Report from Howard Jeffrey

I like to do this race, probably because it makes the Liversedge half marathon seem easy. I had vague recollections of it being rather hilly and usually, but not always, blisteringly hot. I left it to the last minute and entered on the day which was not obviously possible but I found it in the small print. I knew it was going to be hot so I was going to take it steady and with it being ten year age groups and me a week away from the next one not much chance of glory at this one. I lined up at almost the very back and the first 300 yards or so is down the track, past the castle and through the village to a sharp left turn and upwards towards the escarpment. At this point the people in front were walking up the incline which, to be fair, is actually quite steep. The track is also narrow at this point, although it does open up a bit higher up.

Plenty of cow pats to avoid as well as some ankle turning divots. Only been going ten minutes and it is very hot. Muchas moscas coming along for a free ride as well which was vaguely annoying and my pony tail was useless for keeping them at bay. I managed to summon up the energy to admire the view and progress up to the false plateau was indeed steady. At the ‘top’ your heart sinks at the sight of the stream of runners snaking their way uphill for twice as far as we have already climbed. So more of the same to the ‘top’ which took me 30 minutes. I say ‘top’ because the left turn onto what should, in all reasonableness, be going down, or at least level, continues upwards for another 10 minutes and I had started to jog a bit. There was a cool breeze coming across which blew off the flies and as well as the magnificent views in glorious sunshine, I felt like I had warmed up enough so I got the legs into a rhythm  I thought I could maintain. After almost 40 minutes of climbing (my ears ‘popped’ about halfway up), there was a nice long descent through what must have been old quarry workings. The tracks had been made up and conditions underfoot were as good as they have ever been for this event. 

As I always take pleasure in mentioning, I can fly downhill, even today. I guess they must actually be quarrying for Kryptonite because I seemed to have been robbed of my super power to descend at warp speed. I still went faster than most but there was no zip at all and I was even overtaken by a couple of people, one of whom was definitely in my age group. Of course at the bottom the track goes up another long steep drag that walking up attracts no shame. Gravity is a fickle friend because the guy who flew past on the descent was struggling to walk up and I was able to overtake and never saw him again. 

That is the last worst of the hills because the route now generally descends back to the finish with some very short manageable uphill bits. I had got used to the heat and had made good use of the two water stations and was pleased to be able to maintain a robust pace back to the finish.

The race was won by Mathew Cardus in 56.14, first lady was Katie Smith in 68.50. I was 111th in 88.08, and fellow Otliensian, Ursula McGouran, 187th in 103.48, 228 finished.

Results at : runabc.co.uk/james-herriot-country-trail-run-14k