Where Bordon, Hampshire
When May 18, 2008
First Man Nick Baker 1:00:17
First Woman Julia Bleasdale 1:04:25
Last Finisher 2:08:51
No. of Finishers 258
If you ever need an excuse to let your inner child run riot then the Turbo X Trail is the race for you. Varied terrain, mud, hills, swamps – it has it all.
The trail bike demonstrations before the race were a useful distraction from trying to anticipate what might lie ahead – the course map having provided no clues as to what the 250-plus runners might expect.
Once the Klaxon sounded, a run through open fields spread runners out and allowed everyone to set their own pace, with the more reserved sitting back waiting for the real challenge ahead.
It wasn’t long before the grass became a distant memory, replaced by dense woodland and sharp turns as the course snaked its way across the military training ground.
Things soon became even dirtier, with swamps coming with every change of direction. But just when you thought you couldn’t take any more, encouragement from a smiling marshal made you dig deep and soldier on.
The climax came about three-quarters of the way through: the 'Turbo X' section. For those who thought they couldn’t get any dirtier or the terrain more challenging, a big surprise was in store. A timed 'course within a course' packed everything from the previous seven miles and then some into a mile.
The smoke-filled entrance to the Turbo X was like something out of Gladiators, and marked the start of waist-deep bogs and near-vertical climbs and drops.
The course ticked all boxes in terms of terrain and added a technical twist at every opportunity. The fine line between pain and enjoyment was met by the race organisers leaving participants wanting more.
A generous goody bag was just staggering distance away from the finishing line, as was some much-needed refreshment. In all, it was a well-organised event that offered exceptional value for money.
