100 Marathon Club

It is an event which Colin recommends since it was well organized and turned out to be a fantastic weekend which
culminated in the Eurostar return to Waterloo at 2300 hrs on the Sunday Night. Put it in your calendar for November 2006
to be a race that you want to participate in – the Belgium hospitality is second to none.
The Broadmeadow Marathon, 19 th November 2005 – by Peter Graham
This event was organised by Chris Seeney who did a fantastic job from start
to finish.
The day of the race was not ideal as the temperature was below freezing
and there was fog so vi sion would not be very good for finding your way. The
event was just north of Stratford-Upon-Avon so it was not too bad a drive
from London other than there were pockets
of fog so it was clear one moment then foggy
the next.
On arrival the Event started from Chris
Seeney’s home we were offered a hot drink
which was very much needed. A quick change and a drink and we were on our way.
There was no main start so Chris came out and said a few words and off me and Tad
went. The course was not to demanding at first just that the fields we were crossing were
quite wet and this meant having wet feet made you feel very cold. The frozen ground did
mean that where there might have been heavy mud it was frozen so the ground was just
hard.
Chris Seeney was on hand at all the checkpoints offering hot and cold drinks cakes and
many sweet things. It was tempting to stay all day but you knew that you had to press on.
The course went through some very nice countryside but was by no means flat so it was a
struggle at times for me to keep going as it was cold and
with all the muddy pathways quite demanding at times.
Chris Seeney was on hand again to offer drink and food.
The only dodgy bit as far as I was concerned was the
last section running along the Avon Canal. To get from
one side of the Canal to the other you had to cross a
lock gate. On one side was a 30ft drop and on the other
the water was frozen. So I did not want to fall in and the
Lock gate was quite a narrow walkway!
So a great day out and afterwards Chris again looked
after the runners with hot food and plenty to drink which
was very welcome. I recommend this event as the trail
was not too demanding and Chris Seeney did a good job looking after all the competitors. If you would like to run this
event Chris is planning a rerun on Good Friday April 14 th 2006
Pau Marathon - France, 20 th November 2005 – by Peter Burns
Year-end was approaching and I was beginning to contemplate hibernation. Then, while surfing the net, I happened on
the Ryanair site and found a £25 return flight to Pau in the French Pyrenees. A quick check confirmed my recollection that
there was, indeed, a Pau marathon in mid- November. I accessed the marathon site but found I couldn’t pay on-line, as
my bankcard was inexplicably unacceptable. Undeterred, I contacted Daniel Juin, the organiser by email and all my
problems were solved. Using my best French we agreed I could send the 35 Euro entry fee directly to the Marathon
Office. A copy of my 100MC membership card was accepted as evidence that I was a “licensed” runner and there was
thus no need to fulfil the usual French requirement to produce a medical certificate. I reckon that has paid for next year’s
membership, as a doctor’s certificate would, undoubtedly, have cost me more than a tenner!
I took the organiser’s advice to book into the Kyriad Hotel in the centre of Pau, which was offering special rates to
marathoners. For £35 per night I had a massive room with two double beds. Unusual for the continent, there were
tea/coffee making facilities in the room and sweets on the pillow! – excellent value.
There wasn’t much to do in Pau but the weather was pleasant and a stroll down the Boulevard des Pyrénées with its
magnificent views of the snow-capped peaks beyond the trees in all their Autumnal splendour made the trip worthwhile –
even better when I enjoyed the view sat outside one of the cafés with glass in hand. But I was to rue my unorthodox
marathon preparations. I had a seafood pizza with mussels that were not quite right. As a result I had a severe reaction
that kept me out of bed all night and would have prevented any sensible person from contemplating a marathon run! But
common sense is not something I possess in abundance so, on Sunday morning, I made my way to the start-line outside
the majestic Palais Beaumont. It was a lovely crisp sunny morning and the distant Pyrenees glinted in the sunshine.
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