Creating the Jan 2026 challenge segment

To gym in -3C conditions

Nice and easy in the "snow"

Not cycling weather

Southampton Turf Run

I was supposed to be racing at London today so rather than have no races this year I entered Clarendon. Similar profile I believe?
I had a nice chat with Martin from Eastleigh on the bus over, front seats up top, perfect. The bus was maybe 20% full so no social distancing concerns. I also ate a race-provided banana and drank some of my Lucozade
Upon arrival most of used the portaloo, checked in our name and phone number for SD rules, and dropped our bags.
A few were in short-sleeved T-shirts, some in coats. I ended up in my parkrun 50 shirt, with a fitted Superdry long sleeve on top, and a very lightweight foldable jacket on top of that. By 4km in the jacket came off and never went back on. Gloves were a good choice, although they did come off a few times to cool my hands, and to make it easier to access my collapsable water cup.
Chip timing and no queue meant I could start pretty much straight away. I didn't do a warm up and resolved to take the first 2km really easy. These were fairly flat so this worked well.
My goal was to avoid a death march painful finish, and sub-4 would be nice. The course normally tracks a little long so I needed to be a little quicker than the theoretical 5:41/km average
So the mantra for the first half was that it should feel like a jog, with no HR spikes on the hills thank you very much, however slow I had to go.
I was lapping every 1km and noting how they compared to the 5:40/km-ish goal, and checking the overall average pace periodically, but I didn't have to change my work rate in response to it.
There were water stations every 4km or so. Hold out your reusable cup and get it filled, drink it quickly while walking and on you go. Perhaps cost 15 seconds each time. I skipped about 3 towards the end but used all the others.
I was carrying 4 SiS Isotonic Orang gels, of which I had 3 at 9, 17 and 27km. When it was time for final one we were climbing through sticky mud and then at the top I just wanted to press on.
While it was muddy in the first quarter, there were no unavoidable mini-lake puddles. The first of those arrived at about 12km in Winterslow but it was at least quite short. At around the 17km point there was a 20 metre long clay-coloured one that was 15cm water on top of soft mud, yum. There was another one like that somewhere in the second half too.
The half way point was at about 40 metres elevation, actually slightly net down from the start. I knew we had steep undulations to the high point at 170m and then more ups and downs after that.
So the flat 5km from half way was welcome, taking under 26 minutes. Then there's a nasty little climb after you cross Test Way which I power walked and ate a gel.
The descent in to Kings Somborne was on a trail 5 years ago, this year it was down the steep road - not easy on tired legs.
I'd forgotten the step field climb out of KS. I maintained a running form which was quicker than walking but not by much. After that was a narrow path where overtaking wasn't possible, so I got a 400m mini-break in work rate, still running but a little slower. I let a relay runner past me at the start of it and then followed him along as he was blocked. 
It was nice when I rejoined familiar trails at 30km that I've run from work with Mat and Rob
The climb up to Farley Mount was in quite thick sticky mud, collecting on your shoes and making feel twice as heavy. Some power walking in the middle bit and slow-running for the rest.
The new out-and-back in West Wood was OK, gently down on the way out, gently up on the way back. Muddy but not too bad. You got to see loads of runners and walkers which was lovely
From 4 miles to go I was tired and was counting down the kilometres. I used some local knowledge with one mile to go when I used the side path long-cut to avoid going through the flooded deep puddle, passing 1 or 2 in the process.
I mustered a stronger finish when back on the road downhill finish, being passed by a half-marathon runner I'd chatted to for a mile or so soon after he'd started
Happy to have dipped under 4 hours. About 2 minutes slower than I was in 2015 but with the conditions a far better showing. And I got segment 2nd bests for the first half, but PRs for the second half, so my plan to avoid a death march was successful
It didn't take long to get through the finshing snake, collect my T-shirt, banana, marshmallows. Walking to the baggage collection I was getting cold but had no legs for running.
Once in the sports hall I put on a dry T-shirt and warm jumper, then they announced that the P&R shuttle bus was about to leave so I had a hasty bit of packing to do and I just made it.
So in summary, despite the weather this was a great event. Excellent marshalling (who I thanked all the way round), epic route, lots of water, both to drink and splash through.
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Russell Finn

Super muddy Clarendon marathon

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Creating the Jan 2026 challenge segment

To gym in -3C conditions

Nice and easy in the "snow"

Not cycling weather

Southampton Turf Run

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