Dursley Dozen - 12 Mile Fell Race, Dursley, Gloucestershire. 14/02/10
I was down in Cheltenham again at the start of the February schools' week, I checked out www.runningdiary.co.uk which came up with a 12 mile multi-terrain/ fell race in the nearby historic Cotswold market town of Dursley. This would be my third race in PRC colours, all of them being in Gloucestershire. I liked the 12 mile distance, less so this ‘multi-terrain’ (ie read ‘mixed-bag’), I’ve just not got into this type of running yet. I suspect like all things its about maturity, or rather age and getting older. If I compared hill running to, for example, architecture, I would liken it to the 60’s neo-brutalist phase, and whereas Carnethy 5 has the hard core avante gard edge of The Smithsons at The Economist, Dursley is more Edinburgh Municipal Sevices at Portobello Library. Naturally there is a place for them both, but like a good building or even a good wine, we do like a good run. Anyway I’m still muddling through my neo-modernism running phase and dealing with purity and morality and other such concerns.
Dursley Dozen is a run up a steep incline to the top of Stinchcombe Hill (The Stinch), then undulating muddy woodland trail and then steeply downhill again, and basically repeating five times circumnavigating the hill. The website description is at bit more fruity:
‘The start is close to the centre of Dursley, by the Old Spot pub. The race sets off very steeply up a road for 200 metres, and then ascends a woodland track to the top of Stinchcombe Hill. After a short run around the golf course, the route re-enters the woods (steep descent) before climbing (steeply) back out onto the hilltop. The next two miles are on flat and fast road. The course then follows an undulating woodland path leading to a steep and rough descent to the New Inn (which all but the slowest runners will find closed). A steep ascent then leads to the lunar landscape of Breakheart Quarry (drinks station), followed by three miles of track through beechwoods. The final climb, the "Precipice", (almost overhanging: ropes are provided) brings the runners back onto the top of Stinchcombe Hill. From here, good views can be had of those still struggling up the hill. Two miles of grassland, track and finally road descend to the finish in Parsonage Street where a warm glow of satisfaction at completing the course will be experienced. The total length of the course is almost exactly twelve miles with about 1600 feet of descent. There are indicators every mile.’
This course description I found fairly daunting (ie 1600 feet of descent means 1600 feet of ascent), in particular the ‘ropes are provided’ to ascent the ‘precipice’, so a quick internet search came up with an altitude graph of the course, confirming the 1600ft of ascent, and a youtube movie, which confirmed the ropes. I clearly needed a race plan.
Luckily, my race team (5 and 8 year old daughters) came up with the strategy:
1. Face paints (to scare off other runners?).
2. Run fast on flat bits and downhill bits.
3. ‘Fall’ uphills and don’t play on the ropes too long.
Sorted! Sounds like a lot of sprinting and surging to me, but a plan none the less. Next I needed a target time, 12 miles is one and a half ‘Ma Foremans’, which on a bad day is 1.5 hours, so add a bit more on for the hills, say 1 hour 40 mins? Judging by the last race results (2008 as 2009 was cancelled due to snow and ice), that would get me into the first 100 out of 400 runners, so not a bad target time.
It was difficult to judge clothing, as the day before had been very frosty, and it rained very heavy the morning of the run, but had started to clear up. So I went for LS top, vest, tights, shorts, gloves and Salomon Cross Fire 2’s. In hindsight, single shorts and double vest would have been better.
Very busy at the starting point with 350 out of the 450 registered turning up. Ambling to the start, I got a good position within the first few dozen, then suddenly the Claxton, 350 surprised faces followed by 350 Garmin bleeps, and off, onwards an upwards!
Unchipped, you don’t want to end up at the tail end of this starting line up. (PRC white top on left)
Things are looking up after 100m.Got stuck in straight away, and pushed hard up an unforgivably steep hill, the leading pack surged ahead at an amazing pace, but my ‘b’ group followed close behind. Maybe 500m into the race, I saw a few people falling down and stumbling ahead, thereafter each runner shouted ‘chain’, as everyone leapt over a knee level Clyde-made relic taught across the course. More surging and shoving uphill through mud, leaves, trees, scrub, and the runner in front of me suddenly shouts ‘you’ve gone the wrong way’ to the leading pack, and as we took a sharp left, suddenly I was in second position! This was short lived, as moments later scores of manic elite runners came thundering diagonally across the slopes, frantically flying in all directions.
