The Greensand Marathon
Dorking - Westcott - Coldharbour - Leith Hill - Somerset Hill - Holmbury Hill- Pitch Hill - Reyards Hill - Winterfold Hill - and back again!
10am, Sunday 21 October 2012
UK Athletics Licence 2011-0086
The Greensand MarathonDorking - Westcott - Coldharbour - Leith Hill - Somerset Hill - Holmbury Hill- Pitch Hill - Reyards Hill - Winterfold Hill - and back again! 10am, Sunday 21 October 2012 UK Athletics Licence 2011-0086
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73 minute cut-off in 2012!
"I think the quarter way cut-off adds another slightly unusual dimension to the race that helps make this race what it is. " Anthony Ward - 2011
Greensand Marathon named as one of Britain's top twenty best races (and top five best marathons) in 2009 by runners voting at Runner's World |
Trionium Greensand Marathon named Best New Event at the Runner's World Personal Best Awards 2010 |
Including a lot of climbing (total of 5200 feet of ascent and descent: a vertical mile) and stunning views
Route will be marked: marshals will be present: feed/fluid stations will be provided.
Route includes Wolvens Lane, a BOAT (byway open to all traffic - mostly motorbikes and 4x4s)
Changing rooms, 'showers' and post-race meal included.
The race will be preceded by the massed ranks of runners singing Jerusalem.
The Greensand Marathon doffs its (flat) cap to the following legendary events:
Surrey Summits100k/Tops 50k Surrey Slog (half marathon) Surrey Hills 30/16/10k
The Greensand Marathon is not to be confused with the excellent Greensand Ridge Relay (June, Bedfordshire
Surrey Wildlife Trust |
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Why 'Greensand Marathon'? You may well ask, since one thing that you will not see is green sand. However, the entire run takes place on Lower Greensand rocks (110-120 million years old, part of the Lower Cretaceous). The sandstones contain glauconite, a green iron-magnesium mineral which was and is deposited in shallow tropical seas. However, glauconite is dissolved by rainwater, which leaves behind iron deposits, leading to the characteristic 'rusty' yellow appearance of the 'green'sands. For more information, please see 'The Box Hill and Mole Valley Book of Geology' by Richard Selley, 2006, ISBN 0-9534430-6-X See also the truly excellent web site of the Open University - Great fun! Enter the BGS Make-a-Map facility (Cretaceous rocks of the UK shown left) Map of the Lower Greensand (right) from 'The Lower Greensand for Geologists' by Bedfordshire and Luton RIGS |
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And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark Satanic mills?
Bring me my bow of burning gold:
Bring me my arrows of desire:
Bring me my spear: O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.
Agree with it or not, this is a great song, very stirring, well worth singing, and the perfect start to this most English of races.
Words will be provided on the day.
Well done to everyone who competed in the race in 2011: there were 199 starters out of 290 entered (!): just getting to the start is a triumph!
On 23 October 2011, 199 hardy veterans (and a few marathon virgins) started out from The Nower in Dorking to attempt the Greensand Marathon - 26.2 miles of trails, hills and views, over the Greensand hills of the North Downs. Despite a very tough and strictly enforced 70-minute cut-off at Leith Hill Tower, 184 runners successfully finished the marathon. First man home was Chris Townsin (38) in 3:20:05, while second man home was Andy Ward (40), running for Guildford and Godalming AC. Third man home, only 24 seconds behind the third placed man was Dan McCormack. First lady home was Kerry-Ann Marais (27), in 22nd place in a time of 3:52:10, just ahead of Kate Mercer (also 27) in 26th place who finished in a time of 3:55:11. Third placed lady was local runner Anne Davidson (49( of Dorking and Mole Valley AC, who finished in 37th place in 3:59:54, just six seconds inside the four hour mark!
Quote of the day (in Northern Irish accent): "I've been running races for the past 35 years and yesterday was as good as it gets. Hope to be back for more next year. A special word of thanks to your marshals; they were efficient, friendly and glamorous - and that's only the men!" Terry Eakin, North Down AC (+ his photos...)
