Start Point: The Showground, New Park, Brockenhurst Distance: 21.1 km (13.1 mi) Difficulty Level: Moderate My Time: 01:54:18 (Pace: 05:25/km or 08:43/mi) Set in the stunning New Forest, a natural beauty on the border of Hampshire and Dorset, the New Forest Marathon is an event which gained a refresh for 2016. I took part, and as I was so impressed with the route I thought I'd blog it so anyone can have a go whenever they feel the need for a cross-country half marathon! The route starts in...CONTINUE READING

Photo courtesy: New Forest Marathon 2016 I recently had the opportunity to have a go at a competitive half marathon in the New Forest Marathon 2016. It was an absolutely brilliant event with great weather on a magnificent route around some of the best parts of the New Forest. I even managed to set a PB - an added bonus - of 1:54:18. The course was centered around New Park, just north of Brockenhurst village in the heart of the New Forest, in Hampshire, UK....CONTINUE READING

Winter training is tough. It's cold. It's wet. It's dark. It's windy. If you're in the UK, no doubt you've noticed the constant storms we've been having recently, just to add fuel to the inner fire compelling you to wrap up warm and shelter indoors, away from the adversities outside! But it doesn't have to be all doom and gloom. There are a number of different ways to approach winter training to either avoid the conditions or to utilize them as a training tool....CONTINUE READING

Start Point: Carparks either off the B3054 or B3055 Distance: 5.1 km (3.1 mi) Difficulty Level: Easy My Time: 00:29:12 HRC* (Pace: 05:43/km or 09:12/mi) RAF Beaulieu was once a hub of aircraft activity, between 1942 and 1959 being used for bombers and fighter jets heading out on wartime missions. These days, it's a peaceful site surrounded by a 5 km loop of flat tarmac and gravel trails, often visited by walkers, cyclists, and the New Forest's most notable residents, horses. The run can be started either...CONTINUE READING

Start Point: The Marine Restaurant, Milford on Sea, Hampshire Distance: 5.2 km (3.2 mi) Difficulty Level: Tough My Time: 00:31:41 (Pace: 06:07/km or 09:49/mi) Running on loose stone and gravel is a brilliant way to build strength in your calf muscles and improve the strength in stabilisers around your ankles and thighs, and this route in Milford On Sea in Hampshire is a brilliant test bed. With the added benefit of stunning views of The Solent and the Isle of Wight, as well as a decent restaurant at...CONTINUE READING

In the world we live in music is now more accessible than ever. Gone are the days of lugging around big heavy objects carrying cassettes and CDs. With our obsession with technology, we have MP3's and streaming services readily available almost anywhere, any time, with almost any song imaginable at our fingertips. Add to this the fact that music has an almost unmatched ability to get people moving, and tell me why you wouldn't want to run with music? Simply load up your smartphone,...CONTINUE READING

Start Point: Needles Eye Cafe, Milford on Sea, Hampshire Distance: 5.70 km (3.54 mi) Difficulty Level: Easy My Time: 00:35:55 HRC* (Pace: 06:17/km or 10:07/mi) In the quiet coastal villages of Milford on Sea and Barton on Sea, in Hampshire, are two quaint coffee shops, conveniently connected by a cliff-top coastal trail. Starting at the Needles Eye Cafe in Milford on Sea, you head due west, along the paved coastal pathway which meanders gently along the cliff tops, with the stunning sights of the English...CONTINUE READING