Endurancelife Coastal Trail Series: #1
Coastal Trail Trial
Ian Corless / 19.11.2008
Here we go then, I will try to give an insight …
I arrived at the race base HQ at around 7:30am. Registration was really well organised. A signature on a declaration form saying basically that if you die during the event it is no ones fault but your own for entering in the first place – always a good sign. Then it was collecting your race number and then your 'dibber'.
We stood in blowing winds, cold temperatures and listened to how the course was treacherous and slippery. It is part of these events that you need to be self-sufficient. So everyone was told to carry food, liquid, warm clothing, mobile phones and basically to be safe. At 9:00am we departed from the Square & Compass Pub on an epic adventure.
After about 800m of road we jumped a gate and then it was off-road. Initially running through fields, negotiating gates, running through woodland and then in front of us a wall of grass and a backbreaking ascent to the South West Coast Path. Little did we know that this backbreaking ascent certainly wasn't the hardest on the course, nor was it the only one!
You pretty much have to go single file on the ascents and descents. Most ascents had steps built in and so therefore it was just a real physical challenge. The descents however are a little more treacherous; slippery mud, steep gradients and quad crunching pain - oh joy!
This section was like being on a big dipper at the fair; up one side, down the other side, back up, back down. The hills were filed in with treacherous coastal paths with stunning views out to sea and the rocky cliffs. At about 6 miles we had to run through farmers fields. Thick clay stuck to your shoes and made your feet twice the size and weight.
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