Race report by Tony:
As usual, it seemed like a good idea at the time – a race that Sheila and I hadn’t done previously as part of our ‘training’ for the Benidorm half in three week’s time. I’d either not read the small print, or had forgotten in the meantime, that the ‘8’ is miles, not km, and it’s not a road race, it’s mostly trail and fell. As someone who has trouble keeping upright on road runs, fell running tends to live up to its name. And it’s November in the Lake District (well, just outside) and raining. So, together with still being troubled by an injury sustained earlier in the season, there were plenty of reasons not to turn up. But hey, eleven quid is eleven quid, so off we went.
Well, it turned out to be much better than we expected. The rain cleared to leave a sunny morning, although with a chill wind. The race started and finished at the community centre in the village of Allithwaite, just outside Grange-over-Sands. Our very own Mary White was also running, this being her fourth time here. The course was a clockwise loop, initially a mostly uphill mixture of minor roads, tracks and fields. A muddy wooded trail brought us down to the Cartmel racecourse and then we headed east for the run-walk (for me at least) up Hampsfell to the hospice (no, not that sort of hospice – this is a squat stone tower at the top of the fell overlooking the Cartmel valley). There were fantastic views from the fell of Morecambe Bay, the Leven estuary and the southern lakeland fells. With great timing I took a muddy slide onto my side on the downhill from the fell just as I passed the photographer (what did I say about fell running?). Continuing the undulating downhill brought us back into the village for the finish.
It’s definitely a race I’d do again, despite the felly stuff. It was really well organised with excellent signage and loads of friendly encouraging marshalls. Mary got round in an impressive 1:27:29, winning her age category, and Sheila in 1:42:41, second in her age category. I was just glad to get round (1:37:45).
