Andrew failed to grasp scale of Pikes challenge
Maidenhead AC: MAC member takes on one of the world’s toughest marathons
MAC’s Andrew Lowdon admits he failed to grasp the scale of the challenge involved in completing the
Pikes Peak Marathon at the Southen end of the Rockies in Colorado
Springs this month.
The marathon – rated as one of the top 10 hardest in the world – involves scaling a mountain that rises to 4,302m by trail routes and he and 900 intrepid fellow runners took on the challenge.
As the air started to thin, Andrew admits he felt lightheaded, almost drunk as he passed runners sitting down, others holding onto rocks.
“I made the summit, halfway mark, and turned for home in 5.15.55,” he said.
“I managed to fall twice on the way down. The second time I was less than 4k from home when my trailing leg just didn’t get high enough over a tree root and down, I went.
“After being helped up, I pushed on with a blood running steadily from a left hand wound and plenty of grazing on my left side, particularly my shoulder and knee. I crossed the line in a time of 8.27.57 finishing in 409 place.
“Based on starters, a top half finish. Only 624 finished so just inside top two thirds of finishers, and 16th in my age group. I’ll take them all.
This is rated as one of the top 10 hardest marathons. Am I going to run
any of the others? Probably not.”
Lesley Kernaghan took on the comparatively straight-forward Berlin Marathon, keeping a steady pace to finish under the Brandenburg Gate in 4.28.33.
“A dream marathon as I was looking for 4hrs 40min,” she said. “I even managed a negative split, running the first half in 2hrs15.09 and the second half in 2hrs13.24.”
Dave Waterman completed the Barnes Fitness SUPAthlon 2022 in Dinton Pastures on September 24.
For Dave and Judi this involved a 1km lap on a stand-up paddleboard before transitioning to a 5km run on the tracks around the lake.
Dave’s splits were 10.26 to finish seventh on the SUP leg and 30.06 on the run, giving him 16th place overall. Judi’s splits were 14.31 on the SUP leg; 37.37 on the run, as she finished 29th.
Both MAC members came first in their age categories.
Rosie and Chris Ellis completed the Bristol 10k on Sunday. Rosie finished in 2,687th place in 1.00.26, her best time in recent years, while Chris finished in 53.50, two seconds behind their daughter’s boyfriend, George, who pulled off an unexpected sprint finish to beat Chris.
On Saturday, Adam Stage and Will Burkitt completed a 50k ultra-marathon in Tring. The course threw up some spectacular Chilterns views from spots like Ivinghoe Beacon. Adam was fifth in a time of 4.42.48 with Will finishing his first ultra shortly after in 5.00.01 for 12th place, however, his watch time gave him a time of just under five hours.
Inspired by the feats of those running the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, Alex del Campo took on Spain’s Transpineda 2022, covering the three highest peaks in the province, Mencilla (1932m), Trigaza (2085m) and San Millan (2131m).
Running through sun, rain and fog he completed the course in 4.34.37, behind the winner who clocked a Kilian Jornet-esque time of 3.14.02.