Glentress Early Winter Trail Half-Marathon

Saturday 17th November and the running calendar was looking a bit sparse. Either Largo Law Hill race or a return to Glentress. Unfortunately Largo Law entries were closed; I got the impression this was one of those popular iconic races that would be full within hours of entry opening. So back to Glentress it was.

I had previously run the Glentress Half in February 2017 when melting snow had turned the course into a quagmire making it a memorable day. Looking at the route for November 2018, I could see it was different from that race, spending more time to the east of the forest, on more open trails.

The February Half route

The November 2018 route, more time spent in the east

I paid my £25 and headed off down the A703/A72 early on the 17th of November. It was cool, but not too cool. Dry with a light breeze. Unlike 2017, the overflow car park in the farmer's field was open and I parked up in the grid. After trotting up to the Peel to register and get my number, I headed back to the car to change, and eat my flapjack. 

Rather than queue for a portaloo, I found an old oak to pee behind on the edge of the field before heading up to the start. I wore my thermal with my 2017 T-shirt on top, "Here's a veteran!!" 

Up at the start the pre-race briefing was already in progress, but all I could hear was a muffled microphone voice. Everyone had shuffled through the start hoop towards the microphone, but since I was late getting there, when the briefing was over and everyone turned 180, I discovered I was standing near the start. No complaints from me!

Off we went, up the familiar rising vehicle track, everyone settling into a comfortable pace. I passed Jez, Nigel's cousin after a kilometre or so greeting him with "Alright Jez?", he replied "Hi....have a good one!" as I ploughed on. "And you! You'll overtake me I'm sure!" I said. 

On the climb, stripped off the T-shirt not long before

                          

I found myself recognising a lot of the route from 2017, but in reverse and spent time wondering why they had changed it. At 600m we entered the cloud but it was short lived as it was the summit of the climbs. I then spent a good kilometre or so all on my own, or it felt like that, running along the boundary of the forest. It was tricky terrain, very rocky an wet so my pace was reduced. Then a steep, zig-zagging descent to an open vehicle track that was much more level heading back toward the Buzzard's Nest. I took the opportunity for a gel here, and managed to claw back some of the runners that had passed me on the descent. It was clear that was my weakness, descending. 

On the flat, wider trail 4km to go

At the Buzzard's Nest car park, one of the runners I had passed came storming through as if he had a bee in his bonnet. I tried hard to keep up with him, but he was gone through the trees and left me alone again for the familiar descent to the finish. 

I knew what to expect here, having run this section twice before (2016 and 17) and settled into the tree weaving. On the final steepening, I heard shouts and panting behind, two racers came crashing past. Soon enough I was back at the Peel and 'sprinted' up the final rise to the finish hoop. 

Happy to beat Kevin Gemson for the first time, and Jez Edwards for the second time. 

51/441 1hr 51m 03s

Foxtrail Race Series 2018 #1

When I ran the Edinburgh to North Berwick race in May 2017, Roger P had told me about the Winter running series that took place near Dunbar. He had raved about it being a great way to get through the winter. This year, I looked into it and found a usable website for entering. For all six races, it would cost £100 but looking at the dates I knew I couldn't commit to them all. So I selected three that were suitable and entered them individually.

In the run up to the race, the Foxtrail website stubbornly refused to update the 'Route - TBC' page to the extent that I contacted the admins on the Wednesday to ask them for more route detail. It was duly emailed out to participants that day. Examining the map, it looked like a flat route, mixing field boundaries with established tracks. There was one section of a loop around a park in Dunbar, which I wondered about - how would they handle cross-traffic runners here?

On the Saturday the forecast was mild but very windy with the remnants of Hurricane Oscar passing west of the British Isles blowing strong Swesterlies in. Shorts and T-shirt was selected, no more. I drove to Foxlake, and parked up on the grass. After registering to collect my number, I bumped into Nigel M who was on his own way to register. He was carrying a bottle of champagne.

After he'd registered, we sat in my car to chat and get ready. It turned out, he was good friends with the owner of Foxlake, and as it was his birthday today, he thought he'd bring a gift. A 9am, we headed towards the start line for a wee warm up organised by one of the Foxlake staff. All good fun.

Nigel introduced me to his cousin Jez who was also running. We gathered at the start line under an inflatable banner and at 09:15 we were off. Immediately I realised it was going to be a tough old race in the wind as we battled around the shore of the lake in the long grass. I got into my stride and powered past some slower runners and quickly was in more space. The route twisted and turned through some woodland for the first km, quite technical. Ahead I spotted Roger P and noticed I was gaining on him. After 2km I was level with him, and then passed him with ease around 3km. This was looking good.

The course was now more open, following tracks and field boundaries heading east towards Dunbar. The wind was off our starboard quarter which made things slightly easier until we headed due south across a field. The wind was battering to the extent I might've been faster walking. Over a bridge and then left into a park.

After the bridge, Sandy Wallace had positioned himself for action shots

I saw Nigel's cousin ahead and to my surprise was slowly gaining on him too. I passed him and said hello. After a wee circuit of the park, it was back to the bridge and for the next few hundred metres, the worst part of the course. It was basically running into the oncoming back runners, and all the Cani-cross competitors. When this was through a ploughed field boundary, in a gale, it was tough going to not run into someone or a dog. I'm sure the route planner could have adjusted that. 

Anyway, it was out to the estuary now and some coastal running after a wee jaunt through a plantation. It was around now I started to fade, probably 9km in, and when a long-legged Cani-cross pair overtook me, it knocked me back. Looking over my shoulder I could see Nigel gaining, perhaps 100m back. 

The route crossed another bridge, where the owner of Foxlake (can't remember his name), was marshalling. I wished him Happy Birthday to his delight and carried on, then hearing more laughter seconds later when Nigel passed through. The track became very narrow at this point, only a foot wide and typically I managed to roll my chocolate ankle. 

I was slowing up badly now, and 500metres out from the finish, I heard Nigel shout "You're a tough bastard to catch!!" He caught me on the final corner, with 200m to go and we ran in together. Not holding hands!

Looking at watches, we were both under one hour which we were pleased with. I was really impressed by Nigel's race management and pace. The race itself was well organised. The route was varied but well marked. The only downside being the section  mentioned above. 

58m58s 22/215