Events

Overall score		100%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		100%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		100%
Organisation		100%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Hot, Hilly and fabulous!
Date of review: May 27, 2010

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Maybe
Details:
Scenery		100%
PB potential		40%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		60%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Very hot, very hilly, magnificent scenary
In full: Brilliant race although cost is quite dear at £50 for what you get. For this would liked more than just plain water and jelly babies at water stops which were too far apart for a race in this heat even carrying your own drinks. Could have provided at least a coffee at the end! Organisation good but drink stations not always aware how far to the next one. However the stupendous scenary takes your breathe away as do the hills and, on this occasion, the heat. It's a hard race make no mistake but makes you smile when you have, rather painfully, finished. Came from Kent on Fiday, overnighted in Taunton and late back on saturday night after race. Knackered but great fun. Wouldn't have missed it.
Date of review: May 25, 2010

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Overall score		100%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		100%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		100%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		20%

In short: One of the hardest marathons ive done so far
In full: Killer hills, the hill climb at 18 miles really takes it out of you and just when you think there cant be anymore climbs there's the climb out of lynmouth and the climb at the last mile.
Date of review: May 23, 2010

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Would you do it again?		Maybe
Details:
Scenery		100%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		100%
Organisation		100%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		20%

In short: Hot and Hilly!
In full: A returnee from last year so I knew what I was letting myself in for. According to reports, this marathon has 10,000ft of ascent and 10,000ft of descent, and so your calfs and quads are going to take a real hammering regardless of your level of fitness!

I managed four of the Endurancelife marathons this year, and I would say that although Exmoor was pipped by Cornwall in terms of difficulty, it was top in all other categories including scenery, weather, enjoyment, and variety of terrain. Thankfully, when you weren't walking the back-breaking hills, the course was quite runnable (not as rock-strewn and techical as Cornwall).

As well as the course difficulty, the main challenge was the heat. Gloriously sunny, but the temperature rose above 25C. With only four well spaced out checkpoints, you had to be pretty self-reliant and I would say a hydro-pack was a must.

Endurancelife events are a little expensive, but the are well organised. The route was so well marked and there was no chance of going offroute if you stayed alert. All the staff were helpful and friendly. The good thing about this type of event is that you can't race them (well I can't) and so you try and take in the superb scenery (the sea was a deep blue, the sunny was bright, and you felt you were in the Mediterranean or even the West Indies). You also chatted with the other runners, and teamed up at stages to work together to complete this extreme challenge.

I still haven't worked out if this one or the Picnic Marathon (in June) are the more difficult, but I'll choose Exmoor for now as that's why I'm walking in alot of pain!
Date of review: May 23, 2010

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