Ridgeway Run race report

Distance: 9.68 miles
Terrain: mostly trail, some road
Ascent / descent: +610' / -619'
Time: 01:10:42
Pace: 7:18 (avg)
Position: 47/438

This is a regular race of mine, the nearest thing to a fell race within 30 minutes of Milton Keynes, and an event that always seems to get a lovely weekend. This year was no exception. The race has been running for 27 odd years now so is quite a fixture locally for the road boys wanting to try something out with hills and for all us poor fell and trail obsessed runners locked in living down south. Tring Running club organise the event and big cheers must go out to them - every year the t-shirt is a great design, the car parking works with military precision and the finish line is well constructed. Even with the sizeable field of 438 it all went well.


The Chiltern Hills over which the race runs

The sun was shining, the sky was blue and I set out to better my PB of 01:11:00 set a few years back. I did this with a few seconds to spare so am very pleased.

The race started at a pretty furious pace (6:12 mins/mile according to my Garmin) so I deliberately slowed to 6:30 pace after half a mile, not wanting to burn out. I slowed down further to 6:50 as we hit the first field and I then became aware of a grunter on my tail. Heavy breathing and a particular noise which meant I could recognise the fella. I think it was the Burnham Joggers runner who came in directly behind me but I can't be sure.

Anyway he was in close as we hit the first slope and I decided to stretch out a little, feeling confident about my climbing strength and endurance. Sure enough I quickly and easily lost him from earshot but he reappeared on the next, downhill, section where it sounded like he was putting in some effort to catch me so I stretched out again and kept him at bay.


Tring Ridgeway Run course profile and my pace

We crossed the stableyard to the north of Aldbury and gradually wound our way up to the monument in the Ashridge Estate. He was right at my heels and to his credit kept it there till the incline increased when he dropped back and I ploughed on, passing a few other runners. If only the race had more climbing I'd have easily (ha) moved up 10 positions. I managed to keep some of these runners at bay but the long flattish run through the Ashridge Estate saw me gradually picked off by the stronger on the flat runners. Damn these ultra trained legs of mine, faster faster I thought but to little avail.

The thought and possibly the imagined grunting of the runner I was determined to keep at bay kept my speed up, up and over Pitstone Hill in glorious sunshine then down through the woods to the final 1.5 ish mile road section. My legs were heavy by this point and try as I might I couldn't sustain faster than 7:14 ish pace so lost a few places, but importantly kept the grunter at bay. Hooray! A thoroughly enjoyable run.





Father and daughter enjoy the post-race sun and wet grass

The OMM in Borrowdale is fast looming (25th of this month) and Marco M-C and I still haven't got our tent sorted. I am humming and hawing about buying a new one as Marco has an old Vango 100 that might do the job, but it looks pretty wee. The dimensions below are for the Laser Competition, but they are about the same as the Vango 100. Has anyone tried out one of these tents with 2 people? How comfy are they? Can 2 folk actually fit in? They are supposedly big enough for 2 under mountain marathon race conditions.


Laser Competition tent dimensions

Finally, I have received some gentle encouragement from Mr Cunningham to stop being a big woose. I was thinking of doing a 2 day Bobby Gee (Bob Graham Round) as training for the 09 UTMB. Mr C has probably correctly pointed out that I ought to just get on and do the actual thing as training. Well, I might well just. Cheers for the motivation Richie. :-)