Magnificent 7, Saltash 20th July

yes, I know it's about 3 miles away from me, but I've never been there. As a confirmed hill hater, I probably shouldn't even be thinking about it, but I entered, and I'm on the official start list.

How bad is it? Bearing in mind I got told Torbay was quite flat and I was exspecting mountain goats and a ski lift byt the final turn.

(feel free to lie and say it's flat)

Kwiter - being in Saltash which is in Cornwall of course it's flat as a pancake.

 Seriously? It really is very hilly. I've run it twice now. Take it steady and you'll be ok, or walk the hills if you want/need to. The first one is only about a mile in. People that were not local were moaning their heads off on that one. But there is a reason why it is called the Magnificent 7. Don't despair though as that first hill is pretty much the worst one. There are lots more but none as bad as that I'd say.

On the plus side the atmosphere is fab and the medal is really great too. On hot years a guy gets his hosepipe out to offer a shower on route which is most welcome and you'll find locals and kids handing out jelly babies and wine gums on the way round too. and it is all in the lanes so it is also a very pretty run. So it's not all bad! Honest.  Best of luck for it. I may be marshalling - not sure yet. Hey - you may even have to change from ''confirmed hill hater'' to ''committed hill lover.......''

Scooby Snax wrote (see

  Hey - you may even have to change from ''confirmed hill hater'' to ''committed hill lover.......''

Not very likely! So practising round Saltram is a good idea then! My race plan is to walk the hills and catch up on the flats and downhill bits. Hosepipe shower and jelly babies sounds fab

You shold come over the border and do Duckponds SS, I'll be marshalling that one

Hi Kwiter - I'm already living over the boarder so to speak.  I've not done Duckponds before, but I have heard it is a nice one to do. I am building up again from an achilles injury so at mo just concentrating on slowly building to10k so that I can do London Tri in august. That's my one and only aim - for now.

Some of the hills on Mag 7 are ''1st gear in car'' sort of hills. That first one is and there is another one (that is not so long) towards the end that is too. So it might be worth incorporating in some steep hills that you could practice walking up when out on your run? Cot hill perhaps?

 But you will be fine - steady does it and walk the steepies. Best of luck.

SS...Cot hill...is that the kind that I'll encounter at Mag 7? I already train on hills...living here I can't avoid them really. I live near Cattedown roundabout, and when I'm in the right mood, I'll do hills by running up and down all the side streets between St J. church and the allotments on the embankment.

2 weeks today then I'll be mid wibble . And there's not enough from my club doing it so far to get me grand prix points either. All that pain and nothing to show for it on the leaderboard

Hi Kwiter - Yes Cot Hill is the worst sort you will encounter. But there is only 2 like that and the second one is not a long one and the first one is the one I mentioned that is right at the start so you get it out of the way early on. Don't worry, it is a lovely race and you'll find there will be plenty of people you can hook up with on the day if you want some company. Sounds like you do lots of hills anyway. as you say we simply can't escape the things which is troublesome for me as I'm desparetly trying to find flatter routes whilst I build back up with an achilles prob! Grr!

Lol - on grand prix points. I once went over to central park to run a 10k race as I thought it was on my clubs grand prix. I was trying to do all the grand prix events that year. On that day I had managed to catch the most horrendous hangover (no idea how ). I live opposite central park so I staggered my way over there determined to get round somehow to acheive my aim. It was a BOILING hot day and lucky us got to run from the bottom of pennycomequick roundabout up Alma Road then right into the park and all the way up to the clock tower  - twice! The sun was beating off the concrete and to say I felt - um - a bit unwell was a slight understatement. I did a PW - no surprise there, but was very smug as I had done it. Only I got home to discover:

It wasn't on the grand prix list at all!!!! Major GRRRRR's entailed!

OMG It was very hilly, and hot! Loved the hose sprays from the people living on the course, and the lady who'd cut oranges into segments...very welcome!

5 from our club did it, but me being of the female persuasion and the rest male, means no-one gets GP points. ON a good note though, Mr K was able to pace me round, so I got under what I would have expected to had I been doing it on my own

Kwiter - well done! It is a tough course. I don't know anyone who has found that course easy. I've done it twice myself and for some reason it tends to be a hot hot day for it too!

I marshalled today, were you wearing a bright yellow bandana by any chance? I was right by the 6 mile marker just after you had another climb and just before you got a little bit of downhill.

All went well apart from one lady driver who persisted in turning into the road even though I had clearly asked her to wait. I had eye contact with her and had my hand up so I know she acknolowedged me. She nearly hit a runner! I was not happy. Then some locals that were out supporting said she is always like that. Legally cars do not have to take any notice of us marshalls, but generally they are all very understanding, apart from this one - grr! Luckily no damage done. Why she could not have waited for like 5 seconds is quite beyond me - but there you go...

Anyway well done again and hope you like the medal. I think the Mag 7 medal is really nice!

Scooby, that sounds like me...were you the marshall who said come on Plymstock? I can't stand getting my hair all over my face while I'm running, even now it's shorter, that was my pirate buff I was wearing

My eldest did the fun run and came 10th...clearly got his dad's running genes!

The medal's lovely...not sure about "ready to go again"! Maybe next year!