Running the Brighton Marathon
Brighton Marathon eventually came back post-lockdown in September 2021, after being postponed twice. That meant a rather long training period that lasted up to two years, so was it worth the wait in the end? Well there was certainly a LOT of drama on the day, both for me personally and for all competitors more generally. Read on to find out!
At the time of running, the 20k+ field at Brighton Marathon was the UK’s largest post-lockdown running event. On a spectacular September day, with temperatures peaking at 23C and clear blue skies the entire morning, conditions were perhaps a ‘little too good’ for pounding out a marathon on England’s south coast. But lining up at the start the excitement was buzzing through the air as the runners waiting eagerly for that long wait to come to an end and for the race to start.
This was the first time I’d run Brighton Marathon, and while the course has a reputation for being pancake flat there are quite a few inclines along the 26.2-mile route, giving an overall elevation gain of 548ft (167m). So, if you’re thinking of signing up for a future Brighton Marathon, here’s what you can expect.
Brighton Marathon Pre-race Organisation
Brighton Marathon is probably the best pre-race organisation of any event I’ve ran. The organisers certainly don’t shy away from communication, and you can expect to receive emails 1–2 times per week for months leading up to race day.
The content the Brighton Marathon communications team shares is a mixture of training plans, hints and tips for race day, sponsor promotions and how to get to the start line. It was a little overwhelming at times, but I’d rather have too much communication than having a load of unanswered questions as race day draws nearer.
The Brighton Marathon social media accounts are also very active during this time, so are great to follow to build up your excitement and keep on top of what’s happening.
And the mobile app was good too, letting you easily access all the important information from one place.
COVID-19 Safety Measures
Brighton Marathon was — at the time of running — the largest UK running race to take place post-lockdown, with more than 20k runners taking part. COVID-19 restrictions were in place but were proportionate and in line with UK government guidance in force at the time.
This meant that participants were asked to wear a face mask at the expo (even though it was entirely outside) and if you used one of the park and ride services to get the Start Village, you had to wear a face mask on the coach as well. But once you reached the Start Village there was plenty of space to warm up and relax before being called forward to your starting pen in waves.
While there wasn’t a formal testing requirement or need to show your vaccination status, all runners were encouraged to take a precautionary lateral flow test prior to attending the expo and were recommended to take another post-race test to be sure.
Brighton Marathon Expo
The Brighton Marathon expo was along the seafront and must’ve stretched for half a mile or more. A little frustratingly, you had to pickup your bib in advance of the race — there was no option to have it mailed to you — which meant Brighton was a real destination marathon for anyone who didn’t live local. Brighton is just over an hour’s drive from where I live, so I jumped in the car and headed down on the Friday morning to pick up my race pack and drop my kit bag.
The expo was entirely outside along the beach, with a few dozen stalls and places to eat. The bib pickup tent was right at the far end of the expo and was quick and easy to use with no queues.
The official shop and other outlets weren’t particularly interesting however, and the food stalls weren’t ready to serve customers at 11:30 when I wanted to grab a delicious-looking lamb gyro before heading back up the M23 home…
So, I wasn’t overly impressed with the expo, and didn’t like the added hassle of having to make a trip to Brighton before the race. But in the grand scheme of things, the logistics would’ve been a lot worse.
Brighton Marathon Course Map
Brighton Marathon has a reputation for being flat, but there are still a fair few hilly bits along the route, not least in the first mile.
On the 2019 course, I clocked 548ft (167m) of elevation gain along the route, with the steepest section coming right after you leave Preston Park at the start.
There are a few more bumps in the course profile that tend to be relatively short and sharp, but they do come in waves so feel more like progressive hills.
Long stretches of the route are along the sea front, with spectacular views out over The Channel and fantastic support around the Mile 5, Mile 12 and Mile 26 junction just in front of Brighton Pier, with the finish line a slight downhill from here before finishing on the beach.
