The Farnham Pilgrim, Marathon & Half-Marathon

Im contemplating the Full Mara. I will be coming from about 250 miles away, but,

 this race holds a massive interest to me as I grew up in Tongham which was a small vi9llage back then. I used to play football where the start takes place, and often would walk alon the Pilgrim path with friends and family of which many still live there.  

I could just be tempted back down memory lane and if I am, fear not, I will keep the sweeper company

I have just entered the full marathon in Sept. & have been running the course in 9 mile sections over the past few weeks. Its really really nice & much better than running on tarmac. I agree with the comments on the hills, lots of them but the surroundings make it worth while. I also agree about this not being a PB course, i think you could add 30-45 mins to your normal marathon time due to the various up & downs, mud, tree roots, narrow paths etc. My average mins per mile has increased by about 1-1.5 mins. If you have not run off-road before I would recommend that you get some practice in as its a bit different to tarmac.

Missed this last year due to injury but did the first one in 2010. It's simply one of the nicest, best-organised, friendliest marathons I've ever done. The route is just fabulous (yes there are hills, but I walk up the big ones) and a nice mix of terrain - fields, tracks, sandy paths, little bits of road here and there etc, and a few nice quirks (like the ruined cathedral). This would be a brilliant introduction to trail marathons for a beginner IMHO and there is no need at all to get stressed about finishing times. I'd agree with Andy C - a 30-45 min differential from a flat road marathon is about right for me, but also bear in mind you'll recover much, much quicker from this kind of event than you will from tarmac bashing.  

Can anyone comment how the Pilgrims compares to the South Downs Marathon?

I have run the SDM the past 2 years, and had entered/trained for this years race but had to pull out due to a chest infection in the last 5 days lead up!

This sounds like a great day out, I'm very interested. Cheers

May have to enter this....
Hopefully it doesn't t fill up before I decide.

Go on....you know you want to ! .....would the prospect of great finish line home made refreshments help ? Those kind Rotary Club ladies really know how to bake !

It's very tempting..

I have my Wedding in Aug and Honey Moon planned for the Monday after the Marathon. Although nothing is booked yet so the date my change...

Enjoying the traning at the mo, so as long as I'm still getting out running 4/5 times a week I don't see why not!

It's just roping my mate coming on the Sunday runs with me....

I highly recommend this marathon. I ran it last year and did the half in 2010. It's a friendly, well organised race with great views, but it's quite a hilly, multi-terrain route so expect to add 20-40 mins to a flat road race time. It's a friendly race with mixed abilities so anyone can run it. The climb from around 11 miles to 12.5 miles makes it tricky to pace evenly, but this also makes it more interesting.

Thank's Mike,

Can I ask if there are any good spectator spots to get too? Im hoping my wife can wave me off then go to different points along the route, to cheer us on? 

The map that I have printed off seems quite difficult to see the route clearly. 

this is good link to map but may scare you a bit once you see it! https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=207653227161132014831.00049053ecbf5f710079a&msa=0&ll=51.16083,-0.63446&spn=0.304663,0.229683 - don't know about good spectator spots so hopefully previous runners will be able to help as i'd like to know for my family too

Hmm, lurks with passing interest, especially at EOD potential. Is everything signposted with arrows? I can't see a map and I ain't taking reading glasses! LOL.

Just entered... first ever marathon...scared, excited, hoping to survive my 22 mile training run in a few days time

Did the Canterbury HM yesterday and have entered this too. Canterbury was very hilly and reading about hills and sand is making me feel a bit queezy! Please tell me this isn't as tough!!!!

well finally paid my coin, Ive located a few spectator spots on the route. One is a pub offering lunches and I think its at 4.4 m and tehn at 18 for the return trip. Also a cafe type place at 6 miles. So looks like my family will be well fed. Not long back from holiday, done a 12 miler at the weekend and a 6 miler yesterday. Then it's a 10 miler and a couple of shorter runs over the next few days. 

Not my first marathon, but hoping to run a bit more this time, if not a bit slower. My first consisted of a sprint for the first 8 miles and then 18 miles of pure hell. So hoping to start slowly and err, run slowly, see you at the back. My running club is Sandbach Striders, so a long journey awaits. 

Dustboy, if you get lost here I will be impressed, marshals galore, enough to protect me from the fields of cows, I am a bit of a wimp with the bovines. Good pub at the end as well Paul, if your spectators fancy the views they can park quite close to St Marthas, the highest point at halfway, and trek up to see you in pain.

Good Marathon this one.

Ran the first myself.

If I rememebr rightly after 4 miles ran the rest of the race needing a dump, could have done a Stevie G and shat in the woods, but waited until the end and the thunder box.

So what was the name of that pub just before the finish?

OG, will see you there and we can compare notes on Chi running and the NYCM

Looking forward to this weekend ....

Does anyone know what the ground is like up there at the moment? Not sure whether to use trail shoes (as would normally) or try road shoes for a bit extra support!