James Herriot Trail Race 2016

  After a couple of nice and easy days winding down after the previous weeks 92 miles I was ready and raring to go for today's 14km race at Castle Bolton. The weather was slightly breezy but it was just about right temperature wise for running.
  My plan was take it steady for the first half a kilometre or so before turning left and up the first big climb which is known as  Black Hill. On the ascent my plan was highlighted " No Red Zone Stuff " and then switch to race mode and take it as it comes after that. Not much of a plan I know but with it being my first off road race for a while and quite a tough one at that,  I couldn't really see myself being in any sort of a position to have any energy to play tatics with.
  The race got under way with a Keswick AC lad taking the lead, I was staying with my plan and going relative steady as I was in the leading bunch behind. As we turned to take on Black Hill I switched to full on steady mode, a few runners came past me that I had expected to, Andy Grant / Harrogate, Michael Joyeux / Darlington, Mike Jefferies / Richmond. It didn't take long ascending that my plan went out of the window as I found it impossible to run up the hill using anything other than my so called red zone stuff. As I approached the summit of the

Blackhill - James Herriot Trail Race 2016
Photo thanks to Pete Richardson.

steep section a runner in a purple vest came past me with John Young / Harrogate just in front of us. We then turned into a strong head wind (so much for the slightly breezy condition I thought before hand.)  It didn't take long before I found myself tucked in behind Mr Purple vest and with Young behind me as I tried to compose myself with all the effort I had just used up. As we continued I gradually started to come back  to life and then was confronted with a decision to make. As I was looking ahead I could see Jefferies and Joyeux pulling away from us, should I push on in pursuit or stay tucked in behind Mr Purple vest. I felt I needed to save more energy so I stayed tucked in but at the same time I was wishing Mr Purple would speed up. I could of taken a turn doing the hard work running into the wind but fighting for the fifth position was far more important seeing as I was never going to take fourth place. At the 5k point the route takes a sharp left turn down a steep decent, an excellent time to attack I thought. Mr Purple vest had the same idea and we both shot off  downwards and eventually opened a slight gap to Young. After the decent I found myself running side by side with Mr Purple Vest and then Young caught us back up. Enough is enough and with that I switched to full on race mode. As I started the second big ascent to an old shooting hut Jefferies was near the top, I did wonder if I could catch him by the finish. Over the top,  then  a long descent and not once did I ever see another runner until I crossed the finishing line in 5th place, 58 minutes 57 seconds.
  Keswick runner was first in just over 53 minutes, Grant 2nd, Jefferies managed to reel in Joyeux before the finish to take 3rd, no wonder I didn't see him again. Young 6th  and Mr Purple Vest about 10th in the end. The timing person got a bit mixed up with the stop watch so the timings were  a bit screwed up. Other than that it was well organised and marshalled yet again. Old arch rival from my better Herriot Trail Race days was there as in Shaun Whelan of  London Front Runners but unfortunately he wasn't competing.
    I think I have earned myself a day off tomorrow from running, saying that though we did stop at a cafe when we got back home and blew my winnings on drinks and cakes, so I may need to rethink the day off.
   The dog absolutely loved her return trip to Castle Bolton and the cafe afterwards, she loved it that much she has been asleep ever since we got back home.
  The squirrel can't believe his luck with his new feeder, what with at least four visits today that we know of.
  Just one other thing, the older you get the harder this race becomes that is for sure. So to see Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers  team mate Ian Codling take on the race in his late seventies is inspirational to say the least.