Ranscombe Winter Marathon
It was good to return to Ranscombe with SVN in February. Just a few months ago I ran the same event in the Autumn and enjoyed it finishing second. This time the weather was kind and it was another clear, sunny day. Unfortunately it hadn't been quite so dry in the lead up to the event and this resulted in a bit of mud....
I arrived at the new car park just after seven in the morning. Once registered I ate a couple of flapjacks and a banana and fiddled with safety pins for too long until I had my number secured. At 7:45 we were briefed by Traviss and fifteen minutes later I was in the toilet when I heard the other 120 people set off.
Lighter and much relieved I began at the back of the field and started to make my way towards the faster end of the field. After a mile I was clear of the main bunch with room to see where I was putting my feet and also to enjoy the glorious views.
The route starts along a path before passing onto muddy, stony track where we encountered the first mud. As usual I began by trying to avoid it before realising resistance was futile. After a gentle incline and long downhill through a gate and across a field we climbed steeply into the woods.
There followed the most scenic part of the run uphill through woodland, still leafless but with early signs of blossom and the odd snowdrop poking up from the dirt floor. At the top of the incline we turned left and ran for a couple of hundred metres to the Mausoleum which we circled and then retraced our steps.
When back at the top of the climb we continued straight on and enjoyed a prolonged downhill section. At the bottom was the swamp. Here the rain had pooled and various feet, hooves and other object had created a 4m wide mud pit. After splashing through that the fresh mud continued for another mile along a much narrower trail alongside the railway line. It was tough to know where to look with slippy mud underfoot and low hanging branches at head height I had to contort my body in all kind of ways while maintaining my stride.
After a while I became used to taking into account any slippage so that I was almost skating along. It didn't help that I had chosen my road shoes so I remedied this as soon as I completed the first lap which came to an end after a short but steep slippy climb and a windy jog through thick woodland.
Back at the start I had my lap tag punched and changed footwear. By now I was quite warm too so took off my jacket and hat. On to lap 2.
Each lap was just over 4.4 miles meaning that six would make a marathon which was my target. I was in fifth place at this point and told myself it wasn't about position but knew that Competitive Adam would never accept that.
A lap later I was up to third and then I took second. I continued to push as the guy I had just overtaken was pushing the pace. I later realised he was only running the half!
Anyway each lap got muddier but my trail shoes did the job. On lap five I felt quite spent and cold so I put my jacket on again and took in some more flapjack (even saying the word now makes me feel ill a week after the event but I ate so much of the stuff!) and salted peanuts. My energy levels rose and I enjoyed the last lap. Saying that I was relieved to finish. The trail shoes gave me more grip but they are heavier and less comfortable and I was feeling it on the soles of my feet and in my calf muscles.
Traviss punched the sixth hole in my tag and I was able to ring the large bell symbolising I had finished for the day. Some other crazy people who remain nameless (Claire / Paul!) went on to do 8 laps and then came back the next day when it was even muddier. Kudos to them though.
For my efforts I had the satisfaction of finishing 2nd and received a giant bar of Galaxy, some mini cheddars, a Twix and a huge medal. Just spring and summer to go.
