The Farnham Pilgrim, Marathon & Half-Marathon | Plus: Farnham Pilgrim Half Marathon  | | | | | 9:30am, Sunday 15 September 2013 | | Sands Recreation Ground, (opp. Barley Mow Pub), Sands Village, Farnham, GU10 1NE |
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| Distance: | 26.2 miles | | Surface: | Trail | | Route: | 1 lap | | Setting: | Rural | | Profile: | Undulating/Hilly | | Water stations: | Frequent | | Distance Markers: | Sporadic |
| Awards/mementos: | Medal, T-Shirt, Spot prizes, Winners' prizes, Memento, Goody bagTech-shirt for purchase | | Venue facilities: | Changing, Toilets, Onsite parking, Refreshments, Supervised bag storage, Onsite retailer, children's play area, first aid, RayNet radio coverage, | | Organiser's notes: | The Farnham Pilgrim Marathon & Half Marathon is now in its fourth year. It draws participants both locally and from far afield. It won 'Best New Event' in 2010 and was voted into the top 10 marathons that year by Runner's World readers. Based at The Sands Village, near Farnham, Surrey, the routes are mainly off-road, using the extensive footpaths and country lanes east of Farnham. They feature parts of The Pilgrims' Way, along the North Downs, after which the event is named and provides us with a bit of 'horrible history'.
It is said that on 29th December 1170, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was hacked to death inside his cathedral by knights from the court of Henry II, for standing up to the King. The site of his martyrdom soon became a shrine to which people travelled out of respect for Becket's courage, especially from Winchester, in those days the capital of England. These routes of pilgrimage became known as Pilgrim Ways, a description still applied to the surviving trackway from Winchester to Canterbury.
Its most likely course would have been along terraces on the southern slopes of the hills, avoiding the muddy valley bottom and, for the most part, also the danger of exposed ridges. When you find yourself following such a path, as perhaps on the steady ascent of Pewley Down around marathon mile 14, consider in whose company you could be travelling, somewhere along the dimension of time. The more recent North Downs Way National Trail which traces the downs for 153 miles between Farnham and Dover via Canterbury, follows the more picturesque ridge of the Downs. Nevertheless, there are many stretches where it coincides with the original Pilgrims' Way.
Our course uses parts of these pathways and also parallel routes for variety, to take in historic monuments (pubs included) and for the expansive views from such spots as Puttenham Common or St Catherine's Ruins. It features several interesting churches including the high point of St Martha's, isolated on top of its sandy hill at 570 ft, half-way along the marathon course and certainly a former shelter for medieval pilgrims.
2013 Cotton T-shirt included in price.
All net proceeds go to charities. |
| Affiliation: | None | | Cheques payable to: | The Rotary Club of Farnham Weyside | | On-the-day entry: | Yes | | Entries in advance: | Yes | | Postal closing date: | Saturday 31 August 2013 | | Minimum Age: | 18 | | Last year's entry:: | 450 | | Event website: | http://www.farnhampilgrim.org.uk | | Entry form(s): | Available from race website and by post |
| | | Entries in advance | Entries on the day | | Full Marathon | £25.00 affiliated | £27.00 unaffiliated | £30.00 affiliated | £30.00 unaffiliated |
| Contact: | Dave Holdford, Race Co-ordinator, Rotary Club of Farnham Weyside | | Address: | Sylvan Cottage
Binton Lane
Seale
Farnham
Surrey
GU10 1LG | | Enquires to: | David Holdford or Hillary Carter | | Evening telephone: | 01252 782021 or 671500 | | Email: | hillary.carter@ntlworld.com or davidholfd@aol.com |
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Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (138 votes).| Overall | | 93% | | How many runners would do this again? | | 96% |
Latest comment: Curate's egg. By Sleek Lemur
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