Long Days & Trail Runs
“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods”
After Ironman, my outlook on training totally changed. As much as I loved the intensity of the training and structure, it was time to just run when I felt like running, swim if I wanted to and maybe skip the long weekend rides. I also wanted to do different events, experience something new. Since then, I’ve done aquathlons, duathlons (one dressed as a skeleton), swam at night covered in glowsticks and also got a lot more involved in my club.
The search for different events took me to taking on my first trail run last weekend. Someone at Clapham Chasers dropped out and after a pretty convincing pitch, I found myself taking their place. At that point, I had never done a trail run. I had no trail shoes, no trail back pack thing, literally no idea what I was getting into. Still, it’s better to throw yourself into these things, if you think too much, you’ll never end up doing it. Ready, fire, aim.
The run was part of the Endurance Life trail run series and was on the coast in Suffolk, which turned out to be a pretty beautiful part of the world. We were forecasted the worst of Storm Brian, but somehow it managed to swerve us and we had nothing but blue skies and sunshine for the whole run.
We were in for the half marathon distance which started in the grounds of a stunning abby ruin. Once the Ultra and Marathon distances set off, we were up next, starting at about 10:30ish. Myself and 4 Chasers stuck together for from the start and it stayed that way for the whole run.
The run started out along the roads of a little town before heading onto the trails and pretty soon we were running along the marshland right next to the beach. Storm Brian was still holding off ensuring the New England looking beach was basing in a warm morning glow. Before long we were running on the beach itself which makes for quite the change from my usual running routes along South West Londons Thames paths. Running on sand is brutal and although it was perhaps only a kilometre on the beach, you could really feel it in your calves.
Once off the beach, our little Chaser train headed in land and into the woods and even more marshland. Despite trail running being a somewhat unknown to me, I was totally loving it. I’m not sure whether it was the awesome company, or the way in which trail running brings a real sense of adventure you just don’t get on the road. Covering different surfaces, hopping across roots and ducking branches, each corner you turn you’re met with something new to conquer. You actually feel like you are discovering a place rather than just plodding through it. I’m beginning to see the love those have for running the trails.
Despite the dry weather, we still have our fair share of muddy patches to cover which proved to be quite a test for my road running slicks. Being covered in mud is all part of the fun of it, although I will definitely need proper trail shoes should there be more trail running!
After just over 2 hours of running, we entered the grounds of the abby and ran spread out in Chaser formation across the finish line. It was an epic run and a great introduction into trail run. The stunning location really made the trip worth while and actually running in great company made it all the more enjoyable. I actually went for a solo 10km run a couple days after and it wasn’t half as fun!
There’s something addictive about being off road, running amongst the trees, definitely something I’d like to do more of. With another trail run in Anglesey planned for January, there might be more to come. Must get trail shoes first.
