Eridge Park 10 miles

In short: if you like a hilly trail run with a sense of humour, do this race. If you like cake, do this race. If you do this race: either drive or book a taxi from the station. 

I entered on a whim: my running club randomly posted that they had a couple of people going, I could get there via public transport (OK, that took the better part of two hours, but was still feasible), and it’s just the sort of terrain I like. Hills. Killer hills. Bog. Streams. Forest. Grass. All the sorts of things that are just enjoyable. 

I cannot remember anything useful about the actual route, other than lots of water stations, even more marshals, jelly babies and funny names for the different sections. I particularly liked “Watership Up” and “Bugger me that’s deeply steep”. “Cheeky’s Bog” was a particularly fine, deep, stretch of mud with a pair of legs and shoes sticking out of it. It was a loop, with chip timing (ankle bands, so we all felt like criminals on tag) although it was a gun time race. 

And afterwards there was beer, and cake (so much cake. And even more cake. And did I mention the cake?), and we came in third ladies team. Not too shabby for a Sunday morning. Tough going; I finished in 1:47:12, 12th in my age category 28th female, and 180th overall (field of 282). And golly, was I stiff the next day! Calves of steel, and not in a good way. Given that on a road, I can do a 10 mile race in 1:28:something, you can see how the terrain makes a difference. It also makes it much more fun. 

Definitely one to return to.