By: Karen Clark.

Race Date: 21^st July, 2024.

Venue: Sherwood Pines: Nottinghamshire.

I entered my first Rasselbock event in February 2024. I was impressed with the friendly family atmosphere. The events are organised by 2 brothers, with the support of their family and friends.

They went above and beyond to make the runners feel welcome. There were generous aid stations and a dedicated female toilet (Important for the ladies).

After taking part in my first event, I received notifications of other races organised by Rasselbock including their first marathon and ½ marathon, to be held at Sherwood Pines.

The marathon was competitively prices at £49.95. While the ½ marathon was priced at £39.95. The decision was made. The travelling time and distance were the same, approximately one hour for me. Parking costs were the same, £5.00 for runners, as there is a discount code to use the car park. So, for an extra £10.00, I decided that I might as well enter the marathon. This would be my first trail marathon and probably a lot more challenging than a road marathon.

On race day, the event village was lively with lots of traders selling running attire, food and beverages. Post race massages were available. There was a very well organised bag drop.

Runners for the marathon assembled for the warm up, 15 minutes before kick-off. This was coordinated well, ensuring runners had the opportunity to warm up ahead of the race.

The marathon course is 2 loops, starting on grass before turning out onto a trail path. The course is on a mixture of trails, grassy fields and woodland with some challenging technical sections. On the day, it was very warm, so having the woodland sections helped as this offered some shelter from the sun.

Runners were well catered for. There were 5 aid stations on the loop, offering water, electrolytes and real food including flap jack, cake, gummy sweets and pieces of fruit. All Rasselbock ask is that runners carry their own reusable cup, to reduce their carbon footprint.

The marshals were cheerful, sincere and encouraging. There was support from spectators at various points along the course, as Sherwood Pines is open to the public. It is fair to say, that there are long stretches without crowd support but runners encouraged each other.

I set myself 4 goals:-

1. To enjoy the event.
2. To finish uninjured.
3. To remain upright.
4. To not gain a personal worst in the marathon, although I thought this might be a tall order, as I was taking on a trail marathon without knowing the route, as it wasn’t finalised until close to the event.

After running for 15 ½ miles, I tripped on tree roots, although I managed to stay upright. This was time for a stiff talking to myself. It was time to slow down. The temperatures were rising and I was starting to fatigue. My priorities were to enjoy the event and finish uninjured, rather than worry about the time. Everyone was going to get a trophy, no matter how long it took to complete the course.

I finally crossed the finish line in 4:49:53.

I was handed a finishers trophy and offered more refreshments.

I have signed up for the marathon again in 2025.

I would recommend this organisation, as it is low-key and relaxed. The cut-off time for the marathon was generous, at 8 hours, making this an inclusive event.

There were options for runners who were unable to complete the marathon on the day. Some needed to retire after one lap. Others started the second lap but were unable to continue. Although it wasn’t guaranteed, they were given a ½ marathon finishers trophy.

The chosen site, Sherwood Pines lends itself to runners with family commitments. There is something to entertain the rest of the family from walks, cycle hire, playground and trails for younger children and Go Ape offer 3 different courses for older children (which may need to be booked, in advance).

There are plenty of picnic areas and food vendors on the site.

The (marathon) race was won by: Peter Hackett (Tamworth AC) in 2:45:20 and Emma Pease (of no identified club) in 3:19:59

Striders’ Results: