Race review: #38 Andover Trail Marathon

Andover Trail Marathon.  Enham Alamein, Sunday 7th September 2017.

I had stumbled across this race by chance, seeing a facebook post from a fellow runner. Apparently this was the second year of this event, and the race was organised by Andover trail runners which are associated with local charity Enham Trust.  As Andover isn't too far from where I live, and I do like my trail runs, I had eagerly entered.

It was a short-ish drive over to the start, in the curiously named village of Enham Alamein, near the bigger town of Andover. It was a cloudy and cool Sunday morning, but at least it wasn't raining ... for now. As I arrived a friendly marshal directed me into the car park of the charity trust, and there was no issue at all with the parking.

I made the brief walk over to the race HQ, which was set up in a Gazebo. I picked up my race number, the event itself wasn't chip timed so just the number to pin onto my t-shirt. That is unusual these days, not that it really mattered as it was only a small field of runners taking part in the marathon.

Next to race HQ was caterers selling bacon and sausage rolls, I have to admit I was tempted, but made do with buying a coffee.  By now it was beginning to spit with rain, so along with most of the other runners, we made my way inside to shelter.  The organisers had opened up the office building adjacent to the start area. It felt odd sitting in someone elses office (on office chairs!).   There loos were also open here, and there were no queues. London or Brighton, this ain't - thank god!

It was good to get chatting to some fellow runners, as we exchanged some stories and light hearted nervous banter to pass the time. One very eager lady told me off for not bringing trail shoes - oh dear! haha!

I spotted in reception a small bust of the athlete Ade Adepitan - you may have seen him present the Paralympics on Channel 4.

As well as a marathon, there was also a half marathon and a 10K (named after the nearby village of Little London). So, after a while it began the get really busy inside. As I wandered back out for race briefing, I noticed a long queue to pick up race numbers.

I saw my running friend Jayne, who has recently become an ambassador for Jeff Galloway, him of the run/walk fame.  We had a quick catch up, and of course a mandatory selfie had to be done!  She had driven all the way over from South Wales to run the event - which meant a very early start for her, kudos for coming over all the way to Hampshire just for the day, to run a marathon.

The race director Mark O'Meara assembled the marathon runners near the start line and gave us all a short briefing - the usual stuff, although I could barely hear him.  Due to the lengthy queue at the registration gazebo, Mark delayed the start of the marathon by about 10-15 minutes. Not a big deal, but it was a bit chilly with the rain now teeming down.

Mark sounded the start horn and we were off! The runners streamed through the start and we made our way past the car park, before turning right and heading out of the Enham Trust and then took a left turn, before immediately picking up a trail. Good stuff - it started as it meant to go on.

Although it was now raining hard, it had been pretty dry in the week leading up to the race and so the ground was firm and made for some good running on. The first couple of miles were through some pretty fields and then into a wood at around mile 2.

As I entered the wood, the half marathon runners came flying past.  This was a bit off putting to us slower marathon runners. The course was a little narrow in places with tree roots and stumps getting in the way, so I kept having to jump out of the way or step aside to let the fast ones past. It did feel like I was getting in the way. Mercifully they had all got past by the first checkpoint, so this wasn't too bad.

We emerged from the woods and back onto the roads, passing near the village of "Little London", where the 10K route went.  I got chatting to a couple of runners who were going at my pace, they introduced themselves as Neil and Brenda. After a few minutes I realised I had run a bit with Brenda at the Dorset Invader, where the two of us had got lost. Was this a sign of things to come again?!

On we ploddded for the next few miles. We came through a little village with the first aid station. At this point I overtook the 'tail' runner. Was I really THAT slow?! Hmmm....  It turned out that someone had been mucking about the signs, and the lead marathon runners had ended up following the 10K course - which took the right back to the start!  Some had worked out they had gone the wrong way and re-traced their steps, whilst others started the course again from scratch.  I am still not quite sure how the tail runner managed to over take me, given as I was pretty much at the back from the first mile onwards.

I had got chatting with another runner who had joined Brenda, Neil and me. She introduced herself as Vanessa and she came from nearby where I grew up in Oxfordshire, and was an ultra runner. Lot of chit chat helped take our minds off the rain and the grind of the hills, which we had decided to walk up.