Excellent write-up from Kez (dog) and owner
Excellent write up from Grant Wyatt (fuller version below)
"Greensand Marathon is indeed a very tough marathon, but at this moment in time, it goes down in history as my most favourite (out of about 60 ish). The most physically demanding marathon I have run, but definitely the most emotionally rewarding." Sandra Bowers
Results 2011 (make sure you refresh your browser window!)
Leave comments/rate the race 2011
See runner comments 2011 (Runner's World)
Track your race progress with Racetracer (Race ID 33 - Runner numbers here)
Competitor Grant Wyatt is running for charity...
Grant Wyatt's write-up for 2011
Firstly, a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who has donated to this wonderful charity so far
26.2 off-road miles. A vertical mile of ascent and descent. The South of England's highest point, Leith Hill, followed by the next five. And back again. What was I thinking?
A lovely local, low-key event, the cat was let out of the bag when it was announced that, whilst there had been 270+ entrants, fewer than 200 felt able to tackle it come race day. Uh oh. Did they know something I didn't? We both know the answer to that one but it did feel like I suspect marathons used to feel: intimate, friendly and special. Starting the race with a rousing rendition of Jerusalem only sought to highlight all of this and with an unassuming 3-2-1 count we were off. No starting-time waves, no pens, no crowds, just 200 runners heading off up a hill. Brilliant! For about three minutes until the first big hill where I had to walk. Gordon Bennett, this was going to be tough.
Wanting to get us home whilst it was still light, race organiser Robert McCaffery, had wisely set a 'Leith Hill' cut-off time of 70 minutes, but at 6.5 very uphill miles, it meant one had to run quickly or face the ignominy (irrespective of how the organisers billed it) of being sent back on the 'half'. Running with my friend Carl, we made it just on the 1 hour mark, but the cracks were already starting to show.
The next quarter of the race was simply up and down, on very difficult terrain, and I was almost pleased at the 11 mile mark to see the leaders of the race passing us going the other way as we went down a steep downhill; and they were walking, well striding, but not running. Carl and I reached the halfway point in about 2:05 and turning for home was great, but the half-way point of a marathon they say is around 20 miles physically, and we were a long, long way from home.
At some point in the next few miles my left knee started giving me trouble, and walking 200m and running 500m became the 'norm'. Hitting Leith Hill again was very, very welcome because from there home it is all flat / downhill with the exception of one big climb (which everyone walked). A half mile of sandy path gave my knee a rest too, and so the last 3 miles, buoyed by the adrenaline of soon-to-be-finishing, felt great..
The crowd support at this race was just incredible, everyone telling one to 'come on, keep going' or 'you're looking great' (terribly liars, the lot of them) and even the front-runners when they passed us, encouraged us back-markers; it was truly awesome.
Turning the corner at the top of the last hill, and seeing a nice, long grassy downhill to the finish made my heart jump with joy, and when Emily as well as Jo of Transform Housing were there to meet me (and take my photo) it was truly a wonderful moment. For the record I made it around in 4:34, and considering I was aiming for a sub-5 hour (this is not a normal marathon time) I was pretty chuffed. A full English breakfast at the end really made the race; so bring it on next year, I can't waitÉ
One last point is that one meets some incredible people on races like this. Michael, a level 3 cancer sufferer, awaiting his fourth operation, who has recently completed a Raid Gauloises (www.raid-gauloises.com); Hayley, with her magic Jimmy Choo running shoes, who works at Headley Court Military Hospital, and who raced an IronMan with Joe Townsend, part of Team True Spirit; and Nick, a slip of a lad, one of the friendliest (and fastest) guys I've met at a race - these are incredible people and this is why we do these kinds of ultra-races.
Some statistics for those so inclined :
Winning time : 3:20 - awesome
á First lady : 3:52 - also awesome
Grant : 4:34 - awesome in my own, slow, oldish way, 107th out of 189 finishers
Last person home : 6:08 - awesome, it is sooo hard to run for this long, hats off to everyone who completed this race
Thank you soooo much to everyone who has donated money to Transform, but for anyone who would like to donate that final fiver or tenner click here!
And as Jackie said in her donation, what on earth am I going to do next?
WELL DONE EVERYONE in 2010!
Special thanks to all the marshals....good job guys and gals - we couldn't have done it without you!
2010 new course record - Ed Catmur (defending champion) - 3:08:01...
Photos 2010 - Thanks to Jon Kyte - ace photographer!
