'A full marathon with heigh gain/loss of 6000 feet - Easily the hardest marathon in Britain.'
2pm, 23 June 2012: Special Edition 'Olympic Year' Ultra - +27 miles and more than 6500ft of ascent and descent
Entry for 2012 will open in early February
The Picnic voted Britain's best trail race in 2011 by runners voting at Runner's World - thanks! |
The Picnic voted Britain's best marathon in 2009 by runners voting at Runner's World - thanks! |
The Picnic named 'Hardest marathon in Britain' by Runner's World - 2006 |
A run for really very exceptionally hearty man fellows and lady fellows, entirely on rough tracks, and including superb views over the North Downs, the Mole Gap, Denbies Vineyard, and Dorking, when you can wipe the stinging sweat from your eyes.
Don't be scared. This won't hurt. Much.
The Picnic Marathon: nuts, bananas, fruitcakes and a few sandwiches short of the full picnic.
Thanks to everyone who took part in 2011 - you're all nutters.
Massive thanks to the marshals!
Picnic (+ Midsummer Munro) photos
Discussion thread (RW) 2011 race
UK Athletics Licence 2011-0085
Richard Elson, running for EACS: Longest Training Run(Skidaw) and Highs and Lows of training for The Picnic
The race raised £1000 for MIND - thanks!
Congratulations to everyone who ran the race in 2009 - excellent effort!
Super Congratulations to Andrew Stalley, who ran the Picnic as his 100th marathon, and so joined the 100 Club...Brilliant!
HUGE THANKS to all marshals (esp. Andy, Al, Nicky and Brian - mega marshals!) and to Liz and the Magnificats
RW discusion forum on The Picnic 2009
A word from our sponsors in 2009...
Runner comments and requests in advance of the 2009 race:
I was a Midsummer Munro participant, and those voices in my head
are saying 'Do the Picnic, Do the Picnic'
I was a DNF in 2005, so I have a
score to settle...
Stop the clock at 4hrs 59mins!
Any chance of adding some more steps, to make it a little harder please?
Stop taking the p**s Dr Rob!
My aim is only to survive.
No flowers please.
If I do die on the course at least bury me the right way up!!
Bury me where I fall - as long as I’m dead of course.
Any last requests would typically involve a couple of Swedish girls
Save me a sandwich, I'll be a while...
Tell my kids not to try this at home and even then only under adult supervision
Give my trainers to my wife
A quiet and simple ceremony - no lilies - and 'Jerusalem' would be appreciated.
Please have three pints of beer for me, waiting at the finish...
I WILL SURVIVE!
‘My way’ by Frank Sinatra
Please get very drunk at my funeral. It’s what I would have wanted.
Give my jock strap to the winner.
Repatriate me to Hampshire please
Hot tub filled with Page Three girls please.
Tell my family I was nutty to the end.
Look after Hector !
Well done to all who completed the course.
Picnic Marathon 2007 'best in the UK'The Picnic Marathon was named the best marathon in the UK in 2007 (6th race overall out of a total of approximately 2500 races) by runners voting on Runner's World (+15 votes category). Thanks to everyone who voted for the race! |
Lived up to expectations, tough hills and LOTS of steps !! with a great atmosphere. Had a great day and haven't stopped telling all my running mates (and everybody else) about it - maybe a few more club members will do it in two years' time. The glass momento was brilliant, probably the best I've received in 25 years of running. The atmosphere was very friendly and encouraging - I liked the low key atmosphere at the start - half a dozen of us turned up early and were co-opted into carrying stuff up the bottom of the hill to the start. I found the course lived up to expectations - nice variation of terrain - dirt paths, grass, steps, rocky paths, more steps, a bridge and stepping stones (under water) in a river, oh and did I mention steps? plus somehow the organiser managed to provide lots of lovely mud in June! Fantastic! Got slightly confusing when the Midsummer Munro runners first appeared on the course round the loop down to the river but they were so encouraging when passing them going the other way during the second half - I think they thought we were just crazy. The marshalls were great - thanks, everybody. Nice to hear the Lone Piper again. Loved it and will be back in two years time.
Gut bustingly difficult, but worth the phenomenal achievement you feel at the end. I absolutely loved this marathon, it was tough, really tough, but great banter along the way and the fantastic sense of achievement at the end make it all worth while. Nothing will stop me from being there in 2009.
