Eden Project Marathon - Race recap

My race report for the Eden Project Marathon

This was one tough race!  I’m still not sure whether they officially class it as a trail marathon, but I would certainly say it is.  One thing is for sure, it was nothing like Berlin or London!  Having just done Berlin and wanting to try a trail race, I was not setting myself any time targets (other than to not get disqualified for going over the time limit!).

I headed to Cornwall on Saturday, taking the train from London, and checked into my very nice guesthouse.  The owners were lovely and came to pick me up from the station, plus offered me a lift to the Eden Project the next morning for the race.  I had a nice evening carb-loading at a pub over-looking the harbour, then got my gear sorted and tried to have an early night. 

Unfortunately during the night I was woken up twice by torrential rain!! Going to be a very wet and muddy run!

Next morning I arrived at the Eden Project nice and early, and met up with Ryan and Lucy – Ryan was running his first marathon (2^nd counting a 26.2 mile training run!!).  We had a short briefing in the car park – there were about 300 runners – and then it was off to the start.  I was wearing a trail tee-shirt and capris, but was not cold at all – slightly worried I would get too hot.  The race started at the same time for both full and half marathon runners.

Set off at 10am, a good crowd, not too packed – although I was soon near the back.  Seemed to be mostly club runners, a small number of charity runners, and only 2 in fancy dress.  Straight into a steep downhill at the beginning – down into the valley, where no doubt we could only go up from here!

Very quickly we were onto the trails, through the woodlands and past a river.  It was amazing scenery, following the track of an old tramline.  I was well at the back expect for a few half marathon runners behind me so the back runner switched between running alongside them and myself.   We chatted a bit, but we would talk a lot more later.

The course was very hilly – there was only a few parts that were flat, so very difficult to get a pace going!!  At 7.5 miles the route split – full marathon runners going one way and the half’s turning the opposite way.  I actually only just made it by about 5 minutes in the cut off time for the full-marathon check point.  A few minutes later and I would have been forced to switch to the half.  I also was informed that the full marathon also had a total cut off time of 6 hours.  I was a bit concerned here, as I was sure I could do it – unless I was injured or hit the “wall” and I would have no contingency time to fall back on.  I really wish I’d know that when I signed up, but luckily although I was not pushing for a decent time, I knew I had very little leeway should anything go wrong or I was feeling too sore/tired after Berlin to give it 100%.

Here I caught up with a guy going for his first full.  The back runner ran with us and we spent a while chatting.  Much more fun as it made the next few miles pass really quickly!  It started raining heavily for a while – I was too hot at first but now was actually an ideal temperature!  I had been listening to my iPod on and off but stopped it when we got chatting – plus I didn’t want it ruined by the rain!  We also got some ominous-sounding thunder and a few flashes of lightning.  Atmospheric indeed.

At mile 10 I lost them again (overtaking, at least) as we started the ascent of Helman Tor.  Good grief this was a shock.  Could hardly walk it – let alone run it!  Amazing views from the top as the skies has cleared by this point, but I did not get long to admire it as it was back down the other side. 

The next hour or so was just miles of thick, sticky mud, and not much of a view as there were high bushes on either side of the track. Plus it was mostly uphill and very lonely as although I had overtaken 2 people now (no longer at the back!) we were just so spread out that I didn’t see any apart from a couple of marshals.  By the way, the marshals were amazing – very encouraging and friendly, especially after standing in the rain in the middle of nowhere for hours on end!

Between miles 14 – 16 (I think) there was a tricky but beautiful route through the forest.  The first part was downhill and very steep, slippery with hairpin turns, but it did level out for a while and we ran alongside the river – this was one of my favourite parts of the race.  Plus always good when you hit 16 miles as into single figures for counting down the miles. 

At 17 miles the route goes back onto the first part of the route, which we’d ran earlier – we’d then do the rest of the route as the half’s did.  Although back onto (mostly) tarmac, it was even more hilly that I had remembered, and the bits I had managed to run up first time round I was now walking!  There were some great signs up along the way that the running club has created, saying “no pain, no gain”, and “keep smiling”.  Keep grimacing more like.  I was rather bored and weary by now do put my iPod back on.  I think I shall forever more associate “Up” by Shania Twain with the hills of this marathon!

At mile 23 my Garmin battery died.  Sure sign I was taking too long – I’d passed over 5 hours by now.  I was just wanting to get it over and done with, luckily the marshals were still really great and cheered me on, and offered loads of food including cake bars out of their own personal lunch which was just great of them.  I overtook one final lady in these last few miles, and wished her well in the final bit.  It was the first runner I had seen since the half way point.

It was good coming back towards the Eden Project, although miles 24-26 really felt like a lot longer!  The final bit is all downhill, but it actually quite hard work on your knees, and have to be careful on the wet pavement.  The final mile weaved down into the site so it was difficult to know how much further you had to run.  At this point there were a lot more people about – marshals, finished runners (saw first glimpse of the medal!) and members of the public visiting Eden.  FINALLY you reach mile 26 so just a 365 yard downhill dash to the finish line!!

Good a nice welcoming cheer home from those at the finish area, and a nice big shiny medal, tee-shirt and voucher for a pasty and a pint in the finisher’s tent.  The pasty was soooo tasty after that run!  I got changed and tried to clean up with baby wipes – very, very muddy! – then met up with Ryan and Lucy.  We went for a bite to eat at the local pub – had a cheesecake and latte, not the most substantial meal was delicious after the marathon!  It was a great day overall and so pleased to have done it, plus brilliant to catch up with Lucy and Ryan after quite a few years.  Later on once we had said goodbye (as all in need of an early night!) got to spent the rest of the evening relaxing in the bath and watching an old Nicolas Cage & Sean Connery action movie on Channel 5.

My official finish time was 5.48.00.  Big thanks to the Eden Project and St Austell running club.  I am not sure I’ll be doing it again anytime soon but it was well worth it and a great day out!