Submitted by Andy Christian
Cathedral to Castle Race Report 2024
I was on top of a mountain in my dented armour fighting a huge red dragon. I plunged my mighty claymore sword into one of the dragons emerald green eyes. It let out an almighty shriek that knocked me to my knees. The sound wouldn’t stop, just kept going, and getting louder and louder. Finally, I realised my alarm was going off, it was 05:30 on a cold wet morning. Race day. I rolled out of bed with my usual sloth like vigour.
We drove to Tamworth Castle where the race would end. Here we left our car and boarded buses arranged by the race organisers to take us to the start at Lichfield Cathedral. We arrived at the start with an hour to spare. Then the usual queue for toilets and hanging around for the start of the race. We were lucky in that the rain stayed away, but it was cold in the unrelenting wind.
There was a short delay for the start and then we were off.
There was a circuit of a wet, soggy, and undulating Beacon Park to start with, and then we left the park. We meandered through the streets of Lichfield, running past the cathedral, where the wind got behind me, giving me a boost down a short incline. That was the only time the wind worked in my favour, from that point on the wind was either across my path threatening to blow me off my feet, or full on in my face.
The route was mostly on roads and paths and wasn’t as wet and muddy as I had feared.
Highlights included running past an Army shooting range and an abandoned assault course, into Hopwas Woods and then, at about halfway there was the red dragon, waiting for me, aka “the hill.” There was a long steady battle against the dragon to reach the top. Then, with the dragon vanquished, a short very steep decline on the other side. It was so steep I was constantly trying and failing to slow myself down. I ran as if the dragon’s mate was after me with the sole intent of wrecking her terrible revenge upon my body. Tripping over at this point would have been catastrophic, with the dragon feeding on my broken bones.
After leaving the dragons behind in Hopwas Woods, the route briefly ran along a Canal towpath, through Hopwas and Coton and then into the outskirts of Tamworth. Here I ran through a trading estate and then along roads to Tamworth Castle grounds where I completed a loop of the grounds before crossing the finish line in a respectable 1:18:40.
My fellow Wrekin warriors were able to successfully defeat their own dragons and cross the line.
Ade 1:26:44
Kate 1:35:37
The marshals’ did a great job of encouraging and once in the castle grounds the crowds of spectators took over the job, cheering the runners to the line.
Overall a great race and one I would do again. But maybe without the dragons chasing me.
I was on top of a mountain in my dented armour fighting a huge red dragon. I plunged my mighty claymore sword into one of the dragons emerald green eyes. It let out an almighty shriek that knocked me to my knees. The sound wouldn’t stop, just kept going, and getting louder and louder. Finally, I realised my alarm was going off, it was 05:30 on a cold wet morning. Race day. I rolled out of bed with my usual sloth like vigour.
We drove to Tamworth Castle where the race would end. Here we left our car and boarded buses arranged by the race organisers to take us to the start at Lichfield Cathedral. We arrived at the start with an hour to spare. Then the usual queue for toilets and hanging around for the start of the race. We were lucky in that the rain stayed away, but it was cold in the unrelenting wind.
There was a short delay for the start and then we were off.
There was a circuit of a wet, soggy, and undulating Beacon Park to start with, and then we left the park. We meandered through the streets of Lichfield, running past the cathedral, where the wind got behind me, giving me a boost down a short incline. That was the only time the wind worked in my favour, from that point on the wind was either across my path threatening to blow me off my feet, or full on in my face.
The route was mostly on roads and paths and wasn’t as wet and muddy as I had feared.
Highlights included running past an Army shooting range and an abandoned assault course, into Hopwas Woods and then, at about halfway there was the red dragon, waiting for me, aka “the hill.” There was a long steady battle against the dragon to reach the top. Then, with the dragon vanquished, a short very steep decline on the other side. It was so steep I was constantly trying and failing to slow myself down. I ran as if the dragon’s mate was after me with the sole intent of wrecking her terrible revenge upon my body. Tripping over at this point would have been catastrophic, with the dragon feeding on my broken bones.
After leaving the dragons behind in Hopwas Woods, the route briefly ran along a Canal towpath, through Hopwas and Coton and then into the outskirts of Tamworth. Here I ran through a trading estate and then along roads to Tamworth Castle grounds where I completed a loop of the grounds before crossing the finish line in a respectable 1:18:40.
My fellow Wrekin warriors were able to successfully defeat their own dragons and cross the line.
Ade 1:26:44
Kate 1:35:37
The marshals’ did a great job of encouraging and once in the castle grounds the crowds of spectators took over the job, cheering the runners to the line.
Overall a great race and one I would do again. But maybe without the dragons chasing me.