May - 3rd Marathon in 3 months

[Moyleman]

Mission accomplished - 3 forts in the bag.

The intrepid 4some set off at 9am with Remy at the wheel. A dubious 10am start at Hill Barn lane, Worthing. Another low key affair, much like the Stinger.

Experienced runners, milling about - awaiting the gun. I'd already had my obligatory 2 clearouts - one pre and one post porridge, trying to be quiet and not wake the girlfriend. Banana also demolished - I felt good and detached waiting for the get go.

At last we were off, I was more than happy to let the ladies - Gill and Jane to head up the long wind to Cissbury Ring alongside Worthing golf course, up to the first fort. Remy had already shown fleet of foot and was away.

The conditions were fine, breezy - the rain was at bay, although the dark clouds threatened throughout. Perfect running weather.

I managed then to push on ahead, not conciously leaving the girls behind, but settling into my own comfortable tick over pace. Covered the first five miles over to the River Adur without much mishap, dropping down to the vast cutaway into the hillside that is the old cement works near Shoreham.
Time for a small piece of fruit cake, washed down with my new Hammer product - under trial 'Perpetuem' orange/vanilla flavour. Also had 750ml of flat coke, which I had recommended to me, seems to help when the going gets tough and fatigue sets in.

Long, long climb up to Truleigh Hill, dug in and chugged it out - 2nd bit of road on route, which is a bit unsettling after miles of chalky, dusty trail.
A couple of climbs follow up to Devil's Dyke and the 2nd fort, the leader Stuart Mills a B&H runner came back about 3 miles ahead of me - flying. Tends to be a specialist over the downland routes, winning the things in a little over 3 hours.

Got to the Dyke, my heart sank a little - 11 miles, seemed a lot further. Had also passed Remy heading back about a mile ahead of me at that point. A brief pit stop, another gel - off again.

Passed the girls on the way back to Truleigh, about 2 miles behind - they seemed to be enjoying themselves, nice to have company - at this point I wished I had my IPlod to boost my morale and be a friend.

Back down the long descent to the Adur, took the off road route by the side of the road this time, much more conducive to the legs. Then the only dangerous bit of the course, having to cross a busy B road - no marshals stopping traffic. A bit of a chancey affair, anyway safely across, back across the bridge over the river and onwards around Botolphs, a bit of a steep road climb then getting back onto a nice level trail path.

At this point my left calf started to grumble probably from my recent exertions on the bike and crap left in the legs from the TOM. Had to stop and stretch, shrugged it off and got back chugging - I don't like to walk much, see it as the beginning of the end, not a nice mentality to fall into.

Struggled on to 19 miles, caught Phil on the water station - a gym regular and sometime runner a good guy, wished me luck. Another gel devoured, started to perk up and ambled on round much of the route duplicating the Stinger, wistfully passed the steep ascent through the woods back to Steyning my conquest with Sweder of 2 months back.

Ambled up to Chanctonbury Ring - 3rd fort, 21 miles covered, still bloody 6 to go. The mileage seemed to eek by at a slow rate. Then came another steep descent, forming the 2 mile climb replicated from the Stinger about 8 - 10 miles.

Chugged around another 1/2 mile and got to one bastard climb N/E of Findon
, one to log in the memory bank, just as you forlornly hope that the end is nigh - A big kick in the teeth. Had to walk this one - another lovely descent back into Cissbury, time for my last gel - with 2 miles to go. I wave of relief coming over me, walked the stiff ascent out of there.

The last 2 miles then flew by, back down again alongside the golf course. A well weathered cheeky sign displaying Lamb with Mint sauce 5p extra.
A perfect worn mud trail back down to the playing field, the announcer within earshot. I picked up the pace and sped down taking off my cap, acknowledging the gentle applause. I crossed the line grinning like a loon having accomplished the biggest running challenge of my life, a beautiful medal adorned - time unimportant, between 4:35 - 4:40. 27 miles covered.

Track du jour - if I had the sounds would have been Lou Reed - Perfect day.

Right, whats next ?