2010 Brighton Marathon

[ladyrunner]

Thank you for all the good luck messages. I hope we manage to spot everyone on route or at the start.

It will probably be hard to spot us amongst the 12000 entrants, but we will be wearing the purple Martlet vests which we have now had customised with bright pink lettering saying Team Moyleman.

Photo of myself and Jen holding up our vests here taken by Sweder this morning at Hove Park.
http://yfrog.com/1qtr7ej

Off to eat some more banana bread now!!
Julie

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Best of luck everyone - as I write there's just a few hours to go before the start I think. Doubtless Team Moyleman will do everyone proud - a great effort!

[Sweder]

Stevio and Simon Ho blazed past us at something like 3 hour pace, around 5 minutes behind Mike Bannister who in turn trailed Shaun Billing by the same margin. Cathy Ulliott was just behind Si and Steve. Terrific effort - I hope these guys can hang on in there and bag a sub 3.

Spotted Dan 'Gus' The Gorilla just before mile 9 (Ovingdean) looking bang on his planned pace of around 5 hours. I couldn't say he was comfortable but he was looking good and still fairly upright : ) There were several others struggling with heavy costumes including a bloke in a full- length dalmation jump-suit and a Star Wars Stormtrooper in shiny white plastic battle dress. Fair play to you all.

Team Moyleman went through in two clusters; Jen and Ladyrunner running at around 3:40 pace looking very good, Lou and Cam ten minutes back also looking relaxed. I didn't see SW but that's not surprising - there was a fair old flow of runners in both directions at our location. Will upload photos - SP snapped Dan and uploaded to Twitter - check www.twitter.com/splodmeister for the link.

Beautiful day - cloudless (and planeless) skies, a cool sea breeze and what looked to be good support along the route.
Well done people!

[marathondan]

Made it round in 4:45 - would have taken that on a cold day, so doubly chuffed considering the heat. Went off about 1 min/mile too fast, paid for it after about mile 16 when walk breaks became necessary and my chin was on my chest. Amazing relief to get the mask off after nearly 5 hours. The fancy dress was almost worth it just for the ego-trip of the fantastic support. Good to see SP and Sweder out there doing their bit -- thanks guys.

Julie said she made it in 4:08 with some powerwalking towards the end.

Off for a good night's sleep -- report to follow!

[El Gordo]

Made it round in 4:45 - would have taken that on a cold day, so doubly chuffed considering the heat. Went off about 1 min/mile too fast, paid for it after about mile 16 when walk breaks became necessary and my chin was on my chest. Amazing relief to get the mask off after nearly 5 hours. The fancy dress was almost worth it just for the ego-trip of the fantastic support. Good to see SP and Sweder out there doing their bit -- thanks guys.

Julie said she made it in 4:08 with some powerwalking towards the end.

Off for a good night's sleep -- report to follow!

HURRAH!

A huge "Well done" to Dan, to the Moylebirds, and to Fran ('StillWaddler'). Looks like Fran got back home in a bit over the 5, while Dan dipped in a bit below.

Dan I just want to laugh at, in the nicest of ways. His crazy ape-suit obsession has tickled me over the past few months, as much as it probably tickled him today. Madness. His kids will love him for it though, so it will have been worthwhile. Good man, and well done for making the effort for such a good charity.

Let's not forget why 'the Moylebirds' were out today. It's just a couple of days since the anniversary of the day a much-loved and admired friend left us, and this is a wonderful tribute. We all thank you. Julie's injuries threatened her participation at one point, so to get round in just over 4 is fantastic.

I'm so pleased for Fran too. SW has been dragged down by injury and illness, and a draining of self-belief over the past few months. I'm amazed that she got to the start line, never mind the finish. It must have been tough out there in this heat. I suspect she's burbling "Never again" at this very moment as another pint of Guinness vanishes.

Weird isn't it? I could almost cry at times like this. There's something... shared about a marathon that gets me every time.

Can't wait for the reports, but let's allow a bit of rehydration time first.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Oh yes, well done everyone - fantastic effort and fantastic results! Moyleman has been done wonderfully proud. Great work everyone - I too am looking forward to reading the reports.

[marathondan]

Check out this video -- apparently includes the whole field.

Edit: see 3:18!

