Scouting report

[Matt Mahoney]

From today's one lap jog of the Wickham Park marathon course, I am
happy to report that all of the pesky shade trees through the last
part of the Armageddon area (around mile 2.3) have been removed due to
turning the trail into a fire break. This should give you a clear view
of the competition just in front of you, most likely leading to course
record times. Also, you may remember (how could you forget) the spot
where you turned left off of the trail and tunneled through some
shrubbery at a water crossing filled with tangled logs. I am also
happy to report that the shrubs and logs are gone, and that the water
crossing has been widened and deepened. This is sure to lead to even
faster times due to the greater effectiveness of this foot washing
station removing dirt and grime that would otherwise weigh you down.

Of course not everyone is thrilled to hear this news. Some people
might complain that the new easier course makes meaningless comparison
to past results. After all, when you smash the 200 mile course record
(and I know many will), others might just say it was because the
course is so much faster now. Well, fear not. We were fortunate enough
to have two new trees fall across the course, and by an amazing
coincidence, both fell at exactly USATF regulation height for the 200m
high hurdles. You will encounter the first hurdle just after leaving
the paved road. Over the course of 4 days, you will get to jump over
this waist-high log 112 times. The second is on top of Soccerfield
Ridge. You only have to hurdle this one 52 times, for a total of 164
leaps (plus the usual obstacles). I know you will be thanking me each
time for not invalidating the historical results.

Finally, it seems that the fake rock at the 199.38 mile U-turn is
missing. As you know, on the final day of the race, the first runner
to reach this point (likely out of hundreds) gets to carry it back as
a trophy to be mounted on the custom plaque (specially cut from a
cereal box) that I will supply. So of course I will replace the award
with something even bigger and better and worthy of the
accomplishment, something that surely nobody would think about moving
between now and May.

-- Matt Mahoney, mattma...@gmail.com

[jameses...@gmail.com]

Well summarized Matt, a much faster course despite two new course improvements!

Wait until Axn Jxn returns in a few weeks!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Wickham Park Marathon" group.
To post to this group, send email to wickham-pa...@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to wickham-park-mar...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/wickham-park-marathon?hl=en.

[Mylène Iwanowsky]

WELL,,,,,,,,,JUMPING LOGS SOUNDS LIKE A BIG OBSTACLE TO ME....
i AM 5'2" AND MIGHT JUST HAVE TO GET A LITTLE FOOT STOOL???
WE WILL SEE!
may is right around the corner!
yikes...........
 

> Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2012 16:38:30 -0500

> Subject: [Wickham Park Marathon] Scouting report

> From: mattma...@gmail.com
> To: wickham-pa...@googlegroups.com

[Cheryl Lager]

Such exciting news!

[Matt Mahoney]

If you're small you can crawl under them.

--
-- Matt Mahoney, mattma...@gmail.com

[Richard Burrell]

I wonder why they remove trees to put in a fire break?   Oh, I know... if you remove all the trees then there is nothing to burn.  How ingenious!  Only a governmental agency could come up with such a plan. 

Well, I guess if the whole trail begins to look like Sahara St we could rename this race a beach run.

Now, where can we find a park with trees to run through?

 

P.s., how long a plank do I need to bring to be able to cross the new water hazard with getting my little tootsies wet?

 

Richard

From: Matt Mahoney <mattma...@gmail.com>
To: wickham-pa...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Saturday, January 7, 2012 4:38 PM
Subject: [Wickham Park Marathon] Scouting report

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Wickham Park Marathon" group.
To post to this group, send email to wickham-pa...@googlegroups.com.

To unsubscribe from this group, send email to wickham-park-marathon+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

[Matt Mahoney]

I am sure a plank won't be necessary in a La Nina year. If you can
manage the two aforementioned hurdles, the water crossing won't be a
problem. In El Nino years, the water might be wider, but by then your
feet will already be wet from crossing Lake Armageddon so it won't
matter. Right now it is looking to be a dry year, so the firebreak
might turn out to have been a good idea.

> wickham-park-mar...@googlegroups.com.

> For more options, visit this group at
> http://groups.google.com/group/wickham-park-marathon?hl=en.
>
>
>

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Wickham Park Marathon" group.
> To post to this group, send email to wickham-pa...@googlegroups.com.
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to

> wickham-park-mar...@googlegroups.com.

> For more options, visit this group at
> http://groups.google.com/group/wickham-park-marathon?hl=en.

--
-- Matt Mahoney, mattma...@gmail.com

[jameses...@gmail.com]

Professional advice!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Mahoney <mattma...@gmail.com>
Sender: wickham-pa...@googlegroups.com
Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2012 12:10:39
To: <wickham-pa...@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: wickham-pa...@googlegroups.com

[keith...@gmail.com]

Great. Not only do I have to come back all the way back from Italy to reclaim my marathon course record, but now it will be more difficult . . .

Sent from one of my iDevices

[Matt Mahoney]

You could always train less...

--
-- Matt Mahoney, mattma...@gmail.com

[Cheryl Lager]

Very wise!