Down to the Wyre 10k
Advertised as a Tough Runner event and set in the woods this race appealed to me and my slight tree obsession.
Myself and Mel Ridgewell had enjoyed a very hilly romp round Cannock Chase half a few weeks before and decided we'd run this one together as well.
Unfortunately we both managed to get injured about 3 weeks beforehand but decided to go and see how it went.
The organisation was good with a shuttle bus to take you to and from the parking field and registration was quick and easy. But at 10 pound on top of your race entry it should've been!
We started off in dull but dry conditions but within half a mile Mel was already finding her injury was flaring up and after run/walking a little further she made the right but hard decision to withdraw. She turned back to go back to the start and I trotted on. The first 2 km were pretty much downhill but then we rounded a corner and ground to a halt. There was a steepish hill to the right nothing that should have caused much issue but many runners had gone for road rather than trail shoes in spite of the organisers recommending trail both on the event page and when asked and were literally sliding backwards. We must've been queuing there a good 7 minutes before even getting to the hill, there were a few people complaining about losing so much time but I just figured I'd take some photos and see if I could make up time later on. I was rather smug as I I clambered up in my trusty trails its not often I get to overtake anyone on a hill and luckily we didn't have to go down a steep slope the other side or the smug smile would soon have been wiped off my face. The route was good, very varied mixture of trail, woodland paths, grass and a bit of water. Very pretty with the wild garlic and bluebells and well marked. My lack of training and over consumption of chocolate began to show about halfway. My Garmin lost signal and I missed the 7km marker and was flagging badly by the time the 8km appeared. It did seem like there was more up than down but I think that was in my head. I was managing to overtake a few more runners but I knew the finish was uphill so went steady from 9km so I could run the whole hill knowing this was where all the spectators were. I heard Mel shouting and saw the rather lovely inflatable dragons head over the finish and one last push and I was done.
Myself and Mel Ridgewell had enjoyed a very hilly romp round Cannock Chase half a few weeks before and decided we'd run this one together as well.
Unfortunately we both managed to get injured about 3 weeks beforehand but decided to go and see how it went.
The organisation was good with a shuttle bus to take you to and from the parking field and registration was quick and easy. But at 10 pound on top of your race entry it should've been!
We started off in dull but dry conditions but within half a mile Mel was already finding her injury was flaring up and after run/walking a little further she made the right but hard decision to withdraw. She turned back to go back to the start and I trotted on. The first 2 km were pretty much downhill but then we rounded a corner and ground to a halt. There was a steepish hill to the right nothing that should have caused much issue but many runners had gone for road rather than trail shoes in spite of the organisers recommending trail both on the event page and when asked and were literally sliding backwards. We must've been queuing there a good 7 minutes before even getting to the hill, there were a few people complaining about losing so much time but I just figured I'd take some photos and see if I could make up time later on. I was rather smug as I I clambered up in my trusty trails its not often I get to overtake anyone on a hill and luckily we didn't have to go down a steep slope the other side or the smug smile would soon have been wiped off my face. The route was good, very varied mixture of trail, woodland paths, grass and a bit of water. Very pretty with the wild garlic and bluebells and well marked. My lack of training and over consumption of chocolate began to show about halfway. My Garmin lost signal and I missed the 7km marker and was flagging badly by the time the 8km appeared. It did seem like there was more up than down but I think that was in my head. I was managing to overtake a few more runners but I knew the finish was uphill so went steady from 9km so I could run the whole hill knowing this was where all the spectators were. I heard Mel shouting and saw the rather lovely inflatable dragons head over the finish and one last push and I was done.
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Final verdict it was a tough course but I've done tougher. I made the mistake of going too quick after the hill delay and paid for it later, the second mile was over 20 minutes so I like to think I'd have knocked at least 5 off my time had it not been so congested but it would never be a quick course.
