The New Forest Half Marathon (2016)

17:56:00 The Lanky Runner 0 Comments

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 New Park, just north of Brockenhurst, heading directly into one of the most picture-perfect regions of the impressive New Forest National Park. It meanders through popular cycle and walking paths, along the awe-inspiring Rhinefield Ornamental Drive, and finishes back in New Park. There are a numerous elements to the route, so bare with me here, there's a lot to describe!

Leaving the popular show site (location for The New Forest Show and the New Forest Christmas Market, among many other events) you head in towards the forest, taking a right as soon as you get to the end of the first T-intersection - about 1km into the run. From here you follow the path around an anti-clockwise loop keeping left at the first intersection, and taking a right at the next and a right again at the 3km mark. The next stretch is a long, open path, so stick to the main path (if it looks small and windy, you're on the wrong path) through an open area leading up to the crossroads intersection. At the crossroads,  take a hard left towards the Flechs Water ford - there's a sign here noting that the ford can be impassable after heavy rainfall, so take note - where you can decide to either wet your feet in the river or pass over on the bridge.

Keep on the path until you reach Rhinefield Ornamental Drive, taking a right and heading towards Rhinefield House Hotel. Pass the hotel on your left, and keep on the road until you reach the Blackwater Woods carpark on your right, where you take the first path on the right and head back into the forest, back towards the crossroads you earlier swung left at. Again, you'll hang left at the crossroads, this time leading back through another fairly open area, and back out onto Rhinefield Ornamental Drive again, just before the 10km mark, and head back along the road towards Blackwater Woods carpark. Along this stretch of Ornamental Drive you pass under the tallest trees in Hampshire, and possibly in the UK. Some of these giant Redwoods are even taller than Elizabeth Tower (aka Big Ben)!

When you reach the carpark again, look for a path to the Blackwater Arboretum, to the right, opposite the carpark, which runs in a long straight line directly into the forest. At the crossroads at the end of this long straight (about 600m worth) hang a hard left and head up the gentle hill into an area that looks quite a lot more forest-like than the well-groomed cycle paths and roads you've just been pacing along for the last hour. Continue following this path for about 1.6km (1mi), hanging left at the intersection, and back towards Rhinefield House Hotel.

Arriving on Rhinefield Ornamental Drive again, turn right and continue on past the hotel, this time passing the hotel on your right as you sweep around the corner. Follow the road as the forest opens up into a sparse heathland, passing several carparks on the right and left as you go. This is often the area for spotting the wild locals grazing in the sunlight, trying to avoid the tourists!

Just as the road appears to start entering the forest again, you'll see a carpark/road on the left, where you'll head down the hill and follow the road all the way until it ends and becomes another well-groomed cycle path. Follow this all the way through the forest again, arriving in the back of New Park, for a quick lap of the fields to complete a scenic, flat, and rewarding half marathon!

I'd love to hear from anyone who took part in the event or who has completed this route for fun, so drop a comment below if you have!

End Point: Where you started!

Terrain: a combination of cycle paths and quiet rural roads

The Highs: feeling tiny amongst the giants of the forest, pacing along the roads surrounded by New Forest ponies

The Lows: running out of energy after 90 minutes

Hints: try the route on a bicycle first to get your bearings, unless you know the area well, and don't try this at night...

Conclusion: A mostly-flat route set in some of the most picturesque areas of the New Forest, taking in big open cycle paths, the tallest trees in the UK, open country roads, and wildlife. 

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The New Forest Marathon, 2016

10:54:00 The Lanky Runner 0 Comments

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. On offer were 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, and Marathon distances. The organisers planned a stunning route through one of the most picturesque areas in the forest: Rhinefield Ornamental Drive and it's surrounding areas. The terrain was a balanced mix of gravel cycle paths and closed tarmac roads, and provided a welcome change from some of the all-tarmac events most of us are used to.

I'll be putting a more comprehensive course post up shortly, so keep an eye out for that.

If you want to know a little more about the event, check out http://www.newforestmarathon.co.uk/, and have a look at http://www.newforestmarathon.co.uk/media-releases/ for some imagery of the event's media coverage. A great run which I'm looking forward to taking part in again in 2017!

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Baby, it's cold outside...

09:37:00 The Lanky Runner 0 Comments

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.

Hibernation.

The first option most people choose over the cold winter months is to keep themselves indoors, warm and dry. If you've opted for "comfort", you've got a few choices to keep your training up whilst avoiding the world outside: join (or use) a gym or fitness centre, create your own home training regime, or lounge around and prepare to start again when the winter is done!

If you're a member of a gym or fitness centre, make sure you're using it and your membership isn't merely burning a hole in your pocket. Jump on the treadmill and get in casual 30-minute jog, hop in the pool and swim a km or two, and don't forget that all-important strength training!

If you're fortunate enough to have space for a home gym, try get your hands on a treadmill and a few key pieces of gym equipment (yoga mat, dumbells, kettle bells, etc.) and begin a home training regime. A good mix of cardio and strength training is essential, and regularity is the key to making the exercise effective.

 Embracing the Elements.

For those who prefer to stay away from the gym, the only real option is to get out and run, no matter the weather. You'll need to invest in some reasonably warm running gear (running base layers are essentials, and a good high-viz jacket is always a good idea) and keep an eye on the weather forecasts to find optimal windows of opportunity. You'll also want to think carefully about your running routes, as many back-roads and country walkways are transformed into muddy bogs this time of year.

But all of the this can be used to great effect to enhance your training experience. Sure, you're likely to get wet, a little cold, and there's the chance of a slip or two, but your body will welcome the cooler conditions to train in - unless it's truly freezing outside - and you'll find you can run faster for longer without overheating the way you would at the height of summer. Add to this that the winter can create some of the most stunning natural scenery around, and you've got even more of a reason to be out amongst it, taking in all the beauty this world provides us.

Some of you might be thinking of competing in an event such as Tough Mudder or various cross-country runs. This is a great time for you to get out and push yourself through some muddy, boggy, wet, slippery trails, preparing yourself for whatever your upcoming event might have in store for you. I'd recommend investing in a decent pair of trail running shoes if you haven't already, some gaiters to keep your ankles and shins from taking too much of a beating and to keep the majority of the stones and mud out of your shoes, and a hydration pack if you're going to be away from civilization for extended periods of time.

Be sure to include an element of regular strength training into your winter training, and you're away, ready to handle anything Mother Nature feels like throwing at you!

Be Safe Out There. 

Personal safety is always a key concern when outdoors in the winter, and your training needs to keep that in mind. So make sure follow a few of the guidelines below:


  • Be seen: wear high-viz or at least brightly coloured clothing, be it a jacket, gloves, or shoes.
  • Watch where you're going: during the darker hours, either run in well-lit streets or training areas, or use a head torch to see what's ahead. The last thing you want to do is injure yourself on unseen terrain. 
  • Keep warm and dry: invest in decent base layers, get a brightly coloured running jacket, and try to run when it's dry if possible. No one wants pneumonia this winter.
  • Get to know the weather forecasts: pick your weather windows to run when it is most suitable (but don't use that as an excuse to stay indoors all winter!).
  • Choose your routes carefully: map out your runs to avoid low-lying, easily flooded areas, and be prepared for muddy pathways if you choose to run away from brightly-lit urban streets. 


Training in winter can be a lot of fun, so don't be a buzzkill and spend your winter lounging around thinking you "should be training" - just get out and do it!

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