Sunday 18 January 2015

Race Review - The Derby Runner XC League - Race4 Bradgate Park - 18th Jan 2015

It was a cold and frosty morning when we arrived onsite after a missed M1 junction and a bit of country road re routing to get us there. But we arrived in plenty of time and headed over to the wash of coloured tents and flags to find Team Derby Runner's tent. We had plenty of time to catch up with team mates and other runners from other teams. It was very chilly so we waited until the very last moment before stripping down to our race gear, and wondered over to the start line. I saw a mate from a rival team standing in non race kit and wondered over to see why he wasn't racing, as we chatted about his very unfortunate injury the jostling for position had started and I made my way to the back of the pack. It was very busy with just over 400 males lined up ready. It was good fun in the pack with the usual banter about giving the whippets at the front a head start, and listening intently to the locals about the best places to pick up speed and suitable areas for over taking.

The Derby Runner XC League Bradgate Park - Thanks to SL Images
When the gun went the pack started up a steady incline which was nice and wide, I started to weave through the runners and try and get some space, but it was very tight and you needed to have ultimate trust in the runner in front as you are so close to his heels. If he falls I fall! On a few occasions I went off piste and made a few overtaking manoeuvres through the bracken which worked quite well a few times. However a bad error of judgement, and poor line picking skills at one stage put me in a bracken filled trench. A quick climb out, amused my fellow runners so I stayed on the path for the next few minutes and picked off runners one by one.

It was a glorious day with the ground still hard with ground frost, the air still as fresh as it was dawn, the skies clear and icy blue, with the sun shining bright and clean. The course took a 90 degree bend and we where thrown into the shadow of the hill, the temperature dropped several degrees and bit like cobra as I slogged up a steeper hill. I hadn't noticed but we had been steadily climbing for just over a mile, so when the descent started it was a great relief and time to open up the legs. The pack had nicely thinned out but still plenty of runners around to make sure I didn't let off the accelerator and plenty of targets to seek out and pass.

The Derby Runner XC League Bradgate Park
The Derby Runner XC League Bradgate Park - Thanks to SL Images
As we reached the start / finish area for the start of the second shorter, steeper lap I was getting into a nice rhythm and enjoying the more open course with less tightly packed runners. My good mood was soon shattered by the view of a HUGE steep hill in the distance. This ubiquitous monolith loomed over the horizon, it was a demoralising half kilometre heading for certain pain and suffering. I managed about a third of the hill before being broken down to walking pace. All the pain, all the burning in the chest and all the stress in the legs were soon washed away when a fellow runner wheezed. "would you look at that". I lifted my gaze from the rock and dirt path and saw a beautiful morning landscape of woods, hills, farms and villages. THIS IS WHY I RUN! Being healthy, and endorphins are are nice side effects but this was a real treat for a Sunday morning!

With the view taken in, it was not back to focusing on the ground 2 metres ahead of me. If was a huge mile of downhill running now. I felt really strong, and the added gravity assistance, was great, I picked off all the runners that had taken me on the climb and a few more besides. I saw a mate from obstacle races, took a few deep breaths and cruised passed with a cheerful 'hello', Then after a couple of metres resumed my wheezing and cursing, cant have him thinking I was struggling! The final hill wasn't too big so I pushed hard to keep up the pace, and it felt great. It was a great feeling to be running up the hill at pace, I knew the short downhill section to the finish line would bring out everyone's competitive side and started my sprint finish at the very top. This was dumb, but fun. I was running way faster than I felt safe to do so, but wasn't prepared to let anyone pass. I was neck and neck with another guy right at the line, but he had the inside line and took the honors right on the finish tape! Good work Sir!

This was a great race with virtually no flat sections, a huge turnout, and a brilliant atmosphere. We all hung around and clapped in the rest of the team and all the runners whilst we compared war wounds and stories until the last runner came in, before headed off to get warm and drive home.



Thanks to SL images for the photos
and the Derby Runner League

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