Would I recommend it? Well it was very well organised and friendly but with everything being extra, the shuttle bus, paying to get your race number posted, paying for a t-shirt ( we didn't but plenty did) it also felt as Mel said a bit corporate and there are probably similar races for a fraction of the price. If you like trees and bluebells and don't mind paying a bit more then give it a go!
Submitted By Sarah Green
Would I recommend it? Well it was very well organised and friendly but with everything being extra, the shuttle bus, paying to get your race number posted, paying for a t-shirt ( we didn't but plenty did) it also felt as Mel said a bit corporate and there are probably similar races for a fraction of the price. If you like trees and bluebells and don't mind paying a bit more then give it a go!
Submitted By Sarah Green
Revenge Of The 5th Marathon - The Long Mynd Shropshire Hills
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Wow, where do I start with this one!
Quite a few from club know of my plans to do 4 marathons, 1 a month between April & July to condition myself for my Solo attempt at Equinox 2019 in September. So here is my review of the 2nd of my planned marathon series. When you sign up to a marathon, training is very important, I felt Id done enough long runs & trail to prepare for today. What I didn't do was check the amount of elevation id be experiencing today till about 7 days before during a conversation with Dave & Helen Leonard in a chance meeting in Decathlon! Id done a max training elevation of 1800ft This race consists of 2 13.7ish miles laps, each doing 2322ft! So a bit of a faux par to start for me! Gulp! So personal target for me was to complete this between 5-6 hours and not destroy myself considering ive got 2 more marathons planned. |
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Race day......
Pre race prep was disturbed by some idiot leaving the poodle outside, got woke up by a yapping Noodle at 1am. (I was the Idiot by the way). Then I got woke again at 4am because the same idiot (Me) left his keys in the front door. Idiot forgot that his drunken pal was going to be kipping on his sofa! My ideas of my pre-race prep being better than Manchester was fast going out of the window. I got to the course just before the car park opened full of porridge & loaded with caffeine from my large Caramel Macciatto. I took a walk upto the start to fetch my number accompanied by a gent from Glasgow who'd done the marathon the day before & planned to just do the half then drive 5 hours home! So I got my number (after the organiser dropped a very heavy light saber on my right foot) , got dressed, lubed up, took some pictures with my WRR compatriots & warmed up near the start. |
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Lap 1 - 2 Hours 28 Minutes
First 3 miles were uphill, mainly walking, no room for overtaking, so took the opportunity to take a few pictures, I did think to myself id be faster up here on lap 2 (Very wishful thinking).
Miles 3 - 8 some very fast descents, I believe this may be a favoured mountain bike track as I had a few follow me down. Loved this bit as you could actually run down this bit without fear of killing yourself.
Miles 9-11 seem to go on forever after you've just whizzed through 5 miles of rapid average sub 8:30's!
Miles 12-Finish A down hill descent as bad as ive seen coming down the Wrekin, just on a different more kinder surface.
I did think to myself "I can see me coming down here on my bum & sliding all the way" I finished lap 1 with a high 5 to my Boy, Hugs off the wife and support from our other friends who'd came up, I also got a lick from the Poodle.
(She'd clearly let it slide that Id left her outside till 1am that morning!)
Are you good to go again I was asked by the organiser? Hell yes was my answer. I felt good, 2 hours 28 minutes, 5-6 hours I've got this!
Pffffttt was I wrong..... Start of Lap 2, knock Garmin touch screen, It save's the run!! Grrrr well at least I didn't delete it!
Before heading off sat down and tried to deal with a stone that had been bothering me for some distance, was it in sock? No!
Was it in my shoe? No! Put shoe on, its still damn well there!!!! So Shoe off again, bugger was under my insole!
Hugs and high 5's to family first & adjust my new rather sweaty buff.
First 3 miles were uphill, mainly walking, no room for overtaking, so took the opportunity to take a few pictures, I did think to myself id be faster up here on lap 2 (Very wishful thinking).
