Sandstone Trail Race 2022
It's been a while. Pandemics, injury, new jobs, PhDs, disillusionment...all of this combined meant that I abandoned this blog (and all associated running goals) through most of 2020 and 2021. I've re-read a lot of these posts of late and decided that not only do I miss goal-based running, I also miss writing about it. Don't be under any illusions - my fitness is not what it was in late 2019, and despite some recent parkruns of 19:10, 18.58, and 18.16, I'm a little heavier and a little older. In addition, I'm still suffering with achilles tendinopathy. I have, finally, started getting some physio (from third year BSc Sports Therapy students at work...) and this has helped, but it has not gone away. Either way, I'm not getting any younger and I was happier when I was competing, so I entered the Sandstone Trail Race in Cheshire.
The Sandstone Trail Race has been run since 1977. Competitors can run either the A course (17.1 miles) or the a B course (10.5 miles) along the undulating Sandstone Trail through mid-Cheshire. It's a point to point race; course A starts in Duckington, and course B starts in Beeston. Both courses end in Delamere Forest. I've wanted to run this for years; I spent many happy days on the Sandstone Trail with my parents when I was younger and so it's always been on my bucket list.
I opted for the A course and so, on a misty September morning, I drove from Upper Burwardsley (where we were staying) to Delamere to get the coach to the start. The coach was packed. I sat next to a nice chap called Joe. We chatted about our target times; I noted an overly-optimistic time of 2 hrs 30 mins.
Leaving Duckington, the route climbs steeply into the Bickerton Hills, passing over the iron age hill fort of Maiden Castle. A huge highland cow stood beside the path, nervously watching the runners as they meandered through the mist. The first two miles undulate, so each metre gained is then lost seemingly minutes later. At mile three there's a road crossing, before another steep climb up towards Raw Head and east towards Bulkeley Hill and the Peckforton Hills.
At this point I was about 150m from the Pheasant Inn where we were staying. If it hadn't been for the car being parked 15 miles away in Delamere, I'd have dropped out as I was seriously struggling. The lack of race time was clearly having an effect on me and I resigned to 'just getting around'.
Leaving the Peckforton Hills, there's a long descent to Beeston where the contours flatten and the route heads north crossing the Shropshire Union canal and across grassy fields. By mile 10 I had seriously slowed and was having to alternate between running and walking. Unbeknownst to me, my mum and dad had been waiting at the end of the 'muddy track' near Willington. Because I'd told them I expected to be done within 2 hrs 30 mins, they gave up waiting and headed home. A quick check on Strava shows that I missed them by seven minutes. I feel pretty bad about that!
The final four or five miles were hard work. Crossing the A556 near Kelsall, the route climbs into the forest. By this point I was being overtaken by runners on the B course. I feel pretty sad that I didn't enjoy these final few miles as it's such a beautiful route and a race I've wanted to do for years.
As I entered the forest and I could hear the finish line fun and games of the race announcer over the PA. A final climb into the woods and I was done. 3 hrs 4 mins; a full 30 minutes longer than I'd hoped. At the end I felt sick and my legs were cramping up. This didn't make for a particularly enjoyable walk back to the car which, to my shock, was over a mile away.
All in all, this is a race I'd love to do again. I feel happy that I've done it, but it would have been far more enjoyable if I was a race fit. It might not be next year, however, as it clashes with the Dragon's Back Race. Maybe I'll return in 2024 and give it another go.
