Meerbrook Trail Run.

This morning saw me in the tiny Staffordshire village of Meerbrook for Round 3 of Dark & Whites Autumn Series. Again I was running the long course, 16.8k, but on my own as Dani, who was entered in the short course, is currently laid up with a chest infection. I didn't expect to do well today due to a lack of sleep during the week, the fact that I didn't have time to recce the course and a 40+k fatbike ride yesterday.

It was a beautifull morning for a run, with a bit of frost on the ground and the kind of visibility that you only seem to get on those rare winter days. The course started with a loop around Tittesworth Reservoir then through fields heading for the Roaches. Once past the climbers hut we headed into the woods, picking our way over roots and around boulders, before climbing on a short rocky path up to the sound of cowbells (not actual cowbells but hexes on a climbers harness) onto and along the top of the Roaches themselves. Along here I managed to get some distance between myself and some others who were ahead of me, as I enjoyed the peaty rocky technical running. On this type of terrain you do need to keep your eyes on your line, but when you could look up the views were glorious! A full 360 degree panorama, looking over the Cheshire plains, Jodrell Bank, Shutlingsloe, the Staffordshire Moorlands... someone later told me that you could see 5 counties this morning including some Welsh mountains. It was the only time on a race when I wish that I had a camera with me. Eventually the track dropped down, on flagstones, towards a gated road and a herd of cows. Even running on tarmac was a pleasure, although a brief one as soon the course led us over fields and through farmyards. By now my legs were complaining despite my having eaten a couple of gels, in fact the last kilometre was actually quite painfull.

I finished in a time of 1:56:57, in 82nd place overall (out of 136 finishers) and 20th out of 24 in my age group, not as good as I would have hoped but I knew that I wouldn't do well today. But I had a great time, covered new ground and enjoyed stunning views.

Paul.