Race ratings and comments 2010
Quote of the day 2010... by GEOGAB Trionium (to the tune of Jerusalem) And have your feet in recent times And did that Doctor Rob divine Bring me my cup of lucozade I will not stop to view the sights |
UK Athletics Permit No. 20090317 (2009)
The race raised £640 for charity, including Rianna's Fund
Preliminary results (make sure you refresh your browser!)
Our slightly hit-and-miss photos (some good ones!)
'Official' photos - lots of great shots!
2009 official starter: Emeritus Professor Dick Selley, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College
Fortune (and the weather) favours the bold...
That Greensand Marathon feeling....
Remi Brunier (M 28) gets into the swing of things at 17M at the Duke of Kent School (and still finishes in 4:05:29).
Photo: www.monkshatchphotography.co.uk
Brilliant race, amazing scenary, amazing day, really encouraging and friendly marshalls. Organiser sent out the most informative email containing race details I've ever received. A hard race but organised by someone with humour and diligence. Thanks
Tough but excellent! Unfortunately, a few motor bikes, cars and quads along one part of the route, driving quite rudely - but this can happen at any race and is not the organisers fault.
....easier than the Picnic ! Lots of up hills, but lots of downs too! Great race, good turnout and very good weather for so late in October. Very good off road course although the signage wasn't great (locals removing the tape) so ended up doing an extra half mile at ColdHarbour. First quarter was all up hill which meant the last was the easiest. The views from the top of all the hills were staggering. Lots of walkers and cyclists made it very sociable and the last 8 miles was very 'chatty' as everyone was fading ! Met lots of XC regulars which also made it good. The medal and goody bag (rucksack and named t-shirt) were fantastic and the post race fry up was very welcome indeed. Well done Dr Rob, another fantastic race with the only issues being largely out of your control. Will definately be doing more trionium events!
A tough race, friendly marshalls, but wd like to have seen more. First time I've ran a marathon without my club colleagues around me, very tough as I expected, beat my predicted time though so was happy with that. Other runners tended to be more sociable towards the end of the run when were all worn out together. Nearly got lost though and sometimes although on right track was unsure whether I was going the right way. A big thank you though the the Trionium Greensand Marathon Team
Really enjoyable - lovely course, good organisation and great atmosphere. Enjoyed it much more than I expected as it was my first marathon and expected more pain given the profile. Broad mix of runners , many had done a hundred marathons but a few first timers, very happy atmosphere. Great water stations with jelly babies and very encouraging marshals. I had some gels but the forcing down the sport drinks at 1/2 way and 3/4 way really helped. The showers spraying water everywhere but down were a laugh.
Tough run - rewarding views - well organised and friendly event. A tough course with some good hills, awesome views and loads of jelly-babies at the water stops! Watch the course - easy to lose your way if you miss the tape. Nice T-shirt - thanks! Thoroughly enjoyed the event - I'll be back.
Don't underestimate this race's difficulty - almost on a par with the Picnic. I'm ecstatic that I beat my marathon PB by 1 hour, 2 minutes and 31 seconds! This is perverse, considering this race involves a vertical mile, unlike the London Marathon five years ago (at the time I was much less fit and had long term injury). Even the Picnic was done in a comparable time to the latter race. In spite of the tight deadline to reach the quarter way point in 1h20 (gradient-wise the toughest quarter), I felt that the third quarter was far harder as I felt fatigued (hips, knees and all leg muscles). I have to say the deadline made me panic, and I ended up running it much faster than necessary, which may have proved costly later! There were moments of despair around mile 16/17 when I wondered if I could finish at all. So I walked for ages, but got second wind and comparatively blitzed the final quarter of the race, realising the potential 1hr+ PB potential. However, under normal circumstances, this is not a likely PB race. During the uphills in the 3rd quarter I walked, yet the downhills were arguably more excruciating with the impacting on joints bearing in mind the muddy / rocky / uneven surfaces. Flat surfaces were seemingly non-existent! However, it was a perfect time of year to run - a breathtaking English Autumn and an ideal cool breeze. I was helped hugely by my Garmin 310XT, which having used it for the first time in this race and uploaded my data to the website, I really feel it was a worthy purchase and would highly recommend it. Somewhere before the final pass of the tower, I would have appreciated an extra water stop... That is my only request! Overall, a seriously tough and extremely rewarding and well-organised race. Roll on Greensand 2010! The marshalls were extremely helpful! Congratulations to Dr Rob on a great inaugural race, and to all who dared to attempt running it.
