The Gatliff Marathon (GM) was postponed from November 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, becoming a well-ventilated summer event and also giving participants and organisers extra time to prepare.
The weather forecast was good. On the day the morning was overcast, with sunny spells in the early afternoon followed by isolated heavy showers; average daytime temperature was 16 celcius.
The going was mainly firm – summer scheduling meant the usual energy-sapping quagmires of November had changed to areas of pleasant squidginess underfoot.
Gatliffteers chose between a 25k or 50k route. There were 195 entries with the 137 starters split over two routes. Both routes headed west to Black Robins Farm where they diverged, the 25k towards Crockham Hill and the 50k (shown in profile below) towards Tandridge. The 50k traversed the Greensand Ridge and ascended the North Downs to CP3 (Check Point 3 – lunch stop) at Woldingham and descended steeply to Titsey. The 25k climbed the Greensand Ridge to Limpsfield Chart and was a figure of 8 with Crockham Hill village hall as both check points; the final leg was shared.
No one qualified for the special 10, 20 or 30 certificates this year, but David Wakeling continued his impressive record of the most completions; 36 out of 37 events.
There were 8 PBs on the 50km event despite it being one of the tougher Gatliffs – 4th hardest measured by percentage completing within 10 hours (64%); 8th hardest based on average completion time within 10hrs (8:38). Average of all 50km finishers time 9:20. 96% of starters finished. There have only been 2 20km events – but this year’s appears to have been harder than the last 20km event held in 2019. Average time was 5:39 and 92% of starters finished. Comparison to earlier events comes with a caveat that the 37th GM was held in the summer.
Congratulations to the front runners of each event:
25km Hannah Droscher 3:32 Chris Carter 3:18
50km James Whibberley 5:26 Tara Williams 6:43
Tara & James both recorded a Personal Best
We hope you enjoy pondering over the results and various statistics that follow.
We look forward to seeing you next year for our 38th event! (If you can, it would help us greatly if you pre-enter.)
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