Monday 4 March update
Not quite into the taper last week - as I wrongly thought! So the weekend had to have another 21K effort. This was accomplished Saturday with a 12k to get to the park run and a further 5k before hightailing to Lewes footie (about which the less said the better).
The midweek sessions were done around the streets of Lewes and then the hills - since I needed to take advantage of the last day of lovely sunshine to grab pics at mile intervals along the second half of the Moyleman. Due to my inability to read the map (?) I ended up doing 11k trot up to Firle beacon along the top to Bo-Beep Bostal and back to Firle village, instead of the planned 8k.
But the real highlight of the week was Saturday. Most exciting in my mind was the inaugural running of the Seaford Beach Park Run - organised by Seaford Striders, with Tom aka the Beast of Bevendean playing a starring organising/marshalling role.
We'd planned a 10K run to get there, starting from Southease railway station/YHA (the half way point of the Moyleman) - climbing up to Itford Hill and then, part way to Firle Beacon, plunging off south down a long downland spur to reach Bishopstone village just inland from the new park run start on the seafront at the Seaford Sailing club. Having never run this section before, it was going to be a fine new route to try out.
Having looked forward to magnificent views from the top, we were stymied by heavy fog which meant visibility was about 50 yards or so. So we rather had to guess just how magnificent they might be.
Up Itford was the usual slog - but we had it completely to ourselves at 7:30am. However once the downhill route started it proved an absolute delight - a gentle descent (with a couple a shallow climbs) over around 5k until we reached the valleys by Bishopstone. The last section was a lovely hidden tree-covered path into what we discovered from a sign was Poverty Bottom.
Then through the picture postcard village of Bishopstone - across the field and there was the short section of road to the new park run start. Getting there a little early, we trotted out and back adding on a couple of kilometres. The coast was happily fog free although mostly cloudy with flecks of sun out to sea.
The gathering and excitement was palpable - as what turned out to be 250 runners had gathered. We were en masse from Lewes/Brighton and distinctive in our bright Almeria 2019 shirts. The Moyleman got a shout out as one of the organisations which had given financial support to the creation of the Seaford Beach run. And with more thanks to others, we were then underway.
The route is a simple out of back - with the turn just after the Martello Tower (too much shingle at the start point prevents the tower itself being the turn, which would be elegant). Tom was stationed by the tower and hearty shouts greeted him from our dispersed crew.
There were clutch of Lewes AC runners ahead of us, and from our party Jen was on her way to being second woman home, and Brian and Will Courage getting into the top 30 too. With Ash, Duncan and Paula we trotted to a sub-30 - and finished with coffee overlooking the sea from the deck of the sailing club. Brian then set out to run back the route we had taken down (plus a finish into Lewes taking in Mt Caburn) - and we gratefully accepted a lift back from his better half.
With the magnificent run from Southease, the flat out and back and the fine location for post run coffee. This could become firm Saturday morning favourite
The week was then rounded off with Twittens and a final Moyleman Committee plan before the run is upon us.
Less than 2 weeks to go ...
On, on (with taper)!
A Moyleman For All Seasons
