The Greensand Marathon

Dorking - Westcott - Coldharbour - Leith Hill - Somerset Hill - Holmbury Hill- Pitch Hill - Reyards Hill - Winterfold Hill - and back again!

10am, Sunday 17 October 2010

Online entry 2010

RW discussion thread (2010)

A marathon from Dorking over the Greensand hills of Surrey

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

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.

Strict cut-off of 1:15 (11:15am) to attain Leith Hill Tower, at the quarter way point (return for half marathon distance)

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 (27 June 2009, Bedfordshire)

Surrey Wildlife Trust

Why is this race online entry only?

The online entry fee is included in the race entry fee. The race is online entry only so that the organisers can keep control of race numbers, and to streamline race administration.

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

Jerusalem

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.