Very hilly, muddy and memorable. A must-do event!
My first marathon so quite the baptism of fire but well worth it and i'm sure i'll be booking myself in next year. Big thankyou to all the marshalls and an extra thankyou to Dr Rob, good work fella.
Great race, good atmosphere and well organized. A short notice first time marathon for me, so it was a PB which was a bonus ;) Great scenery, nice and sociable race, especially during the last slower part. All seemed very well organized, with a nice fry up at the end.
Stunning scenery, must do it again next year! Tough, but the hills weren't *that* bad, still needed to walk bits. absolutely loved the race, the route, the organisation (even with the wrong turns for over 1 mile), the uber-friendly marshals, and the participants. brilliant!
Tough course but a lovely run. Tough course - but have you ever come across a Trionium event that isn't? Beautiful scenery and great weather. Marshals and fellow runners were very supportive too. A great day out.
Yet another brilliant Trionium event. A very tough run made easier by the great organisation, the best marshals, perfect weather and scenery and great fellow nutters. I'd thoroughly recommend any Trionium event and this was a cracker. Speaking of which roll on the Knacker Cracker, Box Hill 1st Jan - definitely the best event of the year for me - and this came pretty close!
Excellent race, with a surprising amount of support for an off-roader. Many thanks for a great race. Well marshalled and very well supported. An excellent goody bag with nice t.shirt, medal and bag. A very scenic (and challenging) route with regular water stops. Well signposted along the majority of the route. My only suggestion for the future would be a sign in the town centre pointing us to the race start, but apart from that a great day.
Fanbtastic organisation and a stunning new trail. Will be back.
Hills + more hills + more hills = Ouch. Smooth organisation, lovely marshals and well stocked feed stations. The course is wonderfully scenic, but its mostly up and down. Perhaps a change of signage (laminated cards instead of trail tape maybe) may stop the locals removing the route markers? Excellent medal, shirt and rucksack at the end- heard that the breakfasts were good, but was feeling to nauseous to partake. My finish time was 8 minutes slower than Beachy Head, just to give an indication as to 'how hard' the course is.
Excellent race and organisation
They said it would be tough! And they were not wrong! Stunning scenery and autumn colours on a beautiful day. The views made the pain wortwhile. Just had to stop and look! Well, that's my excuse.
Great race through magnificent scenery. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and friendly feel to the whole event. The marshals were very good. Although I did not get lost there were a couple of sections, on the return leg, where there was quite a long gap between tape. Overall very enjoyable
Tough, but worth it! Great race, really well organised, well signed given that the route was was totally off road....just have to concentrate to spot all the tape. Actually found the last quarter the toughest despite being mainly down hill, the ups and downs prior to that offered welcome changes in pace whereas the constant pace of the long downhill at the end started to take its toll!! Only suggestion for next year would be an additional water stop if at all possible - between the 6&9/17&20 mile stops (they weren't really 3 miles apart were they?!) Big challenge, lovely marshalls, nice breakfast afterwards made it a great day out!
Fantastic scenery, great atmosphere, very friendly, a must do marathon. Only ever done one marathon before this and that was Snowdon...this one was far far tougher but just as much fun, bit lonely in places as the field was quite small, but any bigger may cause problems as some of the tracks are single tracks and as its out and back you see the faster runners coming back your way.got lost on a couple of occations as did a few others but this just added to the excitement!Big thanks to the organisers and marshals a welcome sight around the course.
A brilliant race through glorious countryside but not to be underestimated.
Tough hilly course - but views more than make up for that.
Fantastic. Painful Hills, but the scenery made it well worth the effort!!
A magnificent race through outstanding scenery, I enjoyed every bit. Having completed the Picinc earlier in the year I was worry that this might be nearly as bad, but without all those steps keeping a rythem going was much easier. It was good fun trying to follow the trail of green marks and tape and don't think I took any wrong turns. The organisation was brillient, the marshels very encouraging and helpful. The venue for the start and finish helped greatly being able to shower then a full English to start recovery. Everybody was very friendly and my Union Jack outfit generated much cheering by supports and the public around the course. I hope this is not the only time this race is organised and would seriously contemplate another go, not to beat my time but to enjoy the views along the way again. Thanks Dr Rob and everybody who made our day one to remember.