400 vertical feet later, at the top, we came cornering onto a golf course, which seemed to surprise the 4 ball just teeing off, then a quick sprint along the fareway, then back into the woods for a real rollercoaster of a ride, which was so dexterously demanding that it was almost exhilarating. I really enjoyed the up and down undulating terrain, (which probably had stunning views), but I found the pace of the course was very, very fast, even the short uphill sections, it was almost terrifying. In some sections of the woodlands my hands were touching both sides of the muddy ruts and ravines we sped through, underfoot, the surface varied between mud, tree root, stone, mulch and more boggy mud. I was impressed and in awe by the speeds that some of the runners took the downhill sections, given the uncertainty of footing, however this is where the time was gained and, in my case, lost.
Around the 6 mile point we were hair pinned back up Stinchcombe Hill, this time on an open scorching grassy slope, another 400 foot climb: Just what I needed. I was determined not to walk any section of the course but really struggled about 50 feet from the crest, but quickly regained my pace onto Heartbreak Ridge (Lunar surface of the moon indeed – try the Isle of Harris), and a welcome water point. Shoved and sped on over very rocky escarpments, before back into the woods for more trails (the trickiest obstacle being a burnt out car, which had to be hurdled over), which quickly descended to the base of hill again, which meant only one thing, back up ‘The Stinch’ again.
Now it was time for the ropes. I tried to use my momentum to get up past the first set onto the second, but quickly slid back down the muddy escarpment. Taking a firm grip this time, I hauled my way up a miserable 150 feet ascent at a painfully slow speed, the ropes stopping 50 or so feet from the top as the track broke out of the woods. This was back breaking and drained the life out my legs.A Jelly baby sugar rush at the top from locals (remember to brush your teeth well tonight), and the 9 mile maker, so really started to push it at this point to minimise the number of surging runners who seemed to be all over me. I knew I was at position 59 at the 7 mile mark, so was keen not to lose the pace and to fall too far behind. There were some good ‘flats’ which I really hammered along, and then back onto and across the golf course where I managed a 6 min/ mile pace for a good stretch, but wasn’t able to keep it up to the steep descent down to the village. Again the downward section was at breakneck speed, and I got taken by another 2, who went quickly out of sight in the thick woodland. I soon reached the bottom and onto tarmac, at this point I could hear a pack behind me going for a surge, the road then suddenly turned 90 degree and onto a narrow tarmac path as I pushed hard to keep ahead, then another 90 degree bend with a 400m marker, only to reveal a sharp incline. Give me a break!
Facepaint and screaming can give a competitive edgeAt this point I let out a roar, and I got the head down and powered up the slope, then another 90 degree bend, followed by a downhill run, still pursued, I pulled on all my reserves and sprinted neck and neck with surging 301. I would have had him, was it not for a final 90 degree bend onto the high street and finish line another 50 meters away.
My Garmin reckoned 1h 33m 55s, but at 11.2 miles (I suspect the steep slopes and trees for the variation?). My official time was 1h 34m 20s, and 12 full miles. I guess I should take the money and run, but there was no way 301 was 16 seconds ahead of me, more like 1.6 seconds Anyway I scraped into the top 20% managing 67th place out of 350, which was a good shout. My splits were 9.00, 8.43, 7.39, 6.54, 7.23, 11.19, 8.16, 7.40, 10.14, 8.06, 7.39, 6.50. I really don’t think I could have done it quicker, Top 50 places were 2 minutes quicker and although I held the sprints well, and my hillwork upwards was okay (need to learn that hands on knees method), I’ve just not got the skill sets and technique for downhill yet. Also the first shot at a course is never going to be the best, with literally no idea what is around the corner or how well you are doing. There is always next year, which will be a sub 1 hour 30 min time, and a neo-brutalist sidewards shift into Gordon/ Willies group, once I’ve come to terms with running on the flat (as if).
Dursley Dozen 2010 was won by Paul Fernandez of Abingdon Amblers with 01:15:18 and Georgia Wood of Team Bath coming in first woman in 01:26:54.
In summary, it was a taxing route, very demanding, but very rewarding. If you're ever down in the west country and get the chance to run it, give it a good go. It really is the flip side of the coin from road racing, and such a marked contrast, with somehow a lot more to ‘monitor’, somehow much ‘busier’ (mentally) and strangely faster (ie - much closer to the ground). It was the best and most enjoyable race I’ve ever done (until I pass from my current state of euphoria (and endorphin rush) and run my next race (Lasswade 10 miler)).
Report Ian McMillan
For full results and photos see here