For the 2023 Brighton Marathon, the organisers have announced a big change to the route and have removed the Power Station section entirely. That means you run through the streets of Hove, then turn back on to the seafront without taking on the dreary industrial area up to the old Power Station and back.
To compensate for the loss of this section, the 2023 race is adding an out-and-back section right at the start after you’ve rounded Preston Park. You’ll head up the A23 for about a mile and a half, do a 180-degree turn and come back down the other side. This should make the route a lot more enjoyable.
Getting to Brighton Marathon
Hotels in and around Brighton fill up well in advance of race weekend, so unless you book somewhere early, you’ll need to commute in. Parking in Brighton is plentiful, but I had no idea how quickly spaces would fill up on race day, and with a load of road closures planned, driving into town didn’t seem like a sensible option.
The train is a possibility, but I’ve experienced terrible train service on Sunday mornings and the last thing I wanted before the marathon was a train that got cancelled or severely delayed.
So, I opted for one of the many park and ride schemes and booked a parking space at the Brighton Racecourse. And I’m glad I did, as parking in the City Centre was completely off the table due to road closures.
After parking at the Racecourse, I headed to one of several waiting coaches and took the short 20-minute trip to the Start Village at Preston Park.
Very relaxing and easy.
Start Village
The Brighton Marathon Start Village is at Preston Park in the City Centre. The area is split into two halves, with the start pens in the middle along with the Amex hospitality tent.
As Start Villages go it was fairly basic, but there were plenty of portaloos and a lot of space and shaded areas to relax and warm up.
As I’d paid for the Brighton Marathon using my Amex card, I received a free invite to the Amex hospitality tent and got to go at the front of my start wave. I didn’t really use the hospitality tent’s facilities as the weather was so great, but it was nice to be able to queue-jump the start waves and begin in Wave 1A, the very first to set off.
First Mile
When the starting pistol fired, it was an amazing feeling — to be back running a marathon race again after almost two years of restrictions!
The First Mile of the Brighton Marathon is a strange one, as you leave Preston Park and then head back on yourself, going all the way round the park before heading off round the city.
And one thing you’ll have immediately noticed at the Start Village is that Preston Park is on a rather steep hill. Which means your first mile consists of a half-mile uphill stretch, followed by a half-mile downhill straight.
Before I ran my first marathon in New York, a great friend of mine and fellow runner gave me these two pieces of advice:
№1, don’t start too fast
№2, seriously, don’t start too fast!
So, when you’re planning your Brighton Marathon race strategy you absolutely need to keep this in mind as if you set off too fast on a steep uphill right at the start, you’re setting yourself up for a whole world of pain later on.
And it was clear many people let the occasion get to them, as I slowed my pace to 90 seconds below my target race pace, dozens (or maybe even hundreds) of people passed me sprinting up that hill. And of course, I passed pretty much all of them over the next few miles.
Round the City
After rounding Preston Park, you head southeast into the City and towards the coast before taking a left turn at Victoria Gardens and heading north past The Level and Park Green Park. It got quite congested around this area as those who’d sprinted for the first mile round Preston Park began to slow, and I started to put my foot down.
Before you do another 180-degree turn and head back south towards the coast, there’s another hill to contend with around Mile 4. I hadn’t expected this — and apparently it’s a fairly new part of the route — so I slowed the pace down again to get over the top before putting my foot down on the downhill.
After a mile or so you’re through the City and out on to the Coast Road, heading east along a wide open road… and in the case of 2021, into a wide open space completely exposed to what was by now, a rather hot sun beating down on everyone.
Coast Road
The Coast Road section along Brighton Beach was incredible and is the first time you can really lock-in a pace.
From Mile 5 to Mile 8 there was a wide open road and an amazing vista over The Channel. As you pass the Brighton Marina the course starts to go uphill, and this gentle incline lasts for a couple of miles.
