Athletes are preparing their gear as they get ready for the second edition of the UK’s only fully underground marathon.
Taking place in Portsmouth, the race leads runners deep beneath Portsdown Hill into former Royal Navy bunkers, where Allied troop movements were monitored during D-Day.
The event was created by Sussex Trail Events, inspired by Germany’s Kristallmarathon, which is held in an abandoned salt mine.
Participants will need to complete 90 laps through the tunnel system, with some sections measuring just 65 feet (20 meters) in length. Taller runners are advised they may need to stoop frequently.
One tunnel is completely dark, making head torches and cycle helmets essential for safety.
Reflecting on last year’s inaugural race, event organizer Jay McCardle said it was a success but noted some challenges: "One person kept hitting their head, and a few showed me scratches on their helmets."
Ultra-marathon runner Laura Watts, last year’s women’s champion, called the race “brilliantly bonkers.”
Laura, from Bognor Regis, said it was the first marathon she had ever won.
“In 1944, 700 people worked underground here,” she said. “I doubt they ever imagined that 80 years later, 100 people would be running a marathon inside.”
Michael Burke from Haywards Heath secured the men’s title, finishing the 91 laps in 3 hours and 42 minutes.
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