By Tom May 

Saturday 22^nd October saw dry and bright and sunny weather conditions in Eastbourne ahead of the Beachy Head Marathon 2011. At 8 degrees it was also ideal temperature for marathon running so normally this would result in fast times. However the Beachy Head event is different in a number of ways compared to most other marathons, it is still the standard distance of 26.2 miles like London or New York however it is off road and very hilly as the course takes in many of the challenging gradients the South Downs has to offer.

The start gun went off at 9am sharp to send the 1300 runners, joggers and walkers on their way, the first 30 meters were relatively flat before the course hit the Downs where we were greeted by a steep chalk path which went up a hill which was a 1 in 3 gradient. The chatting and banter that had been about on the start line soon disappeared as runners were breathing hard to try and get oxygen to the leg muscles which quickly started to burn with the rapid build up of lactic acid, and this was all in the first mile, at this point I thought to myself what the hell have you let yourself in for!

After the first mile or so the course levelled out a bit and we were treated to gorgeous views of the South Downs and the seafront. The course continued to follow the chalk footpaths and grassy trails over the downs, for most of the event you seemed to be going either up or down a big hill with hardly any flat bits in between. After a few miles I found a steady pace which I was able to maintain as the route snaked through the countryside taking in the occasional sleepy Sussex village.

I hit the 20 mile mark in reasonably good shape and felt good; however the event does have a sting in the tale as it tackles the cliff top series of hills called the 7 Sisters. After going up and down the first one I started to get a few leg cramps so had to slow down a bit for the remaining 6. Then the course hit Beachy Head hill itself which was a hard drag especially with legs which felt like jelly by now, finally there was a steep descent off the downs again to the finish.

My official time was 3 hours 33 mins 36 seconds which placed me 27^th out of about 1300 competitors, not a bad morning’s work. It was such a stunning course with amazing views over the South Downs and the seafront so I’d love to return and do it again. Also I managed to raise over £800 for the Cancer Treatment and Research Trust, if anyone still wishes to donate please visit: www.justgiving.com/theminky