Forfar Multi Terrain Half Marathon, 7/02/10
The first time I ran Forfar 2 years ago I was most impressed by the rugged course and in particular the legendary deep water sections. Last year the water was mostly absent and it was almost a disappointment albeit quicker. This year a note on their website about the ice pool being 3' deep and 75m long acted as an incentive or a threat depending on your sense of adventure.
I find the mix of trails, mud and tarmac make it excellently diverting and rarely find myself getting worn down and bored, and wishing it was finished as I usually do with road halfs from about 10 miles. Which is not to say there wasn't plenty pain and hardship.
We arrived early and warmed up trying to judge the overcast but mild-ish day for kit choice. I went with 2 vests to fend off the cold and was surprised there weren't more braving the off-the-shoulder look, (maybe just one other from Shettleston.) I also wore gloves and for the second time in 2 days Adidas Kanadia, my second pair which I really enjoy as a light low-to-the-ground racer with enough sole for a few road miles and enough grip for this course which has a number of cross country type miles and a dirt track up a hill. And plenty water.
After a pre-race chat and kit check (waterproofs etc must be carried) we assembled in the field at the start and were set off. I found myself enthusiastic to get going and in the absence of Chris Upson, led the race for a hundred yards or so until Robbie Simpson (course record today) and the Shettleston runner took over. I followed on their heels for the first mile (5.32) and noticing they were both carrying maps in their hands turned round to check the rest of the race was confirming the route. I was surprised to see nobody for a hundred yards behind. I was definitely in the wrong group, but decided to capitalise on this early foolishness and avoid the logjams at the first roadcross checkpoint.
We were speaking to number 261 afterwards and he worried his mobile in his pocket might have gone submarine in the ice pool.Although the course is not very instinctive every turn and junction was well marked (and/or marshalled) and quickly I realised I'd have to pay attention as the couple ahead increased their lead and the guys behind hadn't caught up. Normally you can switch off and follow the crowd assuming someone knows what they're doing. Having run the route twice previously I had some notion of what to expect and passed the time trying to recall the next stage. After circumnavigating the loch we zipped up some tarmac then headed along the first of many farmers' tracks where David Roadrunpics was taking photos and said something I didn't hear. I wondered if it was along the lines of “you're out your league surely” or words to that effect. Up a long tarmac stretch over the first crossing down more tarmac and a right turn onto one of the grimmer sections of farmer's rutted cinder/gravel path with deep puddles you initially try to avoid and then just splosh through nearly losing the will to live in the process. The front 2 disappeared off my radar from this point so I was now reduced to an occasional glance backward at junctions to see how close the following pack were getting. They were at least 4 in number and being reluctant to drop so many places belted on as best I could. I covered 5 miles in 30.10.
I enjoyed the off road bits more than the tarmac and Brian C confirmed later I made better progress away from the chasing pack on the cross country sections and the water. Just before the seven mile mark the trail goes under a bridge that is side to side waterlogged and was the first indication that the map saying “flooding liable to occur” was something of an understatement. A dry spot where Mr Roadrunpics had repositioned himself, then it was a headlong charge into water that quickly became over knee deep and went on for quite some while – maybe 75m? There were 2 marshals enjoying the spectacle and video-ing the runners as they sploshed out the other side. I kept running for almost all of the water noting it was similar to high kicking through knee deep snow which along with the freezing water splashing everywhere is very quickly energy sapping.
Then for a while you run with numb feet before they thaw out and become deliciously warm. The next section was a kind of cross country with gates every few hundred yards. After the slam of the first one behind me I listened for the clang of the runner behind which was depressingly soon. I tried to hammer on but by the end of the grassy section out onto the road before the hill I caught sight of the guys behind and seeing it was Brian "Crooky" Cruickshank and Davie Burgess I knew my third place was a goner. And I knew Brian would be thinking “he raced the Tortoise and Hare yesterday, I'll have him!”
I tried not to give in too much and hoped to make the hill at mile 10 before being overhauled. Another roadcross checkpoint and you go up a cul-de-sac that leads onto the dirt path up the hill. At first it seemed shorter than I remembered however as we climbed round each corner more and more appeared. I could now hear Brian and Davie breathing but was very pleased to get to the folly at the top before them. It cost me dear but I enjoyed the brief respite of rolling down the path to the junction and another checkpoint. Davie went past closely followed by Brian – just about an exact replica of the Cruickshanking I got last year. At least the next runner was a reasonable distance behind and if I could keep going I might hold fifth. The three of us shoogled down the grassy track looking for the best line in either the tussocky centre strip or the sucking slippy tire treads which took us to another field being farmed for mud. After an age of slip sliding away we were back onto the road but I was too done in to compete with the 2 ahead as they wrestled for third.
Davie won that battle but at the expense of some of his breakfast hitting the finish line. Keeping a canny eye out for any sprinters I crossed the line about a minute slower than last year (when the course was much drier.) I was very pleased with 5th (until I saw the bottle of malt Brian got for 1st v40) and quickly showered so I could catch Mary crossing the line also winning second vet. (Second race of the weekend, prizes at both! Hurray!)
A totally brilliant course and strangely not as well attended as many of the run-of-the-mill road plods of central Scotland. Surely much more adventurous and fun filled than just about any race I can think of, organised superbly by Forfar Runners who put on the tough but exciting event for the runners' benefit and not to line their pockets, providing “legendary” post race soup, tea, sandwiches and cakes included in the modest £5 entry. And the prize list is seriously generous with first, second AND third team prizes forboth M & F teams. Its a pity we didn't have a couple more PRCers to make the teams especially as Lucy, who was running for Porty, got the female course record. Maybe next year.
Now I'm away to rub some of yesterday's winning beers on my aching legs, from the inside.
Report and photos PB
Mary's Blog
Results here to follow
Roadrunpics to follow
Given the nature of the course and the race obligation of carrying waterproofs, gloves and a hat, here is the hat I carried.Here are some action pics from Roadrunpics which give a good idea of the course...
The first major water feature.
The seven mile marker was bravely placed in the swamp.
Great pictures - many thanks David for making the effort to get to the watery bits.