Beautiful scenery, friendly, good-humoured. Tricky route finding. A tough Surrey hill marathon on a glorious autumn day. Small, very friendly, good humoured. The marshals were really encouraging (though not enough of them and some folk had taken down the waymarkers, which made route finding tough), the rucksack, t-shirt and medals were handed out by charming kids, and fellow racers were all in great spirits. There was a lot of smiling - a good race!
Great race, amazing views and gorgeous scenary. Great route, frustrating to lose the trail 3 times but all part of the fun really. Was starting to lose motivation around miles 19 and an additional water stop around the 7.5 mile mark and 18.5 mile mark would have been very welcome. Other than that a fantasic race, great t-shirt and medal...
Couldn't have wished for a nicer DNF - beautiful course. Looking forward to the opportunity of returning next year, staying on my feet and not requiring the assistance of a stick to get back!
Great challenging course through gorgeous forests and trails; hilly but most are very short (thank goodness) good crowd and organisation. Would defo recommend!
Quirky, fun and tough with a very welcoming atmosphere
A delightful romp over the hills of Surrey. Get behind me you demonic and dark satanic hills of Surrey. I have monsters to slay in the murky forests of Dorking under the gloomy shadow of Leith Tower where many a poor traveller has come to an untimely end. Well okay then, maybe not dark and satanic but certainly demonic even though the woods around Dorking are not populated by as many trolls as in Mirkwood (apart from the marker stealing miscreants who are clearly sub-human). As a Picnic veteran from 2009, I had a feeling of deja vu as my route took me past the signs for Box Hill Please do not let it be so exquisitely hard? Surely it cannot be so tough? Dr Rob said it did not have many steps as The Picnic and He is an honest upstanding sort of bloke without an ounce of malice, isnt he? He was right. The Greensand does not have nearly as many steps as The Picnic, although the small flight at about mile 25 nearly dun me in. He was also right in that this is a tough event, and that makes it the more rewarding. The weather was amazing and the scenery spectacular. Lots of support even though it is off road. The organisation was great and I commend the marshals who must have been quite lonely at times. A great mix of abilities from first-timers, to tri-athletes, to very good club runners, to 100M runners and all the rest in between. If anyone is thinking about doing an off road race, they should look no further than this. A great running shirt, running back pack and a real proper medal., and if that was not enough, a full English breakfast what a way to replace the burned calories..I will be back, trolls and all.
Blissful scenery and nice, hard course.
Nice long steep hills and challenging terrains made this a tough marathon. Very well organised and a great atmosphere. Looking forward to next years!
Great challenge
Lovely hills, lovely views! Great if you like hills, and the last 5 miles makes up for it by being nearly all downhill apart from the evil steps up to the top of the last hill (yes I did "run" up them!)
Excellent race and a superb day out in the hills.
