The Needles XC half marathon course was almost entirely off-road (with sand beach, stone paths, steps, fields and hills all included) and, as the name suggests, the course for the Needles XC half marathon was on the Needles (west) side of the Isle of Wight:
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| Needles XC Half Marathon 2013 course map / course route |
What the route map doesn't really show though is the altitude and climb involved... My micoach mapping showed a climb of 513m climbed along the way:
This half marathon was great fun though. I was obviously pleased to finish in less than 2 hours and compared to my last event (where there were over 45,000 finishers), the Needles XC Half Marathon was intimate and really friendly. It took some effort to get there (nearly 7 hours of driving, return ferry journey and 2 taxis) - but the Needles XC Half Marathon was worth the effort - the weather was beautiful and you don't get views like this during a city run:
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| Running down to the Needles during the Needles XC Half Marathon 2013 |
Great fun and thank you to everyone at the West Wight Sports centre who was involved in organising - from the marshalls who were showing the way and holding open gates to the man with the megaphone who commentated on my finish!
[We even got a medal AND a nice t-shirt too!]
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| 2013 Needles XC Half Marathon finisher t-shirt |
Thank for your great report - glad you enjoyed it. See you next year..Clare and all the organisers
ReplyDeleteAs "Megaphone Man" it was my pleasure to provide a bit of encouragement to everyone finishing this race.
ReplyDeleteI loved directing the Needles Half Marathon, but was sad I couldn't split myself in 2 and run it as well - I'd ran it in 2011 and 2012 and despite it being tough, it has to be my favourite half marathon!
yes, it was great fun. I'll try and come back again next year or maybe see you all in Ryde in August!
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