Miles 3 - 8 some very fast descents, I believe this may be a favoured mountain bike track as I had a few follow me down. Loved this bit as you could actually run down this bit without fear of killing yourself.
Miles 9-11 seem to go on forever after you've just whizzed through 5 miles of rapid average sub 8:30's!
Miles 12-Finish A down hill descent as bad as ive seen coming down the Wrekin, just on a different more kinder surface.
I did think to myself "I can see me coming down here on my bum & sliding all the way" I finished lap 1 with a high 5 to my Boy, Hugs off the wife and support from our other friends who'd came up, I also got a lick from the Poodle.
(She'd clearly let it slide that Id left her outside till 1am that morning!)
Are you good to go again I was asked by the organiser? Hell yes was my answer. I felt good, 2 hours 28 minutes, 5-6 hours I've got this!
Pffffttt was I wrong..... Start of Lap 2, knock Garmin touch screen, It save's the run!! Grrrr well at least I didn't delete it!
Before heading off sat down and tried to deal with a stone that had been bothering me for some distance, was it in sock? No!
Was it in my shoe? No! Put shoe on, its still damn well there!!!! So Shoe off again, bugger was under my insole!
Hugs and high 5's to family first & adjust my new rather sweaty buff.
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Lap 2 - So im off I go again after 10 mins of faffing!
First 3 miles - Was I faster than lap 1 now all congestion gone. Hellllllll NOOOOOOOOOOOO! Probably about 6 minutes slower & to add to my annoyance, I kept getting weird twinges & my foot was feeling bruised from where that stone had been, Plus for some reason Id thought id made my way through too many Gels, I thought I only had 2 left in my race pack, I hadn't, Idiot boy here had not looked properly when searching through my bag there were actually 5 left! Miles 3 - 8 I was Majorly slower than last time, adding 3 minutes to almost each of these mile's, I knew I was in for a tough old slog & decided it was best to fire up some music at this point to try to keep some rhythm going, somewhere during this point I came across Becky Owen-Jones & Andy Duggan for the second time doing a spot of pre event reconnaissance, they got this picture of me which earned me a few minutes rest. I wasn't having the greatest end to my race, my thoughts at this section were just not to injure myself. (Along with very many expletives!) 🤬 |
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Miles 8-9
Parts of the flatter bits of this event took you through some places where people live, a small village & a campsite, The campsite hosted 3 torture devices commonly known as a stile's. I had to kerb my swearing while going over these, children were in the vicinity. I took the opportunity to ring the wife & advise her Id got 4 miles to do, she said "ok see you in half an hour then!!!" Nope I was more like an hour and thirty minutes away judging from my current pace! I did get a very warm round of applause of a large group huddling in a bell tent though so this raised my spirits albeit for a short period once the next section of hills showed up. |
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Miles 10 & 11
Nearly 30 minutes of pure uphill hell! Lots of stops, lots of stretching, lots of swearing! Least no one was around to hear me, at least that's what I thought!
Miles 12
A downhill descent that leads to an large uphill climb but straight into a very steep body jolting downhill, by this point i was squealing and swearing lots, Im not sure why i chose to look around me at this point but a female runner was very close to catching me up, by the time we both were at the wooden stair section she had caught up, I apologised for my colourful language, she replied telling me id been "keeping her entertained for the last 3 miles!!" And off she trotted, leaving me somewhat deflated becuase of this tricky section i couldn't mount a comeback to chase her down.
Just about mile 13 I probably had half a mile left to go when a track came onto one of the podcasts I was listening to dropped the track Voyager by Kai Tracid, this game me a massive injection of motivation to shut up and get on with it and finish it, with this i somehow mustered up half a mile of powerful pounding towards the finish, I caught up the lady who passed me within about 2 minutes, she shouted well done as I passed. I was greated about 400 metres from the finish by my eldest son Broghan who ran me to the finish.
Never been so glad to finish a race! Upset it took me over 6 hours, but elated I made top 10 for the day!
Submitted by John Smart