Fox Trail Race#6

After returning from Norway, perhaps unrelated, I was struck down with 'flu and sweated in my bed for a weekend. The following Saturday I was scheduled to run in the Foxtrail Race#4. The good doctor said that was not gonna happen. I contacted the Fox Lake email and they kindly allowed me to defer to the final race of the series in March.

As a bonus, I discovered it was going to be a rematch of the first race back in November which was run in a gale. That would give me a PB target to beat, plus I'd be familiar with the route and be able to pace myself. Arriving in the car park at 08:30, I had plenty of time to pick up my number and prepare for the race. There's a 5km race that sets off ten minutes before the main race, so I watched them warming up.

The weather was dry, a light breeze but warm enough for shorts and t-shirt. At the start line, I was please to see Roger Peppiette lining up. I had just managed to beat him in November in the first race, so I would be able to use him as an indicator of my pace this time round.

Off we went with a clang of the bell, and quite quickly I sensed Roger was going strong (or I was slow) as he headed into the distance, reaching at least 100m in the lead after 2km. I kept him in sight though trying hard not to lose too many places.

As we reached the park in Dunbar, I noticed the route had slightly changed by avoiding the copse of trees we'd had to negotiate in November; presumably adjusted on safety grounds as there were a few branches you could run into. There was the usual clash of racers as we changed direction over the bridge running past the tail runners and canicross teams.

I struggled across the looser sand section and lost three or four places, Roger now a yellow speck ahead. Into the forest at halfway, and south to the sharp right-hander I remembered from the first race where I could see Nigel gaining on me. At the turn, I noticed Roger and his followers had gone the wrong way, contrary to the signage. I stopped and mumbled to the woman behind me that they had gone the wrong way and pointed at the sign. We both continued running the race route, and then shouted through the trees over to the wrong-wayers.

Whether they heard us was quickly forgotten as we were now following no-one with no more runners in view ahead. An odd feeling - thankfully I could remember the route otherwise I'd be dithering.

Whilst running the narrower coastal path, we chatted and she revealed she was the leading woman and was desperate to keep it that way. I let her overtake, but kept on her heels as far as I could. Leaving the fields and into the trees, one of the marshals let her know she had 40m on the 2nd place female. She asked me how far to the finish - "500metres!" I shouted. She cranked up the pace and was a long way ahead over the finish line.

I got my PB 58:19, and came in 16th of 190.