Race report Matt Podd

This race is organised by Due North and part of their 3 race Trail Half Marathon series. I’ve done a few of them and they are great – if you like that sort of thing and I do. I did this race last year and suffered in the heat. This year conditions were cooler and ideal for running, dry underfoot. I’m doing the Marathon Eryri in October, and this race was part of my training.

I arrived early enough at the show field in Malham and completed my pre-race preparations – toileting, eating and coffee. Very low key start – a bell rang and we were off up to the Cove and the lovely steps up the left hand side, which I didn’t run! But from there on in it’s all very runnable. Up to the Tarn and turn right along Mastiles lane, sharing good banter with the other runners. After a couple of miles a right turn to the comically named Smearbottom Lane and a water and jelly baby station. Climbing up to Weets Top and then the fantastic 4 mile gentle downhill run over Calton Moor. I felt good and pushed on hard overtaking a good few folk. Down to Calton and on further down to meet the Pennine way, hoping I hadn’t overcooked it for the run back up to Malham and the finish. Luckily I hadn’t and I was able to finish strongly – even though you have to go up past the finish and then back down to it.

Lovely race, the nicest of 7 half marathons I’ve done this year. Great to see a large Muslim contingent running some of whom had come from as far as Leicester and London – makes a change to the normally middle aged white field. For non-Muslims Tim Taylors beer and pies at the finish – who needs medals and T shirts.
I was really pleased with my performance being 17 minutes faster than last year. I don’t want to tempt fate, but this bodes well for the marathon.

1. Nigel Hockin, 1.31.40
2. Amy Hockin, 1.48.41 (I don’t know if they are related)
3. Matt Podd. 2.23.23
   166 people ran.