Multi-terrain marathons are becoming a right of passage for the discerning trail runner. The Beauty and the Beast Marathon, with its multiple hills and creek crossings, ticks the boxes when it comes to bragging rights. Of the participants who signed up for the race, an overwhelming majority were there with the sole interest of finishing, and Team Helly Hansen made sure they did just that.
Mid-September races are always fun because they have a sense of ‘end of season jolly’ about them: one last chance to prove you’ve put in the hard yards this year before England turns to ice and we all start lying about our weekly miles. The course itself is a series of laps around the grounds of the impressive West Wycombe Park – six, to be exact, if you tackle the marathon. Each lap involves a series of three short and tough hills and one creek crossing, so be prepared to get your shoes wet.
Having assembled a team of three, and sitting as reigning team champions, expectations were high. Admin-wise the event is brilliant and there is a Race HQ that is perfect for relaxing and stretching, as well as places for the kids to hang out while mum and dad get to grips with the Beast.
As a team of three, it meant each of us was going to have to run two laps. We thought it would be best to break this down into single laps rather than one person doing both their laps at once. This was a tactic that worked well for us the year before and we were adamant not to change a winning formula.
However, while our formula was the same, the race director’s was different. Last year, we all had timing chips; this year, we only had one between us. This acted like a baton, albeit one o you had to stop, untie from your ankle and re-tie your team mate’s leg. It was hardly the hard and fast approach of a 4×100 meter relay team. Ultimately the added faff saw us lose by 20 seconds, which was a bitter pill to swallow. We might be able to run faster but our knot-tying skills cleary left a bit to be desired.
For me, team events this year have been fantastic fun and have re-ignited my passion for these events. You’re never going to set a marathon PB but you are going to have way more fun doing this than bashing out negative splits on tarmac for three and a half hours.
This isn’t a race to be afraid of; every four miles you’re back to Race HQ for drinks, fuel and most likely a hug. The hills are tough but you’ll feel like a champion as soon as you cross the finish line. We’ll be back next year with the aim of reclaiming our crown.
