Marlow is a very pretty area and you very much get the village race feel as you line up with 2000 other runners at a local primary school. As a charity runner, you will be completely outnumbered by club runners but it is good to see the official charity of the race well acknowledged before you start. It's hard to fault the run itself as it is in such a nice area. You pass through a number of areas of wood and farm land and encounter a number of very different types of wildlife. The best being the Red Kites which circle overhead at various different points of the course, so keep an eye out for them as they are really spectacular. As you get further into this run for charity, you will realise that the course is very hilly but the true difficulty lies in the downhills which make it very hard to moderate your speed and therefore sap a great deal of your energy. The final mile is all downhill so, hopefully, by this point you have learnt how to apply the brakes otherwise a pair of weary legs might give out on you. The finish sees the most support of the whole race with family friends and supportive local all joining in to cheer you over the line.
This event is not currently aimed at the charity runner but it is a great way to start your fundraising endeavours. Aim for £600 with this run and just enjoy the scenery. Check out the run for charity fundraising A to Z for some great ideas to help you reach your target.
The race does not see huge support but the start and finish are well populated and the local people will do their best to give you a good cheer when they can.
This race sees its fair share of ups and downs so build some hill training into a half marathon training plan. It will definitely be worth practicing moderating your speed on downhills when you have weary legs.
The running club that organise the race do a very good job at present. They do not have the website geared up for the beginner runner but other than that, everything runs very smoothly.
2 out of 5 stars
To choose a charity to support in this event click here or if you already have a charity in mind click here
