THE BEAST - Page 2 - Events

sfh legs

02/09/2002 at 15:08

Well done to the 3 of you. Hilly's continued enthusiasm for trail races of this type encouraged me to try this out last month (as per Dustin). I'll defintiely be looking for more........

keep on singing the virtues of these H.

Redhead

02/09/2002 at 15:53

Wow Hilly, it sounded awesome! I apsire to taking part in something like that and your race description has made me even more determined.

Hilly

02/09/2002 at 17:05

Thanks everyone for your kind words of congratulations.

Well done Pizza Man and Katie. You both had very good runs. I too would recommend this race as one to do.

Pizza Man the wine was great!

Snoop I was allowed a pb because I got stung by a wasp before the race. An adrenalin rush I think!

Laura, I was very pleased after a bit of a horrid summer. But I've been analysing my symptoms over this period and trying different things to try and get back on form. Since taking iron supplements my energy seems to be returning.

Mike there were 3 drink stations on the course with water on offer. I took a small drink bottle with isotonic and used the water to pour over my head!

It looks like from everyone's replys that there will be an extra few people at 'The Beast' next year. See you all there!

Hilly

02/09/2002 at 19:50

Pizza Man the results can be found at www.pooleac.co.uk

I've just checked them out. There were 320 runners, I was 14th woman and 4th in my age group.

Pizza Man:-)

02/09/2002 at 21:53

Thanx,
66th overall, which means I passed 19 runners in those 3 miles, as one of the marshals counted us in over a style earlier on, & 25th in my age group. Wierd realy as I'll officialy be a vet in 5 weeks & would have finnished 44th in my catogary then!
Thats not 14 miles though, is it? I'd have put it at 13 & then only just. But hey, if it was 14 then we all did even better than we thought.
all the best,
PM

phoenix

03/09/2002 at 07:53

I agree with Pizza man - it wasn't 14 miles. I measured the route on the map with my trusty piece of string and made it between 12 and 13. Taking the steepness of the hills into consideration, I'd say it was nearer 13. And judging by the speed that I was grovelling at times, I don't think I could have been running fast enough to cover 14 miles of that terrain in 2 hours.

Hilly

03/09/2002 at 10:23

Yes agree with both of you. I couldn't run 14 miles off road on that terrain and steepness in 1.50. More like 12/13. What we need is a time/distance monitor next time. Right, now I know why I want one for Christmas!
The distance has been a discussion at my running club every time 'The Beast' comes round. Last year when they changed the course, missing out the cliff steps it was shorter, still tough though, as I did it in 1.47. The year before that it was the same course as this year and that's what I based my pb on as I did it in 1.51... in very similar conditions.

If you want another fantastic off road run. I can recommend Exmoor Stagger on 27th October. I will most probably do it again. This run is 16/17 miles of all sorts of terrain and the final mile.....do it and discover! You will definitely need a black bin liner at the end!

supervet

03/09/2002 at 11:11

Im nearly sixty and finished with the sorest of knees but thought it a great run and will be back next year it wasnt a pb though.

Hilly

03/09/2002 at 15:33

Well done supervet! I agree it is a great run.

Pizza Man:-)

03/09/2002 at 16:59

Hilly, have you got any details of the exmoor stagger. I think I've become hooked on over distance X-countries.
Cheers PM

Supervet, you sound like you've done it a few times, well done!

phoenix

04/09/2002 at 07:54

Pizza man, I don't know anything about the Exmoor Stagger but I have heard a bit about the Stickler, which is also known as the Dorset 3 Peaks, and is also on 27 October. It's 10 miles and starts somewhere NW of Blandford Forum. My club members like that sort of thing (I'm in the New Forest Runners - we're very keen on off-road stuff as we have a very handy forest nearby!)and they say it's good. I've decided not to do it because I am also a racing cyclist who enjoys one of the cycling versions of off-road - cyclocross - and there's a race I want to do on the same day. Sometimes I've managed to run a race and ride a race on the same day but it depends on the times of the events and on my enthusiasm to exhaust myself! The Stickler will have to wait until there is no clash.

phoenix

04/09/2002 at 08:13

me again! Pizza man, I am looking at the Trail Running Association webpage at the moment and it gives a bit of info about trail running events. It's not a particularly big site but there are links and contacts. It's at www.tra-uk.org.

Hilly

04/09/2002 at 20:12

Hi Pizza man,
The Stickler that Katie mentions I've done several times and yes it's another brilliant off road run. It wasn't run last year because of foot and mouth. The year before the river was flooded into the adjoining field and we were literally up to our hips in water-quite an experience! It's a toughy, but not as tough as The Exmoor Stagger.

You will find details for both these races in this months RW. I would recommend both of them, but obviously with them being on the same day you will only be able to do one!

I think I mentioned The Montecute in Somerset. That's another 10 mile off road one to do if you get the chance. Believe me if you're getting the taste for these kind of races, this one can't be missed. It's on the 1st December and you get a Christmas pudding for your efforts.

Pizza Man:-)

04/09/2002 at 21:03

Thanks for the link Katie.
Hilly I've just seen those 2 events in RW. If poss I'll probably do the one in Dorset as it's closer.
I went to the club training session last nite in my big purple beast shirt & wouldn't shut up about the event. I think they'll be a few of us next year, or maybe they were just saying that to shut me up.
All the best
PM

The Dog Walker

10/09/2002 at 11:18

Hi Hilly,

Just got back from hols in Dorset. Aaargh!!! Can't believe I missed you!!! I was around the start as well in my yellow URWFRC T-shirt, but didn't see you, although I was queuing for the bog between 10 and 10:15!

Congratulations on your time - absolutely brilliant! I thought the race was absoutely tremendous and one of the most enjoyable I've ever done (I think the goos weather helped a bit!). I got round in a bit over 2:13 so was pretty happy. Would like to have gone a bit quicker at the start, but that narrow bit through the woods and the queues at the stiles held me up a bit. Chapmans Pool didn't cause me too much trouble, but the second set of steps was agony!!! Fabulous course, excellent organisation, groovy T-shirt and definitely one for the 2003 calendar. Will wear a carnation next year so we don't miss each other again!!!

DW

The Dog Walker

10/09/2002 at 11:20

"goos" weather!?!?!? Good weather I meant of course!!! Not having the edit facility is downright embarrassing sometimes!!!

Pizza Man:-)

11/09/2002 at 00:01

& there was me thinking it was a fashionable way of saying hot & sunny.

Hilly

14/09/2002 at 19:39

Yea me too Pizza man!

DW, I've only just found this message so sorry it's taken so long to reply. I'm glad you had a good holiday and that you enjoyed The Beast. I agree the stiles helped to slow us down, mind they were good for recovery.

Finding people in a crowd of runners is very hard. I had the same problem at the GSR, I didn't spot one person even though there were enough sporting the forum vests.

Next year there will most probably be more forum runners going by the earlier response, so we'll all have to wear carnations!

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