Charnwood marathon 2015

We have only run this race once before which was in 2013. The event was in March as usual but on the day of the event there were several inches of snow on the ground and it snowed for most of the time we were out.

This time the weather forecast was for cloud, temperatures between 6 and 9 degrees with a northerly wind of about 12 mph which would probably only affect us in the last few miles.

We stayed overnight in Loughborough and got to the start in Quorn at about 8.00 and just missed the walkers setting off.

The runners were leaving at 9.00 and we had time to chat to a few people we know from the 100 marathon club. Runners could choose from two distances 15m and 26m and there seemed to be a preference for the 15m, which had the same route as the 26m for the first 6m.

We started at a different point to avoid a narrow road and there was only one other change from 2013 near the end where the route had been changed to avoid a very boggy section.

The route meanders along quiet roads, tracks, alongside fields for the first three or four miles and then we started the first climb. The first two pictures above show us about half way up that climb. Then past the first self-clip and down to the bottom of Beacon Hill before another climb up the summit. Soon after that we were at the 6m checkpoint where the routes divide.

The conditions underfoot were much better than two years ago and also there was very little mud compared to the Belvoir event we did three weeks ago.

In the first part of the event there were lots and lots of kissing gates. Later they thinned out to be replaced by stiles. To find our way we were using the I had amended from 2013 which we had downloaded to our Garmins. There was the occasional sign, but we could see others who were using the route description and not having any difficulties.

There were more undulations and we went through another checkpoint at a monastery and after a moor type section plunged down before starting a climb to the highest point in Leicestershire. The self clip was on the trig point so we had to go all the way.

Then it was more gentle undulations before the final climb up through Bradgate Park,

March 2013

where there was another self clip before reaching the final check point in the car park at the bottom. Just four and half miles of relatively flat countryside after that before a road section to the finish, where there was an excellent choice of soups with cakes to follow. I do love LDWA type events :-)

We were pleased with our times, just over 5hr 30min, a whole 1hr 20min faster than in 2013 !