Old Monks Race

Hart, Sunday, January 5, 2014

5.5 miles

Kirsty Anderson

Kirsty!After struggling to finish both the inaugural Friday Night Half-Marathon and parkrun I was a bit undecided about what to go for on the Sunday with a large number of options available including the Winter Trail Series, Race for Bob and Claybank East as well as the probably wisest “sit at home and nurse my legs” option. Since I am not wise, and running actually seemed to be easier than walking as well as the encouragement and the offer of a lift from Alister and Graeme I finally decided to go for the Old Monks race. Billed as similar to the Hellhole which I’d run earlier in the season and enjoyed, and with the bonus of a rather reasonable 11am start and entries on the day I figured why not.

It was a bit chilly to say the least, and there was frost on the ground all the way from Durham and in the village where we parked up and made our way to the Village Hall to register and stay warm. With numbers allocated and feeling back in our toes we went back to the car (which was parked by the start) to change. Huddling in the car until the last minute possible we suddenly noticed a marshall walking down the road holding the start sign and on inquiring found out that the start had been moved down the hill because of the ice – just as well we were paying attention!

Alister!

With the new start located there was a bit of confusion when the field set off, everyone started their Garmins and then we found out that we were just being moved to the start which was 5m ahead of where we were. Still, after Garmin resetting (for everyone except Graeme as he’d forgotten his), we were off. The first bit of the course was on undulating tarmac before turning off onto a muddy trail. There were a few steep uphill bits which were mostly walked – unfortunately there isn’t much you can do if it is a narrow path and everyone else is walking! – but it is a good time to catch your breath at least. Unlike the fells though all the downhill bits were on hard surfaces so much much easier to navigate and I really enjoyed the rise and fall of the hills and tracks as we went along.

Without any Striders to chase (Alister, Graeme, Simon and Richard had long gone) I was a bit lost for pace but found some targets to hone in on along the way including one lady who had been very vocal (aka loud) at the start and gone off like a rocket, I was overjoyed to see her at about 3.5 miles and even more overjoyed when I sneaked past her at 4 miles. There was a final long drag up a muddy path but at the top a marshall shouted that it was downhill all the way to the finish so I unleashed my inner Jacquie and threw everything I had down the hill, overtaking quite a few people on the way to the line including someone else I had been trading places with all race. It was too cold to hang around for long afterwards (especially as the lads had been waiting for me for a while) we headed home straight after. I am reliably informed there was tea and cake available in the Village Hall but I got tea and chocolates at the Walton’s, a more than adequate substitute!

All in all I really enjoyed the race, the course was tough but without the muddy descents that scare me on the fells and it was a really good mix of hills and downhills, even for my poor legs. Thoroughly recommended.

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