This is a must do race with a very special atmosphere and fantastic organisation.
Extremely tough course. This is a very tough but rewarding race, take it very easy on the first lap. Competitors were very supportive, loved the bag pipes. It's good preparation for ultras and Ironman triathlon.
Five hours and more of extreme fresh air and a thunderstorm to add drama. Great event!
Bloody hell fire, that was a toughie!! See you all in 2 years time
Great Organization, Fantastic Marchals, Beautiful Scenery, Tough (nice) Route, Warm & Friendly Atmosphere
A perfect race, tough but worth it in so many ways. It wasn't my legs that got me round but the amazing atmosphere. Without a doubt a running challenge that every distance runner should experience, lived up to its name of the "toughest in Britain".
Tough, but worth it!
A perfect race for the very few & brave that love long distance and extreme hills
The Ronseal of Races - does exactly what it says on the tin! Fantastic race in every way, brutally hard course but a great atmosphere. Big thanks to Dr Robert and all the marshalls for making such a pinful experience seem so much fun!
If you think you've run a hard race then you need to try this.
Hardest event I've ever done. Great event very tough on the legs, Killer slopes after the rain & those steps make the Grizzly & Beast steps look flat. Thanks to all the marshals for a great day: you did a great job.
"Britain's Hardest Marathon" certainly lived up to it's name. Tougher than expected and I experienced a step-up in difficult from the previous level provided by Three Forts/Beachy Head/South Downs Marathon. There was little opportunity to get into a rhythm as the ascents and descents appeared with worrying regularity, and we won't mention the Steps!! Is that where Led Zeppelin got the idea for "Stairway to Heaven"? To the offroad runner, this is the mother of all marathon challenges, and the sheer difficulty was softened by the fantasic scenery, the kind weather (showers and reasonably cool temperature, the great camarderie between the marathon runners (we were in it together) and the half marathoners when they joined the route (encouragement accompanied by startled looks at us nutcases), and the officials and marshals. A very special day. One slight concern was the uncertainty caused by some of the direction markers. With tiredness it was quite easy to miss a turn but that can be easily rectified. Thanks to all.
That was tough. If you are looking for a marathon with a bit of spice, this is the one, there are hills, I mean HILLS, steps and a touch of thunder. Water stations every 2 miles which was great. If I'm mad, I'll be back.
A killer of a race.. But so worth it. Excellent race.. .Only problem was my legs at the end. Enjoyed every minute. I wasn't in the "Under 5 hours" gang but still felt very positive all the way though. I'd do it again at the drop of a hat and the glass ornament was excellent. Well done.
While you are on this site, please register for Trionium Magazine. It's free to download, and includes lots of articles of interest to the hearty runner. Click here!
On Saturday 2 July 2005, 11 plucky runners completed Britain's hardest marathon, which was exactly double the Midsummer Munro, and which was called The Picnic. Harley Inder (24) of New Zealand finished in a stunning 4:34, for the 26.2 miles and 6000 feet of ascent and descent. Silke Pichler (32, New York Road Runners) was the first lady home, in 4:45. Gavin Edmonds (33, Serpentine running Club) was first Brit home, in second place in 4:37, and first British lady home was the battered and bruised Sarah Tucker (29, Springfield Striders) in just under 5 hours. Last man home was Paul Tabor (44, Sevenoaks AC), who, although he was pulled off the course after 7 hours, then returned the same night and finished, in the dark, with an elapsed time of 8:30. Those finishing in over 5 hours were awarded a cup inscribed 'One sandwich short on The Picnic.'
RESPECT! thanks to everyone who took part in the Picnic on 2 July, and to the marshals and caterers (Bob and Bob's mum, Liz). Professional photos available at http://www.grahamrussell.info/sport/2005/midsummer-munro/index.htm |
Discussion on this race 2005 (rather interesting)
Two circuits of a very hilly out-and back course. Runners attempting the Midsummer Munro (half marathon) will be using the same course from 4pm on race day.
Race director: Robert McCaffrey 1 East Street, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 1BB, UK Tel (+44) 1372 743837 Fax (+44) 1372 743838
Right: No Picnic on Mount Kenya - an all-time classic tale of three Italian P.o.W.s who break out of a British camp in Kenya, and go and climb Mount Kenya. Respect to them - and to anyone who completes The Picnic. |
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