On a very wet and blustery Friday night I found myself once again going to collect my race pack.
This time it was for the inaugural Giants Trail race.
This was a capped race with a maximum of 250 runners permitted.
I had no idea of the course, the terrain any hills, I only knew where the car park was and that was thanks to my sat-nav.
I arrived up and made my way to collect my pack and heard a familiar voice, of course it was every runners friends Mags, we had a quick chat, but she was busy so I made my way back to my car to get my race number on.
On my way out to the car I met up with Simon Cummings and Johnny McGrath, to be shortly joined by Gary McQuillan.
As the start of the race approached we gathered with all the other runners and debated doing a few warm-ups.
Each time we ventured out the rain started again and each time it was harder than before.
This was my 1st time running with only my vest and I was thinking no I’ll change and put on a long sleeve under armor, no a T-Shirt, but Simon kept saying this is good running conditions.
Light rain and wind will keep us cool, and help us get round.
Just as we finally decided that’s it rain or no rain lets warm up we met Greg Shevlin another Monday night runner and we made our way up to the pitches and done a few lengths.
Warmed up and feeling ready as you can in the rain, the horn sounded and we were off.
Through the starting point, across the pitches and up a high grass bank, my first thought was “I should have worn trail shoes!”
As we crossed the pitches it was back onto a path, but not for long it opened up to a hill at the top of a meadow with very long grass with recently cut grass marking our path forwards.
This was the first of many hills down and just as many up.
The newly cut grass looked well, but it came with its own challenge, running downhill on wet newly cut grass in road shoes is not the best laid plan.
Down the meadow and out onto the bridge at Shaw’s bridge, the runner in front of me slipped and fell as he changed to the different surface.
We made our way along the towpath, taking in some of the view as we went along.
Half way through the rain stopped and the sun even attempted to come out, by this stage the rain had left it’s mark.
My clothes were sticking to me, I was unsure what was worse the stones in shoes or the water logged socks.
We made our way up yet another hill and slowly becoming a very narrow path, with overhanging nettles on each side.
As the path got to the top it made its way across the top of a meadow and once again downhill and into streets.
Roads and footpaths were short lived and back into a farmers field cordoned off keeping us away from the cows, although we still had to dodge the many cow pats in our path.
Now we had to clamber over a couple of farmers fences and round a few fields, my choice was through puddles or round them, after getting caught in a few nettle bushes I opted for the through puddles option.
We made our way back to the bigger paths and round more meadows.
I slipped and fell at this point, I came down on my hip.I didn’t fall hard, more so my ego was bruised, I thought of Pat O’Driscoll at this stage and how he would have got up and dusted himself and continued on, I followed suit and done the same.
I was making good time and had overcame everything this course had to throw at me with one final hurdle, the path split and no direction given as to which way.
A marshal from further down called us ahead and directed us to the next stage.
However towards the end myself and two other runners were confronted with no sign age, no marshals we were officially lost.
We called out to a person we think was with the event to be told make your way back the way you came, that was ok if we knew were we where and how to get back.
We did eventually find our way, I have since spoken with the organizers and advised this occurred, they apologized and said they would ensure no repeat next year.
Once I completed the course and got across the finish line I was greeted with a bottle of water and a banana.
As the other runners came across the line I greeted my fellow North Down runners, once all of us were across the line we went and got changed and made our way to the refreshments.
Such a spread, which really made up for the fall, the rain, the nettle stings and getting lost.
A great reception, a great run, an overall good event which I will definitely be signing up for next year, even though I’m still deciding if the rain and wind made for good running conditions as Simon had suggested.