GIANTS HEAD MARATHON 2018

Giant’s Head Marathon 2018 

How could you honestly not want to do a race when the medal not only features the Cern Abbas Giant but his ‘appendage’ spins round? Scott Shrubsall and I made the trip to Dorset to find out if the race could live up to the bling! 

 Beautiful scenery, never ending hills, free beer and shots in the (in)famous White Star Running Lovestation at mile 20, race instructions which stated that no changing facilities were available so random nudity was acceptable and a race director who may take your car for a spin around the car park but only if it’s cool enough all featured in this race of 26.2(ish) miles through the Dorset countryside. 

It was incredibly hot, neither of us had trained properly due to a combination of injury and illness plus, coming from Norfolk, even looking at the course profile was enough to make your legs ache. 

As well as being the slowest race I have ever done, this was, however, one of the best most enjoyable and fun races we have ever taken part in, there was a fabulous camaraderie between the runners with lots of people in fancy dress and a number offering themed snacks to all and sundry, I was offered more jelly willies than is really sensible! 

Yes they ran out of hot food but there was plenty of cake and beer to go around after the finish and we finished off with a delicious pub meal and a pint (or two) of Dorest Knob bitter. 

Things we learned 

1.Train properly for any marathon and get some decent hot weather acclimatisation in if you can 

2.Most places are a fair bit hillier than Norfolk but Dorset especially so 

3.If you are running with me and need to drag me, almost bodily, through the last 10 miles of a race, I may still try to outsprint you when I see the finish line and the red mist decends (Sorry Scott, I don’t know what came over me….. but I was first over the line) 

4.Buffs/Muffs, race T-shirts and medals all look much better with a willy on, especially if it spins around 

5.Yes we are still rather infantile and big kids at heart. 

6.People who play Jimmy Shand at full volume in your campsite after 10pm are the worst. Paul T ..