Charnwood Hills 15 mile or 26 mile marathon
So with the first weekend of spring bringing the country to a standstill with snow!, and races being cancelled by the hour, the Charnwood marathon, an off road race with a 15 mile and 26 mile option for routes was not going to let mother nature spoil the fun for the participants.
Long Eaton Running Club was represented by 2 runners, crazy or insane all participants took to the start line kitted up for the elements for what could only be described as a tough course with tougher conditions.
Aaron Kirk aka Kirky had planned an SAS weekend of training to supplement his Marathon training program! (SAS, Saturday and Sunday) with the Charnwood 15 miile race Saturday and the Loughborough Half Marathon scheduled for Sunday, Kirky was in two minds what to do, with his mate an 8mm being far too fast for him, he decided to jog with Damo only to find that too slow for him even with him saving a bit for Sunday's race.
With snow being on every turn and path this was going to be a tough race coupled with all off road course taking in Broombriggs Hill, Bradgate Park and a visit to Old John, Kirky managed a splendid 3 hours and 4 minutes, although by this time the Loughborough half had also been cancelled due to the weather so he could have gone faster.
Damian Cowlishaw, being disappointed and jealous of all his usual training partners who had all entered marathon races or had plans to do so, decided to throw caution to the wind and jump in first, with the 26 mile course taking in Broombriggs hill, Beacon hill, Bardon hill, Bradgate park and Old John and the snow and underfoot conditions this was going to be a race against the elements and not Pb's! so in 6 hours 33 minutes it was a marathon worse for Damian but it was about finishing.
Both courses were not marked but had checkpoints and a route descriptions so navigation was also an hindrance.
This report was brought to you by Damian Cowlinshaw
Well done to both of you for being out there for so long in the cold, now get yourself in the warm.
This report was brought to you by woolly
Comments:
Foxontherun wrote; Extremely well done to both of you, for finding a race that was on (obviously, well done also to organisers), and for getting round in each case.
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