Jurassic Coast Challenge March 2013

Hey MM/ALL - how did you all get on?  Have a great day/weekend out?  I ended up pulling out at the end of Day 1 so missed the rest of the fun.. Horrific conditions which I hope improved over the rest of the weekend?  Well done all!  I am just going to move on to the next one now - looking at the OMM lite in the peaks in May!  

Oh no, poor you! what happened?

we made it but it took longer than expected due to the detour and very slippy muddy sections, so ended up running the beach with it getting dark fast!

I think the only improvement in the conditions from the sound of it was that it wasnt raining!

I think the weather conditions (headwind) and mud just took it out of me and with all the slipping and sliding my knee was cactus at the end.. plus I had a cold so just wasn't enjoying it as I should have! THe rest of my group all decided to pull out as well (all with various injuries).. I thought I was better prepared, Id done heaps of muddy running but I didn't realise that most of the course would be so boggy and slippy - and did I mention that headwind! Ive never spent a day out being blasted like that - just crazy! Oh and the detouring around that Shale beach - just horrible on the legs and feet! In the end I felt like I wasn't enjoying the scenery as I was just looking at the mud and I just couldn't face 2 more days of the same! I must admit I went out to Portland on Day 2 and kicked myself for not starting but in the end, I knew I was done and my knee wouldn't have survived another day of sliding around like the first!  I also think I just gave up mentally - I know we all have different motivators for doing these challenges and it is a personal battle  - for me I really wanted to see what my body could do (3 marathons for me would have been a huge challenge) and also I really wanted to see the coastline in all its glory.  3 days out in nature seemed like a lovely way to go!  (I was sold by the promo video of the lovely sunny coastline!)  I know its a beautiful part of the world so we have all made a pact to just come down and run it in summer!  All is definitely not lost as I have had so many amazing training runs for the event and now I can continue on and be even stronger for the next one..  

OOh the mud was bad for us on day three too.

couldnt run through it in the shoes i had. some of the elite guys seemed to take it in their stride but i think they had fell shoes or mudclaws or something similar so they just wooshed past us!
I think we have very special mud in this part of the world, either to do with the chalk or the local clay, one or the other, but it just slips all over the place doesnt it?
The headwind was strong, especially along the beach at the end, i couldnt see anything - combination of my eyes watering and it getting dark.
Come down and try the Purbeck Marathon in September - its mixed trail and road, but takes in some of the same scenery!
Or the Endurance Life ones should appeal too. the Dorset ones are in December, however it was warmer in December than it was this weekend!