Great race, but the term hilly doesn't really do the profile justice! Trionium events are always really well organised and very friendly. The term Trionium is now synonomous with hills and this route certainly lived up to expectations! Certainly not a race for PBs but it was a fantastic day out with beautiful views and a nice bit of singing :-)
26 miles and over 6 hours of blood, sweat, tears and all that jazz. At the start of the race, Doc got us to sing Jerusalem. I think this was to warm up our lungs and exercise our diaphragms. I think it must have worked because I had no problems with my Asthma.The race started up a hill; it was hills, hills and more muddy hills. It was slippery (loads of wet autumn leaves were on the ground). Doc threw a spanner in the works because the cut off time for the first six miles was one hour and twenty minutes, which was quite tough. My biggest fear was that I would trip and fall down, which I managed to do in the Leith half marathon earlier this year. So this time I was tip-toeing like a ballet dancer in places and at other times I was jumping and leaping like a Natterjack toad. I am pleased to say I never fell down but had some near misses. The Marshals were great and supportive, but towards the end they were few in numbers. Throughout the race, I was running by myself but it did get a little bit spooky at times. I felt comfortable and reassured to see red and white tapes which were tied around branches and yellow arrow sprays on the ground. I found that five miles towards the end there were a lack of ties and no yellow spray markings. I started to panic because I thought I was lost. There was no one to turn to, but after some time the wonderful locals saved me and pointed me in the right direction. The local Cyclists were all very friendly and supportive and had a great sense of humour. The leading cyclist said to the other cyclists to give some space to the walker (me). I corrected him and informed that I was in fact a runner- we had a good laugh about it.Doctor Robert McCaffrey, please could we have a more varied choice of biscuits like digestive, short cake and malted biscuits. Also could we have one more extra feed station with energy drinks. To avoid the confusion of being lost it would also be helpful if there were more red and white tapes and yellow arrow sprays pointing in the right direction, all the way to the finish. This is especially crucial at the halfway point, where many runners found it particularly difficult to find the check out point.Coming to the finish I could hear music. Dont quote me on this but I think it was called The ride of the Valkyries. It pricked up my ears and gave my flagging legs a rude awakening; I was able to sprint to the finish line in style. Throughout the race I was eating jelly babies and I ate one too many and suffered terrific stomach pains during the last half of the race. It was so bad that I was nearly sick over the young lady who put the medal over my head. My finish time was over 6 hours. I was the last female to cross the line- my worst marathon time ever! Some runners thought the race was expensive, but one does get a big florescent rack sack, a lovely white technical t-shirt and a beautiful thick medal. We were also provided with a big hearty breakfast, fit for a King or Queen. They also catered for vegetarians which was good. Eee by gum my legs were shattered but mentally I was strong and fit. I need to go back to the drawing board and analyse what went wrong. I better shape up! Thanks Doc, you certainly made me sing for my supper. This was a memorable race for all the right reasons. Would I do it again? Yes, Yes, Yes! Why do I do these marathons??? Because I find it comforting. I have been rejected from the London marathon ballot in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and now 2010 (SIX TIMES). I am glad that I did this race it has never left me disappointed.
Super course and organisation! From the singing of Jerusalem at the start to the t-shirt with everyone's name on the back it was a great race with a difference. Great course (even getting lost in the woods was pretty) that maybe needed a bit more tape in places. Very cheery Marshalls and a wonderful atmosphere - out and back meant everyone you past cheered you on the other way! Let's hope for good weather next year - the scenary made up for not seeing much over Beachy Head the day before! Well done Trionium, a triumph.
Gritty steep trail marathon, great views but you earn them, well delivered with smiles. A superb event,awesome scenery ,fun athletes to be with and a big challnge. However not for the faint hearted, PB seeker or the cavery runner. You need to take some responsibility for understanding the course, the terrain and your nutrition.
Fantastic race- highly recommended! Had a great day - views from the top of the hills fantastic, perfect weather, great organisation and everyone very friendly - both marshals and other runners. The climbs were not as bad as I feared, and the last 6 miles were probably the easiest (apart from 1 short killer hill) which was a relief to my shaky thighs! Great for the family to come and watch also - lots of room for the kids to run about. Only downside was the pathetic showers at the school - don't know how the school kids manage! Could do with a few more marshals as not sure where to go at a few points - but generally well sign posted with tape and arrows. Most enjoyable race I've ever done - thanks Trionium!
A tough race with great scenery, good water stations and brilliant marshals. A great medal, t-shirt and rucksack for finishers plus showers and a meal to finish off a perfect running day.
Quality race, scenic, friendly and well put together. It's a real test of those muscles other marathons can not reach. Great training run for ultra marathon racers.
What a fantastic mix of good time pleasure and extreme pain!BIG thank you to all the organisers and marshals on the day. Fantastic atmosphere, clockwork operation. Loved every minute of it! (even the last mile...)
What a laugh! Great company, astounding views, and the most painful race I think I'll ever find! My legs have now rebelled and are on holiday in Granada...
Best race in the UK...tough but great fun
A tough one for my first marathon but thoroughly enjoyed it, great atmosphere and support!
It was my first time and it was very, very special
A grand day out, plenty of hills to keep it interesting and great views from the top!
One of the most beautiful courses I have done in years
My personal low point was being asked by a man on a horse 'What WALK are you doing?' - it was steep at that point!
