Charity Trail 5

rjh

would this be a good first race??

[Deleted User]

hey. im thinking of doing this run too and it would be my first race. just abit worried as i have nt been training much recently and its soon after the xmas excess',id prefer if it were 5kms, but you dont have to enter to win!!.......

Barbara

rjh, solly, go ahead and enter, you'll love it. It's a friendly race for all abilities, lots of people in fancy dress last year. Be prepared for mud!

[Deleted User]

cheers Barbara, think im gonna go for it, hopefully it ll be a good experience and give me an incentive to enter more in the future......

Barbara

solly, you'll enjoy it, I'm sure! The best way to get into racing is to keep doing them, that way you get over all the anxieties. Radcliffe organise five or six races during the year, all well organised and friendly.

rjh

thanks barbara for your encouraging words, have sinking feeling in stomach that i will be the last over the line but i really want to start having something to aim for with running sessions, good luck solly, will see you there.!!

Barbara

If you are last rjh you'll get a very loud cheer! I'm pretty sure some people walked it last year.

[Deleted User]

I'm thinking of this as my first race after getting back into training after being unwell. Am I right in thinking that "Be prepared for mud!" means that fell shoes will be better than road shoes? Definitely like the idea of mud...

Barbara

Hi Joble, Id say definitely fell shoes unless we have an unusually dry spell between now and then. I was on some of the trails on my long run on Sunday and regretted not wearing my Walsh shoes on more than one occasion!

[Deleted User]

Thanks, Barbara. Any dry spell would be pretty unusual these days...

Barbara

Got my number 605, don't forget to say hello!

[Deleted User]

Nice to see that you'll be defending your title Barbara. With all the cross country in your legs i reckon you'll fly round the course this year.

Also I reckon if you carry on improving as you are you will have to change your forum name to "Fast Barbara"

Do you know if Monique intends to travel across the Pennines this year?

Anyway I know i'm biased, but i really do love Radcliffe Harriers Trail running series.

For me, Radcliffe's events on the trail seem much more relaxed and informal than your average road race, and i would definately recommend the whole series.

Barbara

Are you who I think you are J.P?! Yes Monique will be there, she should have sent her entry in by now.

Don't know about me getting faster, felt dreadful at Heaton park, haven't run since.

See you on 28th!

[Deleted User]

Hi Barbara

This looks like a chance to practise getting muddy. That's something I am not used to but I rashly entered the Tough Guy so I know I have got a least one mud bath ahead of me!

I will be heading back from Stoke to Hull just after Christmas so this might make an interesting little detour.

See you there!

HB

Thinks....if I don't mention the £1.50 I borrowed I might be able to work the same trick twice....

Barbara

£1.50 + 11 months interest ........... See you there HB.

[Deleted User]

Barbara I've just looked at last years results and shocked myself at the speed with which we all ran.

Then i remembered however, that the course had to be slightly shortened last year (I reckon it was about half a mile short.)

This means that if we run the full distance this year (and in future years) yours, Moniques and everybody else's course records could stand for ever.

[Deleted User]

think I might go for this - anyone know what time I should get there to enter on the day?

Barbara

Ali, an hour before should be ok.

Trails are covered in snow and ice at the moment!

[Deleted User]

I think I will give this a go. I should have done the Ribble 10k today but thought it was going to be too icey on the roads which turned out to be a bad call. Still I have never run in a cross country so I think it will be fun. Two of my children will be along for the fun run.

[Deleted User]

does anyone know if there's anywhere to leave stuff during the race - spare clothes etc?

[Deleted User]

also, will it be obvious where to go when we get to the park? (starting to panic!)

Barbara

Stop panicking Ali, Radcliffe's races are very well organised! Don't remember there being anywhere to leave your stuff other than in cars but car park is near the start. You'll be directed to the car park then there's a walk back to race hq which is in the bar, toilets and registration will be there. Say hello if you see me, think my no is on here somewhere, 605??

[Deleted User]

Mud, mud, glorious Mud!

Whilst it was very wet I enjoyed this one. The weirdest thing was the foot bridge over the motorway; it went all spongy part way across. Was this that phenomena that the Romans used to know about where they broke march to cross bridges?

My first ever trail run and whilst it was difficult just in trainers, I enjoyed the experience.

Hope plenty of money was raised for Christies.

[Deleted User]

thanks for your help Barbara. Really enjoyed this but was SO hard with all the mud! feel good now though - ready for big cup of tea, slab of christmas cake and hot bath1

Barbara

Fantastic race!! Wonderful mud and knee deep puddles! Glad you enjoyed it Ali and Flatters, look out for the 12 mile trail race in February, 28th I think. Flatters,going over that bridge makes me feel queasy, very weird sensation.

[Deleted User]

Nice to see you again Barbara and good to meet Monique, whose name I know well from many threads in these forums.

Well that race was fun! I don't do many off-road runs but I think I might do a few more. Obviously even slow & steady types like me can enjoy it. Hard work but very satisfying.

I got lucky in the prizes too. Coming in 90th paid off! (All part of the tactics)

Barbara

Hi HB, bit of a baptism of fire for you, they don't come much muddier than that! You'd enjoy the 12 miler in Feb, 4 weeks after Tough Guy. Saw you get your prize, I picked up a very nice vegetable steamer for mine.

[Deleted User]

Another runner mentioned the 12-miler. I am definitely thinking of doing it. I do a race most weekends but that I have not got anything in my diary for that weekend at the moment. I just need to track down the full details.

Right now though I am off to see whether I can get my feet back to their original colour! I think I have joined the Blackfeet tribe.

Barbara

HB, it doesn't seem to be listed on here but I'm sure it's in the RW mag listings, it'll be 27th Feb.

[Deleted User]

see my site for details of the 12 miler - it's also race 2 in my 2005 Challenge series.

click here for 2005 calendar

Barbara

Thanks UKRM!