Night Runner

I feel slightly guilty that I was having so much fun at the Night Runner, whilst Martin was coping with a 2 hour flight delay and the nightmare of trying to find his way out of Geneva in a hire car.  However, he will be enjoying himself ski-ing with Jane and Alex tomorrow whilst I have to drag myself to work, so I'm sure I'll soon get over it.

There is only one word to sum up Axe Valley Runner's latest race - fantastic!!  Starting at Beer Head at 7pm on Saturday evening, the race used part of the Grizzly course, totalling just under the advertised 8 miles and incorporating all the features of the Grizzly..........except, sadly, the bog.  AVR expected about 30 entries but were rewarded with about a hundred hardy souls suitably attired for a run in the dark.

I started in a group of 5 fellow Yeovil Town Runners at the back of the pack expecting to jog round with them, but I couldn't help myself.....after about half a mile of shuffling along at barely more than walking pace, the path opened up and I couldn't resist turning it into a race.  It was great fun hurtling along the cliff passing half the field and being able to see a trail of bobbing lights ahead of me.  A steep descent into Branscombe Mouth found me, briefly, with no-one to follow, but there were marshals out on the course (who all deserve huge thanks, it must have been freezing standing around) and it was incredibly well marked with white tape and little lights on poles.

Turning inland the route headed for Branscombe before a sharp left turn took us through a ford (nothing like icy cold ankle deep water to make you run a bit faster) and back up a steep climb to the coast path.  I was still passing people and worrying less about getting lost as it became apparent that there was always another light in front to follow.  A very slippery downhill stretch brought us out at the Fountainhead pub and on the climb up the other side I caught up two more runners, the last that I would overtake.  I now had the reassurance of someone to run with at my pace.

So far I had been on familiar Grizzly/Midsummer Dream territory, albeit harder to recognise in the dark, but now found myself slightly unsure of where I was heading.  However, this section was again marked with the little red lights so that every time you turned a corner you immediately knew which way to head.  Soon we came to the only road section on the course which led steeply downhill back into Branscombe heading down to the beach.  One of the two guys that I was running with, clearly having never run the Grizzly, remarked that we must be "nearly back".  I didn't like to tell him that he had a mile or so of shingle beach and the infamous Stairway to Heaven still to negotiate!

On reaching the beach I was slightly relieved to find that the river crossing was ankle and not waist deep as it sometimes is on the Grizzly, and then it was head down and concentrate on picking the best path for the hard slog along the pebbles.  Even knowing what was ahead it was a relief to finally get off the beach and begin the climb up the cliff.  This was the loneliest part of the race for me, I had dropped the other two along the beach and could no longer see any lights ahead, but I was back on familiar ground now and the end was drawing near.

Finally cresting the cliff, an easy run to the finish followed with just one more slight climb to struggle up.  However this part of the course was completely open and into the wind, and it was cold!  All the more incentive to force the tired legs to go just a bit faster and the surreal experience of running into a finishing funnel of lights.  I crossed the line in 1.16.38 (unofficial time) and on a real high.  This is definitely going to be another must-do event and if they have it at the same time next year I know one person who will not be arranging a ski-trip to coincide!

When the alarm clock went off at 6.30am on Sunday morning (having got to bed around midnight) the temptation to turn it off and stay in bed was very strong, but I hauled myself out and over to Ilchester to run round the Inca Trail with a couple other Yeovil runners to check the course.  This was all intact and although "sticky" in places was not under water and no diversions were necessary, unlike last year when most of the route was flooded.  And where were all the Maiden Newton Runners, might I ask?!!!