The support during this section is non-existent but that doesn’t matter — the views are enough to keep you energised and moving forward. And we even got treated to a classic car drive-by, with dozens of old Mini Coopers and a bunch of mod-style Vespas coming the other way, beeping their horns in support.
True Brighton style!
This section of the race was without a shadow of a doubt, my favourite part.
Turning Point
After a short out-and-back segment past the Blind Veteran’s Centre at Greenways, there’s another 180-degree turning point, but not before you head up another pretty steep hill. There’s around a 10m incline over just 400m of road, which isn’t very pleasant.
What’s more, in 2021, this is where the Brighton Marathon technically became the Brighton Ultra Marathon, as the turning point was placed about a quarter of a mile too far from where it was supposed to be, adding a half a mile in total to the race distance.
I knew something was up at mile marker 10 a few minutes later when I had clocked 10.5 miles on my Garmin. From experience, I know mile markers sometimes don’t sync 100% with your watch, but this seemed a long way out. And unfortunately, that extra half a mile didn’t diminish over the remaining 16.2 miles, which meant the 2021 Brighton Marathon finishers became unknowing ultra-marathoners, running 26.7 miles in total.
Coast Road (again)
By this point in the race, I’d managed to keep to my race plan and was still pounding out the miles as the course went back along the Coast Road section again towards Brighton City Centre. I was beginning to feel the heat somewhat as I reached the halfway point in the race, but the thronging crowds as you head past Brighton Beach kept me going another mile or so before…
Bonking
I bonked.
It was my first time ever and it was horrible.
I was about 15 miles in and my hamstrings just seized up. I had massive cramps, felt faint and had goosebumps all over my skin. In hindsight, I probably should’ve quit the race at that point. I knew my race plan was now dead in the water but I thought I’d try stretching, taking on more fluids and slowing it right down to see if I could at least finish.
Post-race, I discovered that I’d probably been hit with heat exhaustion, which happens when the salt and electrolytes in your body are so depleted due to sweat, your muscles can’t function anymore. My fuelling had been fine in training and I had more than enough energy gels and flapjacks to get me through the race, but what I didn’t have was anything that had salt in it…
So, my major lesson learned for running a marathon:
Add salt tablets to your race nutrition and pop one every 30–40 minutes to make sure you’re replenishing salt and electrolytes and keeping your body’s needs in balance
But back to Brighton…
Through the Streets
This part of the race is a bit fuzzy for me, but there was a 4-mile stretch through the streets of Brighton along Church Road and New Church Road with some amazing support from the locals. Luckily for me, the supporters were handing out lots of drinks, orange segments and other ‘refreshments’ (a running club friend told me she had a Jaeger Bomb at this point!) so I could take onboard more fuel.
I was able to hobble along for a bit, stop to take a drink or some food, and hobble along a bit more.
Power Station
The absolute worst part of the Brighton Marathon was the stretch at around Mile 20 that takes you up another long hill and through a load of industrial estates up to an old power station. Support along this section was limited (unsurprisingly) and the uphill gradient combined with the bleakness of the concrete made for extremely grim running, especially in my hobbled state.
Coming back down wasn’t much of a relief either, as it’s a good couple of miles of warehouses and lorry parks to pass before you’re back out along Brighton Beach.
Many people had told me beforehand that this section is the worst part of the race, and I must say, I 100% agree.
Back Along the Beach
You run the last three miles along the top of Brighton Beach, passing beach huts, restaurants and masses of crowds all enthusiastically cheering you on. It is a little cruel having to run between a restaurant and the diners tucking into Sunday Brunch, but it is motivating to keep you pushing until the end!
Finish Line
The Brighton Marathon finish line is right on Brighton Beach, past Brighton Pier, which you’ll have passed while at the expo. Mercifully, the finishing stretch was downhill and not too long, so when you can see the finish line, you’re only a couple of hundred metres away.