We also met Jane and Claire from Gosport Road Runners, who were two very crazy ladies! We spent much of the race either running with them, or leapfrogging each other. No matter, as much banter was exchanged.  We plodded on, passing some lovely scenery and I hardly noticed the rain.  This included the amusingly named 'Wallop Hill Down', although I can assure you nothing about the Hill had been flattened, it was pretty hard going!

But no matter, there was plenty of downhill sections to give the legs a slight rest and let gravity do it's fair of work. We went through a couple of aid stations, these were very well stocked with squash, water, flat coke, energy drinks and a great assortment of sweet and savoury snacks (Jaffa cakes, mini sausages and mini scotch eggs were just awesome).

Eat all the food!!!

On we plodded, by now the little group of six of us were going strong, and churning those miles out. The route was fairly well marked. The tail runner was quite close by now but we knew we had plenty of time to get round and beat the seven hour cut off.  We could also see other runners in front of us, so we knew we weren't too far behind, even though we were at the back.

A very enthusiastic and friendly marshal was manning an aid station around the 12 mile point. As we stuffed our faces with jelly babies and other assorted sweeties, he told us to take a right "up to the gibbet", which Neil was calling "hangman hill". This was an out-and-back slog up a hill, and it was bloody freezing too.  The rain by now wasn't particular heavy but there was a keen and cold wind, this made for an uncomfortable couple of miles.  My fellow runners did offer to lend me some spare kit, but I didn't fancy slowing everyone down putting another layer on - never quick due to having to take my camelbak off.  At the top of 'hangman hill' there was a poor marshal stuck at the turn around point on his own. despite being wrapped up like the Michelin Man he looked he was freezing his arse off.

The Hanging Post

We had made it back to the bottom of 'hangman hill' and now the route became much more sheltered, and thankfully a bit warmer. The scenery was just lovely, as we passed field after field of rolling hills, and some with wheat and some with sunflowers. It was a really scenic run, I can imagine if it had been sunny and warm it would have been even better.

We had an interesting climb up what the group dubbed 'Tourettes Hill', a real slog of about a mile to get to the top. It didn't really matter as we just walked up, but by now the legs were starting to get a bit on the tired side. 

We still found the energy to do a quick selfie before trotting off again.





On we plodded, past a lovely field of sunflowers and then back onto the roads for a couple of miles. Getting back on tarmac was a bit of a rest for the legs, and we managed to make some time back up.  When we got to the 21 mile point, there was a direction arrow which was really confusing. Was it pointing down the road, or into the field?  We stopped and had a bit of a debate; the consensus of opinion was that we needed to go back onto the trails.

After about half a mile we reached the end of the field, but there was no sign at all! Nothing. Had we gone the wrong way? By now the tail runner Jason had caught us up and was running with us. We asked him for some guidance, but he didn't know the route either having been roped in at the last minute to be tail runner, and with a recent ultra in his legs too plus the extra mileage from the sign-switch-around!  

We decided to make across the next field and towards the main road, which we though was the right way. There was some concern as we went pass as 'private - do not enter' sign, but needs must!  We did pass a couple of bits of yellow tape, which was used to mark the trial, so we knew we hadn't gone far wrong.  

"Help, we're lost!"

Jane and Claire - Crazy Gosport Road Runners!

In the end Neil looked up on his phone where the road was and we made our way across the field, after about another half a mile we came across one of the route arrows and there was a little cheer! We had got back onto the route, but we had added a bit of extra 'bonus' mileage on. Not what I really needed with 5 miles to go!

We plodded along the roads for the last few miles, across a couple of fields but this time there were plenty of marshals to show us the right way. We made a right turn, up one final hill and then headed back into the village of Enham Alamein, and the last half a mile or so was brilliant as it was downhill!  Myself, and my new runny buddies Vanessa, Neil and Brenda went through the finish line together to lots of applause and cheers from the race director and the finish line marshals. Jane and Claire were just behind us with the tail runner.

We were handed a really nice finishers medal, and stopped for a quick finish line picture with the race director and his Daughter. Job done!

This was a really nice race. The race director took on board the feedback about the signs and promised to fix this for next year. I fully intend to be back next year, hopefully the rain will stay away!