[Sweder]

Attended (gate-crashed) the BM finishers party last night at the Market Inn in the Lanes. Updates on those I met amongst the tangible euphoria follow, but I'd just like to say there's no greater buzz than speaking to someone who's just completed their first ever marathon. A number of the guys I ran with over the (harsh) winter were there last night, finishers shirts and (very nice) medals on display beneath the widest grins you'll ever see. Wonderful stuff.

Cathy Ulliott (who I've not often mentioned because given her usual pace I never see her), a very good friend of Moyleman, crushed her PB and romped home to claim one of the top prizes. She bashfully revealed a very smart silver trophy to rapturous applause. I'd seen her rocket out of Ovingdean Hill School heading for the nine mile marker, eyes blazing a trail through the runners in front.

Team Moyleman acquitted themselves with honours. Cam (Moylebird) looked out for a Sunday stroll at 9 miles but must have lit up the afterburners to crack 4 hours, as did Jen. Remarkably, despite a month out with injuries just before the race and deploying her now infamous pace-walking, Ladyrunner got home in 4:08, a brilliant effort. My old mate would have been hugely proud of all of them. Sickeningly they all looked fresh as daisies last night as they imbibed the Team Moyleman drink du jour, Guinness and Black.

The JSJ 'quicks' had a pretty good day too. Simon Ho bagged a big PB in 3:08, Stevio 3:15 and Irish Michael, after the dissapointment of blowing up in London last year, a magnificent 2:58. Sean Billing, always a strong runner, came home in 2:56. Mike Bannister, denied a sub 3 by 2 minutes twice before, once again fell mercilessly short, clocking 3:03. His time will come. PBs too for Adi, Gillybean and MSilv, times to be confirmed. There is a discrepancy with the official timing; many runners show watch times 2 minutes slower than the official race times. The results website is slower than Captain Tom reaching for his wallet so we'll have to wait for those wrinkles to get ironed out. For Gillybean it's an anxious wait. The official timing shows her less than a minute under four hours. If confirmed it'll be her first sub-4 run. In any event it's a PB by some 15 minutes or so.

Special mention for Tom Roper and his fellow running club marshalls without whom etc and so forth. As ever these selfless volunteers ensure races of this nature and magnitude ever happen at all. And for the race organisers who, faced with a deluge of last-minute requests from stranded UK-based Boston Marathon runners, found it in their hearts to allow 50 people entry to the race on Friday.

Well done one and all. A terrific day, one that I feel certain will be repeated annually. With 12,000 entrants the inaugural Brighton Marathon can be declared a great success.

[The Beast of Bevendean]

Well said. It was a day that gladdened even my cynical black heart. As I tried to herd runners into the starting pens (named corrals on this occasion), I wondered how it could all work. Runners were going this way and that, and the careful system of colour-coding by estimated finish time seemed to have broken down altogether, at least for those behind the elite runners. And then, miraculously, a few minutes later, we had a disciplined and organised start, and a race that will stay in the memory of everyone who ran or watched.
I swore a dreadful oath on the still-warm entrails of a strangled rabbit that after London last year I would never do another marathon. Yesterday changed my mind.

[marathondan]

Tom, well done for your part in such a successful day. I did look out for you near the start, but frankly the pale blue marshalls' t-shirts were pretty indistinct. Do you know the inside scoop on the delayed start? I had assumed it was due to the toilet delays (I queued for half an hour, finally gaining relief at 8.55) but then I heard it was due to moving an illegally parked car.

[El Gordo]

Tom, well done for your part in such a successful day. I did look out for you near the start, but frankly the pale blue marshalls' t-shirts were pretty indistinct. Do you know the inside scoop on the delayed start? I had assumed it was due to the toilet delays (I queued for half an hour, finally gaining relief at 8.55) but then I heard it was due to moving an illegally parked car.

Tom tweeted yesterday morning to say there was a delay because the course was "not yet clear", though whether it was cluttered with cars or people queuing for toilets was also not clear.

[The Beast of Bevendean]

It was indeed a car. It was quite a sight to see the rush out of the pens for last minute micturation when the delay was announced. Note for next time, make the entrances to the pens bigger and more obvious.

[suzieq]

Well done to everyone! Some pretty incredible times in spite of the heat. I'm very impressed.


