This is the third of the six 5k trail races of the year organised by Muddy Roads as part of their Summer Trail series.  The races are held at 5 different venues around the area.  You register online for the series but only pay on the night for the ones you attend.  Footwear wise a sturdy pair of running shoes are best unless it has been really wet then trail shoes might just have the edge.

It was a cool evening and the wind started to pick as we registered on the slopes of Carlton Bank near to the finish line.  The start is about a 1km away so makes it ideal for a quick warm up run.

Due to my over indulgence on holiday and getting back in the early hours of Wednesday morning I wasn’t expecting great things, just a hard training run to start shifting those extra pounds.

The route had been amended from last year as a few runners, including our Phil Noble went over the hill instead of around so ran further and higher than they were supposed to.  Standing at the start line looking up at the steep trail I realised it was going to be even harder than I thought. The first kilometre took us on 2 steep climbs totalling 32m, 100ft in elevation and then there is a further 14m up at the start of the second kilometre before a very steep, rocky decline of 24m taking us around the hill overlooking Lordstones.  I started to struggle on the second climb and was regretting my fast start as other runners went past me and I was more cautious down the steep incline as a few brave guys came charging past.  The trails levelled off for the next 1.5km but were narrow in places and then came the single file uphill path through the bracken. This was a problem for the hay fever suffers as it brushed you from both sides as Chris Dale testified afterwards.  Once at the top of the climb and out of the bracken it was downhill all the way with the last 400m flat across a field to the finishing line.  My fast finish deserted me as I entered the field and I crossed the line in 22^nd place.

There was a field of 159 runners with 8 from our club, 5 men and 3 ladies.  Our first man over the line was Chris Dale in 20:51, second was myself, Paul McDermott in 21:55 and third male was Chris Watson in 24:55.  Our first lady finisher was Jeannie Wilde in 28:55, second lady was Clare Wills in 29:03 and third, in her first trail race was Ronni Kirkham in 33:18.

Author: Paul McDermott