Steve has been doing a fair bit of running lately. Not just your average tarmac running but some serious trail running. They are maniacs over here for this stuff. Especially fell running (up, down, around, over through fells). Anyway for starters he completed the Dorset half marathon trail race this weekend and in my opinion did pretty darn well for his first ever one.
Set in spectacular locations on the coasts of UK you can complete either a 10km, half marathon or full marathon run through mud, sand, paddocks, streams etc. Not only does it punish your body but the mental agility is paramount. Unlike tread mill or tarmac running you can tune out as you plod the miles. If you tune out here you could well end up falling off a cliff, turning an ankle or landing smack in the mud or worse, cow pooh! The idea of doing this type of running is rather exciting but to be honest, I’m too lazy! I’ll stick to swimming.
This months run was based out of the Square and Compass pub in Worth Matravers. Stunning location, fab local pub complete with South West ciders and warming fire place. I have discovered I need to take a navigation course as I thought I would walk to a spectator point to watch for Steve on the run. After about 1.5 hours of walking and no luck, I returned to the pub to find the runners coming back in. I had gone miles out the wrong way, not even heading towards the coast where they were running. How embarrassing. I did however get one cracking great walk in! Oops.
Anyway, by the time the runners got back they were covered in mud but incredibly still functioning like normal human beings (if you consider putting your body through this as normal to begin with). I must admit a few of the runners looked a rather nasty pasty grey colour which was a bit worrying but the ambulance didn’t seem to get any action so that was good.
Steve was stoked and did very well and is keen to do another. There are 7 races in this coastal series. One every month up to May 2009. If anything it is a great opportunity to see some incredible countryside locations in the UK. Watch this space for more in future I suppose.