Suzie

[ladyrunner]

When we turned up at the park at 8am they were frantically towing away cars still parked in Preston Park Ave and there were still numberous cars and traveller vans parked in Preston Drove that they hadn't started on.

It seems that all were removed with the exception on one in each road that just got taped off for the runners to go round. I guess they ran out of time and couldn't keep the 8000 runners waiting any longer.

Next year this should probably be a job for the night before then place hundreds of cones and notices up in the road. Think they also need more toilets in the park and around the course. People were weeing everywhere in Preston Park because the toilet queues were so long. There was also a crowd of men weeing against a tree in the School at Ovingdean which I thought was not a good image for the marathon, particularly as it was on show for Ovingdean residents and could also possibly jepardise the marathon being allowed to run through the school in future years.

I would also like to say thank you to all the Marshalls like Tom that helped on the day, and also for the great support from the spectators which made the day so special. It was good to spot Sweder and Seafront Plodder along the route. And also well done to MarathonDan and StillWaddler.

4:07 is my slowest ever road marathon, and some 4 minutes slower than I ran Beachy Head Marathon in Oct 2008, but it was a good result after only running 7 miles in a month and it was also so important to finish because of the Team Moyleman fundraising. I had to start power walking at 18 miles due to hip and back stiffness which really helped. It was a huge relief at about 23 miles to know that I was going to make it to the line and make it through the race without injuring my calf again.

Got The Argus marathon special today and Gus the Ape is one of the stars in the photos. Picture can be viewed here and purchased:-
http://3401.e-printphoto.co.uk/nqsussex/index.cfm?z=z&y=y&p_id=14575811&c_id=14586&action=view

[Antonio247]

Congratulations, everybody! I´m really glad that you all have succeeded in spite of the heat. This new marathon seems to be going to become one of the best in the UK. I´d love to be able to take part in it one year.

Saludos desde Almería

Antonio

[Sweder]

Hot off the press from Moylebird ...

Hello everyone

I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who sponsored Team Moyleman and came out to watch us Sunday - it really made it an unforgettable day. In fact it could not have been better for me, I ran comfortably and enjoyed the whole race. Feeling that good at the end of a marathon is something I have not experienced before and I am sure the huge crowds and support helped immensley - when running that last 3 miles I could not stop smiling. To be in my home city and running the first marathon with all the people cheering is something I will never ever forget.

If you want to donate still or know someone who may want to please can you forward this link:
http://www.justgiving.com/runningformoyleman

We have raised a tremendous amount for The Martlet's in memory of my brother Chris, which really put the icing on the cake of a truly wonderful experience.

Thank you so much from Cam, Lou, Jen and Julie, we really appreciate it
Love Cam xxx

[marathondan]

Got The Argus marathon special today and Gus the Ape is one of the stars in the photos. Picture can be viewed here and purchased:-
http://3401.e-printphoto.co.uk/nqsussex/index.cfm?z=z&y=y&p_id=14575811&c_id=14586&action=view

Thanks very much for that, Julie. The Argus is offering to post the two special editions for £2.99 so I will probably order them this week.

[stillwaddler]

Hi Guys, didn't see anyone on the run, got round in 5.10 - with a 4.50 stop for loo queue and injury. Will do a proper report soon as am only just back and blackberry died on me. Shame really I was feeling great until left calf went at about mile 9, followed by the left at about 11, so was left with walk running to finish. I think it was the camber in the roads, I never have trouble with my calves normally. Felt as fresh as a daisy at the end and thoroughly enjoyed my paddle:-)

[Sweder]

Sorry to say SW you probably ran right by me and my band of cheering followers - just outside the exit of Ovingdean Hill School before 9 mile marker. We missed you and you us, but by that stage the road was pretty thick with runners moving in two directions so hardly surprising. I managed to miss Suzie in London last year at mile 13 and 22.5 - must be old age!

What a lovely way to feel at the end of a marathon. Several people have remarked on feeling uplifted and even fresh at the finish. Must be the bracing sea air. I'm not sure what time you were aiming for but considering you ran-walked from mile 11 you must be very happy with the result. Well done.

[suzieq]

Well done SW! You must be feeling pretty good. Considering that there was some doubt whether you would be able to do it or not at one time; you did very well. Congratulations!

Suzie