Crossing the line, I’ve never felt so frustrated, after bonking in the heat and confused as to why I’d ran 26.78 miles. But there was no time to rest, as marshals shuffled you along the finish area to pickup your kit bag, medal and other goodies.
But being chivvied along was actually a blessing, as at the end of the finish area there was a stall offering ice-cold Erdinger Alkoholfrei beer, which I grabbed a can of and headed to the beach to crash out.
Sitting there on the pebbles, looking at the ocean and drinking what is now my favourite non-alcoholic drink, it was an excellent place to relax and reflect. Many runners jumped straight into the sea to cool off, which, if I run the Brighton Marathon again, I’ll 100% pack a towel so I can too.
It looked extremely refreshing.
But I wanted to understand why I’d bonked and what I could’ve done differently. Everything had gone 100% to plan before Mile 15, so what had happened?
Well, I got my answer a few days later after doing some research and talking to other running friends, so now along with my energy gels I run a marathon armed with a packet of salt tablets and pop one every 30–40 minutes, or whenever I feel goosebumps or cramps coming on. So far, they’ve worked a treat.
The Brighton Ultra-marathon (and other cock-ups)
So, the 2021 Brighton Marathon technically turned out to be an ultra-marathon (working on the basis that anything further than 26.2 miles is an ‘ultra’).
But that wasn’t the only cock-up that day.
In fact, the Brighton Marathon organisers had also ‘forgot’ to register the race with UK Athletics, which meant the event wasn’t certified for use as a time qualifying event for another race. The funny thing is, I’d emailed the organisers over the summer to ask about their certification in the vain hope that I might actually run a Boston Qualifying time. They confirmed that yes, the course was certified and could be used for a BQ.
But alas, no, it wasn’t.
Brighton Marathon Race Strategy
I’d gone into the Brighton Marathon aiming to run as close to 3:05 as I could, which meant running at about 7:07 minutes/ mile on average. This might have just been enough for a Boston Qualifier, given my qualifying time was 3:10, so a 3:05 finish would be a BQ-5 minutes. (And the BQ cut-off for 2022 was actually 0:00, so a 3:05 would’ve been enough, but as Brighton wasn’t a certified course, it wouldn’t have counted).
People who’d previously ran the Brighton Marathon had warned me about the Preston Park hill at the start, plus the fact that the Coast Road and Power Station sections were gentle inclines, so I knew I may have needed to flex my pace up and down a little to compensate.
I took the first mile around Preston Park at about an 8:30 minutes/ mile pace before increasing to 7:30 minutes/ mile round the city, dropping back to a 8:30 pace to get over the hill near Park Green Park.
Out on to the Coast Road I was able to maintain a pace of 7:04 minutes/ mile, which would’ve comfortably got me round in a time close to my 3:05 target.
But that all came to an abrupt halt at Mile 15 when I bonked, and for the rest of the race I was struggling to break a pace of 9:30 minutes/ mile. It was very painful.
So, in the end I came in at a time of 3:34:31, way off target but still faster than my only previous marathon race at New York. And if you subtract the time I took to run the additional half a mile, my 26.2-mile finish time was around 3:30.
Reflections
I as very upset after running the Brighton Marathon for a good few months. Not just about my time, but about bonking so early and not being able to do anything about it.
We all learn from experience, and what I learned that day actually helped me power to a 3:08:31 finish at the Athens Authentic Marathon a couple of months later on a course that had over 332m of elevation gain. So a much tougher and technically challenging course.
Thinking about the first half of the Brighton Marathon, I loved every minute of it. And I think I’d have enjoyed most of the second half too if I was still able to run… although the Power Station section would still have been grim.
I’m sure I’ll run the Brighton Marathon again, it’s a lovely course and is so close to home.
But next time I’ll be properly prepared for the weather, armed with a pocket full of salt tablets!
If you’ve liked this race report, you can check out my other reports on Running the New York Marathon, Running the Athens Authentic Marathon and Running the Great North Run.
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