training for a trail race

This is probably one for the more experienced buzzers but I need a bit of guidance on my next training plan. I'm doing the Beachy Head Marathon in October and have just started to think about some more structured training for the build up. Until I dropped out I was following Hal Higdon's marathon 3 plan for Brighton which seemed to be working very well for me. Obviously I will need to incorporate plenty of off road running and hill work into the plan but wondered if you need to be any more scientific than this!

Also any other hints and tips will be much appreciated.

Beachy Head is where I set my personal worst for the marathon in 2010; the weather was revolting and it's a tough course at the best of times.   If the weather is good, there are some spectacular views and the camaraderie is great as well.   In 2010, the cloud base was at about 200 feet, and it was raining steadily and blowing a gale, so views were virtually non-existant, but if I can get round in those conditions, so can you.

The real key with Beachy Head is that you must not be afraid / ashamed to walk.   Many people walk up all the hills (starting with the first one, which makes up the first 200 yards of the course) and save their energy for the flat and down hill parts.   If you think you are on for a reasonable time, start near the front, but be prepared to forget what your watch is telling you.   Make sure that you have a comfortable pair of trail shoes as, unless we have an exceptionally dry Summer and Autumn, you will need them.   Also, practise stopping on your long runs for a drink and a snack - Mars bars, oranges, soup, pork pies, jelly babies are all things which are available at some of the feed stations, so try eating them and then running on.   If it does not work in training, avoid them for the real thing!

If you have any more specific questions, let me know, and I shall try to help.

This is all interesting stuff. I am dithering about entering this run and 2 day ago had my finger hovering over the 'Send' button to pay.

I know a few people who have done this run and they say it is awesome. One of them did it in 2010 like you Sir C de C and said it was horrendous but still raves on about it. He did it last year to make up for it.

I am unsure as I know and have been told and can see from the profile etc that it is a bloody tough run. I am doing Abingdon the weekend before so know my legs will be exhausted. My brain says no, leave it this year....but my heart is saying "Yeah...go for it!". That is also aided by the fact that my 65 year old pal is doing it and I know we can help each other.

Never ever be afraid to walk up hills. I have done quite a few tough x country with monstrous hills, and apart from the odd one or two people, most will walk up. You will quite usually overtake the people who had clogged up them when you get to the top. A nice strong walk up, not slouching and dragging your feet, will be just as worthwhile.

Like all popular marathons these days you really have to enter early or you'll never get in. You then have to sort your training and hope you will make it on the day. Pretty easy to ashift places in runs like this tho so already I am veering towards a yay, enter now and see what happens.

I have a few hilly runs this summer so am not overly concerned about what kind of training to do, as it will be mostly uphil in the runs..........

Anyways...just thought I'd share that and thx for interesting post Sir C de C. Will wait until payday and get to it. 

To summarise then, you're going to enter it as you do all the others 

Yeah probably...*sigh*.....BUT I do so with trepidation as I know it will be hard and am not so daft to be flippant about it all.......lol.

Thanks for that Sir C de C. I haven'y got any trail shoes at the moment but they will be my next purchase when I get paid. The refuelling advice is good. Not something I would have thought about. I'm not concerned by times as I just want to get round in one piece. If I manage to get a PB then my training has gone amazingly well!!

Nunu, it will be another step closer to 50 but most of all will be good fun. 26 miles of horrifically painful rewarding fun.

Indeed it will...thx for that. I'm sure it will be good fun in a tough and painful way. I just focus on the end result of completing some of them. You cannot beat that feeling. I did enter yesterday in the end....so see you there !!