Perfect off-road marathon ...even with the hills generally speaking very runnable and the perfect weather on the day made this a race not to miss!
Wonderful run. I'm still running up and down hills in my sleep and humming Jerusalem to myself
Tough course. Well organised. This is what trail running is all about. I really enjoyed this run - beautiful scenery on a very challenging course. The route was easy to follow and well supported by marshals and public alike. This sort of race is why I continue to run. I don't know whether I was having a bad spell, but there seemed to be a big gap between the second and third water stations. I liked the technical top and one member of the family has shown an interest in the ruck sack! The breakfast was a nice touch. Thanks to the organisers for putting together a great race.
Up and down , back up again then down repeat until knackered. Fantastic race, great small field, lovely countryside, sunshine and a great run down to the finish. Roll on next year.
That race made me fall in love with cross-country racing!Beautiful sceneries, excellent organisation, more than generous goodies, friendly marshals, public and fellow competitors made for a superb race! I'll be back!
Dr. Rob does it again. Another must-do marathon for the race calendar. Nowhere near as tough as The Picnic but it's still a challenging course with great views. Organisation exceeded expectations for a new marathon, other race organisers could learn from this.
'O Boy' I thought I loved hills - I did until Sunday! Absolutely fantastic race, not to be missed, definitely one of the most challenging courses out there, loved every minute.Can't wait till next years. Excellent challenging course, some of the marking could have been better, but on the whole had a thoroughly enjoyable race with an excellent atmosphere.
Top race
Great intro to Trionium marathons. I probably shouldn't have done this as day 2 of a triple with Beachy Head the day before and a quick trip to Ireland for Dublin the day after....
This is a great, and tough, race. It's easier than the Picnic, but on a par with Beachy if you're looking for comparisons. The initial cutoff is stiff but achievable and the camaraderie among runners very special.
Dr Rob's races are unique for all the right reasons - very well organised, sadistic (including having to climb over a gate after the finish) and start with a stirring rendition of Jerusalem, and reward his runners better than any other race with a superb medal, technical t-shirt with all your names on the back, a high quality (if dubiously coloured) rucksack and a full cooked breakfast. Well done. I'll be back next year when the pain has subsided.
Wooded, cool. great views when woods opened out. Slow uphill outward trail, some pressure to get to Leith Hill before cut-off time. Having to stop sometimes to give way to runners in opposite direction as trail quite narrow in parts - might a round route be better? Blissful downhill back to Dorking with veggie sausages and tomatoes soon afterwards!
Would make a great 52 miler if the organisers can be persuaded to double the distance !
Fantastic scenic leg burning Marathon. Loved this event, the route was almost completely off-road and not particularly flat at any stage. The views from Leith Hill were spectacular and well worth the effort to climb it on two occasions. Nice goodies at the end and sound organisation. Will be back for more Trioniom events.
Excellent new event. Have done a couple of DR Robs events and as usual well marshalled and great atmosphere, hard but very enjoyable.
Even though I had only done a half-marathon before the contrasting scenary and types of running made for an enjoyable run - but wish I had done 15 weeks of training instead of the 7 weeks I did!
Absolutely loved it. This was race 2 out of 3 in our 3in3in3 challenge. Never done a off road marathon before - knew it was going to be difficult with the hills - I was extremely apprehensive and nervous - but it turned out to be amazing and I loved it. Recommend to anybody!
Hardest marathon I have ever run. Wonderful event. Singing Jerusalem at the start of what was in reality mostly hardcore runners with a few brave and dare I say mad, first timers, was a great experience even for a Welsh man! I had run Snowdonia marathon the day before and was running Dublin marathon the next day, which meant slow and at times painful progress. Led to my worst ever time by a considerable margin, but the weekends plans caused that and not just the race. Good to see a number of treblers present and despite my time, would love to have done this without the pain in my legs.
Great off-road marathon with beautiful scenery and a perfect climb profile.
Magical! Brilliant! There is nothing not to like about this race if hills and stunning scenery is your thing. A great, friendly atmosphere with enocuraging marshalls and loads of support all the way there - and back!
Organised by Conferio Ltd
1 East Street, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 1BB, UK
Tel (+44) 1372 840951 Fax (+44) 1372 743838
greensand at trionium dot com
