off at £19. In addition, I didn’t like the idea of driving with tired legs, or possible cramp I had got during my previous marathons. The train was packed when I got on, it being the only train that would arrive at Brighton in time for the start.
I met up with my partner's daughter and her young friend (running her first marathon!) at Brighton station and walked to the start at Preston Park about a mile away. Stupidly, the main road to the park had barriers for the race and everyone, 11,000 runners and twice that at least in spectators/supports, all had to shuffle along a 6ft wide pavement. Fortunately one of the barriers had been unclipped and we crossed the road to the other side which was virtually empty.
The bag drop was excellent. Basically you left your bag at the colour of your wave. No numbers to remember. The drop was near the entrance to the park and the toilets were also nearby. None of the long walk away from the start to the bag drop I suffered at the Great South Run. The morning sun was out and the tension and excitement was rising. As I got to the start for my wave I saw the first amusing sign "toenails are overrated"
At the start, we waited and waited, all crammed in close together for about 10 minutes. Then we were off. The usual idiots sprinted off like it was some 100m dash or 5k park run, the rest of us ran at a moderate pace up the first hill. At the top we turned left for the first downhill (Preston Park Drove) and I joined the nutters going at maximum pace downhill.
Turning right towards Patcham and Withdean up a slight hill but easily run, then the turnaround and back. It was as I approached London road that I came across a series of potholes and went over on my bad leg ankle. Quite why the council and organisers didn’t get these filled before the marathon I don’t know.
Five miles in and still no water stops. I had already used my 500ml bottle of water. Thankfully a kind lady was handing out water on the St James Street hill and I was very grateful. Then right turn and downhill then east to Ovingdean along the A259 coast road. The next water was at Ovingdean and after that on Madeira Drive. It was getting hot and the forecast wind was virtually non-existent. Water stops became critical and I needed to take two at every stop after Ovingdean and even then it was gone way before the next water point.
Back towards the Palace pier roundabout, then west to Hove along the seafront, not too far to go now I thought and it’s all level from now on. But……. the run out through Hove and beyond seems very long and you are eager for the turn back having seen the finish on the Hove green as you ran past.
Then turn and along the prom to the finish and presented with a medal which looked like a key card or something, it being black and rectangular rather than round and collected my rather crass black T shirt and started to look for the exit and head to Hove train station. Another issue, us runners were in a fenced pen, with spectators family, friends all piled up, ten deep at the gap where we were supposed to exit through. Despite stewards shouting at the crowd to get out of the way so we could get out still they pushed and stepped in front of us runners. I remember saying several times, "OK mate don’t mind me, I’ve only just run 26 miles, I’ll go around you”
My time was 5hours 15mins. 5 minutes faster than London a year earlier which I consider was an improvement considering the heat, hills and my injury.
Then I had to find Hove train station. In hindsight I would have been better going back to Brighton station as it was probably nearer and easier.
Would I run Brighton again?
No (probably) even though it is quite local. With the hills, you would be unlikely to get a personal best time.
Water stations number and spacing were definitely an issue. The medal was basically a tilt to woke crap and one of the worst of my 13 to date and one of those is wooden!
The T-shirt is best worn under another top during winter training.
It appears the official tracking app was also a bit (a lot) hit and miss. I tried to connect to it to see where my partner’s daughter was and it wasn’t working. The photographs were pricey for what you get. I had just 8 and they wanted £10 each or £30 for all. Not at all good value compared with SportGraf that did London with 130 photos of me running for £35.
On a positive note, the crowd were amazing and the support and encouragement all through was excellent, dare I say as good as London, definitely. I loved a sign a lady held up in Hove which said:
"I’ve trained for 3 months to hold up this sign"
Next up for me - 'Race to the King' 50km (31miles) on 15 June 2024, my first and probably last "Ultra". I only hope it is not even hotter on the day.
