Summer finally decided to make an appearance just in time for this beautiful run. Into its second year, this event had sold out many weeks ago. The run is advertised as 10miles (elastic tape measure!), 1080 feet ascent (didn’t we know it!), 1079 feet descent (glad of it after the ascent) and 600 runners .
A motley crew of Harriers had decided to take on the challenge. The start line in a corner of Maiden Castle’s many playing fields was buzzing on the morning, collection of numbers and memento t-shirt all well organised, just as long as you had your ID with you. The Redbull car made an appearance with a very large sound system and Scott trainers had also rocked up with some shiny new shoes which they were showcasing at this run.
Some of us had planned a social run (some more social than others), although once the gun sounded a number of Harriers went off like a rocket, keen to get past the bottle necks of the noisy bridge and the limbo under the bridge at the Rose Tree pub. The course is a beautiful run along the river and through the woods, which are chocablock with bluebells at this time of year, stunning scenery when I was able to lift my eyes from the path! I know that we ran to Croxdale Hall and Sunderland Bridge but otherwise I really am not sure where we went!!! Across fields, down paths, up paths, following the Trail Outlaw yellow flags and being pointed in the right direction by some lovely marshals.
Once we came back towards Maiden Castle and back over the noisy bridge the finish line was in sight! But as with all Trail Outlaws runs, there was a sting in the tail; we were guided to take a right turn to continue along the river, round the uni rugby pitches and then up Whinney Hill, but thankfully what goes up must come back down again and this time we were heading towards the finish line.
After crossing the finish line a spectacular medal was placed around our necks and we were pointed in the direction of our mug memento and big water bottles, big boxes of jelly babies, cola bottles, liquorice allsorts and chocolate raisins. A mug of water and several handfuls of sweets were just what the doctor ordered after the run!
All the Harriers finished with big smiles on our faces (nothing to do with the sweets we were consuming!) and a little bit of sunburn. Some fantastic times on a very challenging course. If you haven’t got yourselves down to a Trail Outlaws urban trail series event, you don’t know what you have been missing!!
By Emma Featherstone
