* Although England is part of the UK, Marathon Globetrotters counts it as its own country along with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their list is the standard used by many international marathon runners.
Welcome! This blog gives a summary of each marathon with finish time/place, course info, conditions, and links to performance data and travel photos. There are also separate pages listing marathons in different countries/continents, states, and Canadian provinces as well as general info about my running background, frequently asked questions, and advice for anyone looking to start running or exercising more. This blog is linked on my Facebook page, but I'm very rarely on social media otherwise.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Marathon #67 (country* #4): North Devon Marathon, Woolacombe, England
4:54 finish, 97/170 place overall. Brutally tough but very scenic and unique trail course along the coast of southwest England. Mostly cloudy and cool weather, but hills were almost constant and often very steep with uneven surfaces. Race runs up and down rocky ridges, through sand and mud, and across large grassy meadows with sheep and cattle (and their foot-wide piles of droppings) all over the course. Spectacular scenery, however, with ocean and mountain views similar to the U.S. west coast. Toughest course and slowest time of any marathon I've ever done aside from Pikes Peak. With my lack of trail running ability and the amount of walking necessary, breaking five hours was actually an accomplishment.