From Petra Bijsterveld…
Seven of us travelled to Northern Ireland for a long weekend centred around the Giant’s Causeway Coast Marathon event organised by 26 Extreme: Hilda Coulsey, Jane McCarthy, Andrew Merrick, ex-Harriers Alison Eagle and Val Kerr plus Val’s husband Mark, and myself.
On the Friday Hilda showed us some of the key locations on the race route, which was excellent preparation and paid off on the day.
For four of our party race day, Saturday, started at Portrush parkrun for a warm-up: Hilda, Alison, Jane and Andrew. Sadly I had to miss it as I was running the marathon in the main event, and my race started in the morning. Hilda, Alison and Jane ran the half marathon, Val opted for the 10k, all starting in the afternoon, whilst Andrew and Mark provided moral support and vital bag carrying duties, i.e. bringing our nice warm coats to the finish line.
All distances at the Giant’s Causeway Coast event use variations on the same route which hugs the stunning coastline, and all finish in Portballintrae. The marathon is an out and back course (4000 ft of elevation) which the half marathon runners join at the turnaround point. There is an ultra too, as well as various walking challenges. The combination of all these events, and participants moving at very different paces did make for some congestion, especially on the narrower sections of the path.
The weather also provided challenges, in the shape of wind and rain showers. The rain came and went, the wind however, a fairly strong westerly, provided a significant headwind to battle against for everyone, though on the way out I had it in my back on the marathon.
Most of the terrain, though pretty muddy, was very runnable, apart from two substantial sections of boulders at either end of Whitepark Bay Beach. For me that meant boulders four times! If like me you’re not very agile on your feet these are quite challenging and I found them very unpleasant, especially on the way out when the tide was only just receding and the rocks were very wet. Safety marshals were positioned in these locations. They were very helpful and encouraging, telling me I was doing very well whilst in truth I was moving like a drunk baby giraffe and being overtaken left, right and centre, even by walkers!
I reached the turn after exactly three hours, arriving at the finish I was completely surprised to find that despite the headwind and increasing fatigue I had run a negative split and ducked under six hours by a couple of minutes. In the last mile and a bit I was delighted to be overtaken by Jane who had a brilliant run and won the half marathon, also coming tenth overall in her race! Alison and Val arrived next and Hilda also ran really strongly to finish inside three hours.
A friendly and well organised event in a beautiful location which I would recommend to all.
Marathon
1 – 3:55:39 Ricardas Karbauskis
59 – 5:57:49 Petra Bijsterveld
83 finished
Half marathon
1 – 1:36:40 Paddy Hamilton
10 – 1:54:30 Jane McCarthy (1st F)
254 – 2:58:58 Hilda Coulsey
334 finished
542 ran