marathon

Sunday 6th January 2103 saw 8 Mow Cop runners line up on the start line of the Trigs race. An 16 mile race across the expanses of Cannock Chase in Staffordshire.  Now I’ve spent many an hour over here on my mountain bike and as a young army cadet sergeant  but never ran it, but knew it was going to be tough.

The race got under way just after 11am, with around 130 runners from different clubs scrambling for a good running line.  As we ran further runners went there own way as this was a navigation course, and you’re under you own devices, map and compass at the ready.  The aim is to get to 4 Trig points in the quickest time possible!  Our navigation choice was to stay low level along sherwood valley until the climb towards the first trig point, which is close the old rifle range. The day started to warm up ( or was it me) as we moved quickly up the first climb, aptly named bugger hill ( for obvious reasons) by my brother who bikes over here a lot than I do. It was warming so much that I removed my Rab long sleeved top and just wore my vest.  My legs and lungs were on fire at the top and a run turned into  slow jog.  We hit the first Trig point .

With great encouragement from the marshal’s from Mercia Fell running club and my brother, Paul, who was following us on his mountain bike we headed of towards on the next very long leg to the railway crossing and the climb to Trig No2.  We started running with a group of around 5-6 other runners, including a Mercia runner who we followed ( easier than Navigating yourself ) .  We were all pretty evenly matched and kept changing position, then a great down hill section approached and love these, so off I shot.  We had 2 mins to take on some water and cross the railway line and busy main road.

We then set off along a forest fire track which was ok until an incline were I just lose my legs.  We lost the other group, crossed the road and headed up towards Trig No2 ( i said it was a long way )…  We passed other runners on the return leg from the Trig point heading in the opposite direction, we saw 2 of our club mates Damo and Andrew, they said only 10 mins to go, but it was up hill and that was it.  Now I’m OK walking up the hills and mountains as a Mountain Guide and instructor, but running is an art I’m destined to crack in 2013.  We felt we were moving more and more down the field with less and less runners behind us – Damn.  Well this was only ever was going to be a Training run..wasn’t it?

We hit Trig No2 and headed to Trig No3.  Down a muddy path until we hit the main forest trail, then up again – yes you got it I walked, albeit quickly (ish).  Now we are at mile 11 and we run along a main road to the next trig, dibbed in and took a marked short cut.  During the next 20 mins or so was a bit of a blur ( well that was my excuse anyway ).  We took , sorry I took a wrong turn and ended up 25 mins behind and for good measure added an extra 2 mile.  Still – a great navigator can and has the ability to relocate 🙂 – this area of the chase is a little like the Bermuda triangle as another runner from Macclesfield harriers had the same thing happen to him too…

Still onward and upwards! and it should have been downwards if we’d taken the right path, still never mind these things are a test..  We hit the right track and headed down very quickly, feeling the odd twinge on my right calf.  Passing mountain bikers and families we hit the Railway crossing and took on more water.

Then we headed on towards No4 Trig, our final one at Glacier Stone, which i think is that highest place on the chase.   But before long we hit the nice down hill from earlier, but this time it was up!  Now at this stage I’d had an energy gel and healthy cereal bar and was starting to flag – mile 14. The track leveled out and we ran with 2 guys from Nottingham. My brother was with us too, as he’d met us coming down the previous track, it was a slow run as this was the furthest I’d run since July when we completed a 33mile ultra.  Having to dig deep and keep focused,  even though you could hear the clock ticking and the sound just gets louder.

We soon passed day trippers and families out for a leisurely afternoon and headed back to the shrub land.  Crossing the valley we climbed up aiming towards Trig N04.  We ran up a path , then across to what I thought was contouring – Wrong.  Now at this time we were about 4-5 mins in front of the guys from Nottingham having taken them on the down hill and not stopping on the up’s.  This little oversight meant they were now 5 mins in front – Damn.  Still we scrambled our way across the heath and shrub, dropping my left foot into a hole and hitting the floor trying not to twist it we arrived on the correct path.

10 mins or was it 30 mins passed  ( well it felt like 30 ) we made it to the final Trig point.  Yipee. We then carried on towards Milford and Home.  The downhill towards the old railway sidings were full of families, dogs and push chairs, but we ran down as fast as we could only to see the 2 guys from Nottingham about 2- mins in front.  Paul who met us again at the top by trig No4 said you can get them…

Now I have No idea where it came from, but I gathered  speed, then more speed, my legs were moving fast, running straight through the mud and puddles – now when running it hurts, and when it does you often put your mind some place else! Sometimes to hide the pain, sometimes to find the motivation – now don’t laugh – I imagined I was in the 10k Tri-athleon race with the Brownlee brothers ( a far cry I know, but it worked for me 🙂 ).  I took the guys just as we started to climb 300 meters from home, all i could hear was my long suffering girlfriend Clare saying ‘ why did’n’t he run this fast way back there?’  I noticed somebody else running behind me, I turned hoping to see Clare as I would let her finish first, but it wasn’t, it was one of the guys from Nottingham  – so in Mow Farrah style I kicked in to a sprint finish .

It was damn hard we did 18.5 mile in little less that 3:29 – and we were 4th from last!  Not the best time in the world ( winner did 1:43) but a damn good training run over 1800 feet of ascent.

Hers to the next one.

Have fun and go try something different

Darren