Marathon 23: Gloucestershire, The Forest of Dean and a Marathon Debut

After the exposed hills and relentless sunshine of Devon, Gloucestershire promised something very different. Cooler temperatures, plenty of shade, and a route winding through the Forest of Dean. I’d never visited before, but I’d heard plenty of good things, and it certainly lived up to expectations.

This week’s marathon was with Bex, who was taking on her first ever marathon. Despite being one of the closer counties to home, it still meant an early start, leaving the house at 6am to make sure we could get going before the day’s heat arrived. By 8am, we were on the trails.

From start to finish, the route was stunning. The Forest of Dean seemed to have everything: towering trees, streams, lakes, ponds, winding paths, and the occasional squirrel darting across our route. The sunshine filtering through the canopy created some spectacular views, while the constantly changing scenery kept the miles ticking by. There were a couple of longer climbs to negotiate, but overall it was a friendly route and a welcome change from the previous week’s exposed roads.

As for Bex, she was brilliant. After a slightly enthusiastic opening mile where excitement briefly took over and marathon pace became race pace, we settled into a rhythm that would carry us comfortably through the day. It quickly became obvious that she’d put the work in. She ran with consistency, determination and confidence throughout, looking strong for the vast majority of the route.

Like most marathon runners, the final few miles demanded a little more effort, but Bex never let things unravel. She kept moving well and crossed the finish line in a very impressive five hours for her first attempt at the distance.

A huge thank you to Adam for first-class support along the way, particularly the Haribo supplies, which are always gratefully received. Thanks also to Bex’s sister Leanne, who joined us for the final ten miles and helped carry us home.

Waiting at the finish was a fantastic support crew and, perhaps most memorably of all, the first bunch of flowers I’ve received at the end of a marathon.

23 counties down. On to Surrey on Sunday 7th June.