Forfar Multi-Terrain Half Marathon 4/02/07
The authentic Forfar Bridie has a shortcrust pastry outer - not flaky pastry as found elsewhere in Scotland"Due to the arduous nature of the course and potential harsh weather this race is not recommended for novice runners" was the intimidating heading on the entry form. At the race briefing we were then warned to keep left in the water-logged section, since the water there was only ankle deep, as opposed to 3 ft deep on the right. And we were strictly instructed to take maps with us as a local farmer was busy taking down the route signs.
This was the second running of the Forfar Multi-terrain Half Marathon, and I'm told they had lots of problems with people getting lost first time round. They seemed to have this fully sorted this year - I found it well-organised with marshals all over the place, so the map could stay firmly in the pocket. It was a small friendly race - I'd guess around 120, with many folk seeming to be out for an enjoyable run rather than racing each other or the clock, and much chatting along the way. Then free soup and rolls in the very full clubhouse, and the results posted before the last runner had finished! Not many showers or loos as is inevitable in smaller places. Fortunately Forfar turns out to be well under 2 hrs away in each direction - so I was soaking in the bath by 3.
The course is a sort of road 10k with a 5k cross-country and 5k hill race thrown in. The first two miles were round Forfar loch on wide flat paths, then nearly 2 miles on road, then a mile of farm track, a mile of tiny single-track footpaths linked up by roads and so on. The wet bit came around mile 7, but wasn't that bad - frozen toes and muddy socks, but nothing serious. There was then a surprise drinks station - we'd been told there weren't any - but the water was like ice: I felt I'd put a lump of iron in my stomach. Mile 8 was smelly as we skirted a landfill site, running on mainly lovely spongy moss to bounce over, but with the odd spot of soft gravel to sink in. The 9th mile marker was the start of the hill race - almost a mile up to the war memorial on top of Balmashanner Hill, followed by two wonderful miles of downhill. My Garmin tells me the climb was only about 330ft - but I was going up for a solid 8 minutes for a 9:22 mile, followed on the downhill by a 7:37 and 7:25 ones! A couple of ploughed fields, back onto paths and back to the loch side for the end.
I was out to knock off the 15 mile run on my training schedule, and therefore quite enjoyed the regular breaks in rhythm for going through gates or getting your running number punched at each of the 7 road crossings (apparently put in at police request). Maybe there's a lesson I need to learn about not trying too hard in races, as I was very pleased to get round in 1:43 for a respectable 48th place. Maybe it's just Bert's Sunday Runs have made it impossible for me to slow down at the start any more. Talking of other lessons - a new pair of running socks first time out definitely helped the feet, but my plan to carry two of those new lucozade sport sachets collapsed when I found they repeatedly pulled my trousers down! Good job most of the locals seemed to arrive very close to the start.
On a clear, sunny day with little wind, and following a dry week, this was a delight - though I can imagine that if it were wet underfoot and the wind blew, it would be a very different animal. Still, if the weather's right next year, this is well worth a try.Report Richard Dennis
Results and photos may appear here on the Forfar website
