With its stunning sea views, historic railway trail and temperate weather, Bermuda is the perfect place for a run-cation. We're all about booking trail running holidays here, as it's an excellent way to take some mindful time for yourself while also boosting your score in the #Run1000Miles challenge.
One of the best way to pack on some extra miles is to sign up for a marathon – provided you actually follow a good marathon training plan! So, to round out a year of training, our race correspondent Lily Canter has checked out this overseas marathon and let us know whether it's worth it.
"The annual Chubb Bermuda Triangle Challenge, a weekend long event hosted in early January. it includes a one mile, 5k, 10k, half marathon and marathon race.
At this time of year, the climate in Bermuda is ideal running temperature at around 16 to 21 degrees C, but still warm enough to enjoy some post-race winter sun.
I travelled to the island to recce the race during hot and humid September, and whilst it was challenging in the heat, I was blown away by the scenery.
It’s currently a small race with a friendly, local vibe which means they know how to look after their participants. After the marathon there is a festival in the city of Hamilton with free food, music and drinks - which I guarantee is much more fun than waiting for a bus in the rain or traipsing back home on a packed train.
If you are not sold already here are 6 reasons you should sign up for this marathon now:
1. The stunning route
With a mixture of road and trail paths the marathon covers almost the entire length of Bermuda. One minute you are cruising along the Bermuda Railway Trail, built in 1931 to carry goods across the island, and the next you are passing lush golf courses with spectacular coastal views.
There are endless opportunities to recce the best pink sandy beaches, or top snorkelling spots to explore the sunken wrecks surrounding the isle. You’ll zip past all of these sights as you travel from the north western tip of the Royal Naval Dockyard around the hook of Bermuda to the thriving capital city. Along the way you’ll pass Ariel Sands owned by Michael Douglas’s family, the tallest cast iron lighthouse in the world and the globe’s smallest drawbridge.
And if you’re a Brit you’ll be tickled by the names as you cross Watford Bridge into Somerset parish before running through Warwick, Southampton and Devonshire.
2. The race provisions
Run by ex-pat ultra runner Mark Harris, the Bermuda marathon is a well-oiled machine. There is a series of partner hotels including all-inclusive resort Grotto Bay were I stayed. The resort has an amazing spa in a 500,000-year-old cave, its own diving excursion company, and a shipwreck within walking distance (into the sea) from the beach.
Going abroad to a race can come with a nightmare of logistics but the island is so small (21-square miles) that it’s easy to get around by taxi or bus. On race day there is a free ferry to the start of the course, and you don’t need to worry about provisions en route. There are 18 water stops along the course and outside of the start/finish there are a further 10 toilet stops.
And before the race even starts there is a pasta dinner for all participants (for an additional fee) including a guest speaker. This year the speaker is none other than Lord Seb Coe, President of World Athletics.
3. The ease of access
But Bermuda is a long way, away, right? Actually, it’s pretty simple to get there. British Airways fly direct to Bermuda from Heathrow Airport every day. The flight out is about seven and half hours, and the return journey is just six hours.
If you want to make things even easier than Marathon Tours & Travel offer a package to the race including accommodation, meals and transfers.
Once in Bermuda the airport is less than five minutes car ride from Grotto Bay Resortand about 20 minutes from the hotels in Hamilton where the ferry crosses to the race start.
Although visitors can’t hire cars on the island they can hire a scooter or an electric two-seater vehicle. We hired a Twizy and it was so much fun to drive!
4. The post race relaxation
What better way to relax after a marathon than to hit the beach, swim in the sea or have an luxurious spa treatment. Even in January the sea is relatively warm compared to the UK, with the water temperature around 19 degrees C.
If you want to cool down after a long run, then I found the perfect sport at Grotto Bay. Here you can swim inside the Cathedral Cave or walk across the road to the refreshing waters of the Crystal Caves.
Owing to its colonial past, Bermuda has lots of British quirks, so you can enjoy a spot of afternoon tea or go to a perfume workshop at Lili Bermuda, where there have an original bottle of fragrance found in the shipwreck of the Mary Celestia in 2011. The scent was worn by Queen Victoria and all the nobles of the English court in the 1900s.
5. The thrill seeking
If you don’t want the runner’s high to end after your marathon then there are plenty of ways to continue getting your kicks on Bermuda. Cliff jumping is a popular pursuit and there are many hotspots across the island including Admiralty House and Watford Bridge.
If you fancy getting face-to-face with a nurse shark, sea eel or octupus, then there are dozens of snorkelling and scuba diving opportunities on the many reefs surrounding the island. If shipwrecks are more your thing there are more than 300 ships to explore dating back to the 1600s.
Then there are watersports such as water-skiing, kite-surfing, parasailing, windsurfing and jetskiing as well as lots of bouldering and deep-water solo climbing spots.
6. The friendly locals
With a population of just 64,000 Bermuda does feel like a large village. It is a country full of international ex-pats, mostly from Britain, Canada and America, so it is used to welcoming visitors. When I was running the marathon route, I unintentionally bumped into two people I had met separately the day before, in two completely different locations.
When cars beep on the island it is to say hello, rather than because of road rage. And people take a lot of pride in their property meaning the island is pristine, devoid of rubbish and everything looks immaculate.
Strict rules on architecture, car ownership, advertising and gambling means island life is simpler, and it is extremely rare to see an advertising billboard. Instead, the streets are lined with the facades of colourful, clean houses, all in-keeping with one another.
The marathon is a big deal for the island, so thousands of people come out to cheer on the runners and join in the party. It creates a lively carnival atmosphere particularly on the last stretch into the City of Hamilton.
So there you go - 6 reasons to book this event and start your year of the #Run1000Miles challenge off right.