Hawkshead Trail 15K

surprised there's no thread for this one yet

there is now!

just put  in entries for myself and Lady Slugge

week after Easter, so should be nice and quiet for a few days camping leading up to race day...

I'm in, it's my warm up for the Windermere marathon

I think the lack of a thread simply reflects the fact that the majority of forumite attendees have progressively migrated over to Fetch.  I expect there will still be a full forum/Fetch contingent meaning that the race campsite at least will be anything but quiet.

I had to marshall last year due to injury - looking forward to reacquainting myself with the Coffin Trail 

I have a 10 mile race PB of about 1:15.  Both times I've ran this, it took me just under an hour and a half.

So, in my case - that's a 10 mile road race time plus about 20%.  I don't know if this is the same for everybody but hopefully it gives you some sort of clue as to the sort of ballpark you're in.  If you think you may struggle to get round the Trail Race in the allotted time, go for the Challenge - this is run over the same route but sets off earlier and has a much less competitive feel about it.

Be aware, as you head round the course that there are basically three significant ascents to deal with - the last one, known as the Coffin Trail, a steep set of stone steps up from the shores of Windermere, is the one that you'll remember the most.

HELP!!!

I've only ever done 10K road races and now fancy a step up and this off raod race looks like something I'd like to have a go at. 

Problem is should I be entering the race or the challenge. I do 10K on the road in 51 mins and think 10 miles is easily do-able

Up to you - as I said previously, both are run over the same route, both cost the same, the T-shirt you get at the end is the same in both cases and entrants in both have the same chance of winning a spot prize.

The main difference is that the Challenge sets off over an hour earlier and is, essentially, non-competitive.  If the goal is to get round and enjoy the scenery without having to worry about how long its taking you then the Challenge is the better option.  If, however, you're confident that you can cover the race distance within the time allocation (bearing in mind the hills and the off-road running surface - both of which slow you down) then enjoy the lie-in and do the race.

Based on that 10k time, I'd suggest that you could compete in the race.  Maybe the best plan now (with the event still over two months away) would be to enter the race, see how the training goes and, if you start to get cold feet, swap to the Challenge towards the end of March - you'll be allowed to do that without it costing anything; from memory, swapping from Challenge to Race probably won't be allowed.

Whatever you decide, you'd best get in quick - when I looked at the website yesterday, it said this was 90% full.

Look forward to seeing you there.

Thanks for that CumbriAndy.

I suspect I'm in the same boat as billywhizz.

Think I just needed somebody to say "do the race" as that's what I was thinking.

Off to the on-line registration...

See you on the 18th.

Both me and Mrs Exile have entered this one, looking forward to it.  Anyone got any course tips? 

 NE

Take it steady and enjoy yourselves.

Or, somewhat more expansively

There's a long hill near the start - steady climbing but runnable for about a mile and a half to two miles.  There will be plenty of people so it will be tempting to push on.  Then you run across the moorland and down to Sawrey where the second climb starts.  This is less steep than the first but longer and frequently has people slowing to a walk.  The descent to the side of Windermere is the steepest on the route and can be loose and slippy in places.  You'll be so relieved to get down that you'll be tempted to stride out along the lakeshore - about 2k, flat, through the trees before you reach the second water station.  Then you hairpin left and back on yourself to go up the coffin trail - nearly a mile of steep stone steps and absolutely horrible.  Once at the top you head back to Hawkshead down the hill you first climbed out on before heading across the fields to the finish.  Just to make it interesting, you will be expected to run a lap around the 'event arena' before finally being allowed to stop.

It's a great route overall - plenty of challenge, plenty of scenery and no traffic anywhere.

Please stick around once you've finished.  The finish area has been described as 'a bit like a village fete' and it does have that sort of feel particularly if we get some decent weather.  There's plenty of food stands, the kids races are great entertainment (how often do you get international class athletes happily standing around watching a hundred under 8s hurtle round a field?) and there will be a race number based draw for spot prizes donated by local businesses but you have to be there to claim a prize.  There will be a large and (probably) noisy forum/Fetch contingent happy to meet you.

Many thanks for that Andy, the coffin trail bit sounds a bit challenging   We're up there for the weekend (Fri & Sat night), so we'll be sure to stick around afterwards.  Will there be a place to stash gear at the start??

 Regards

NE

I think we're staying in Ambleside, this shouldn't be a problem though.  Many thanks for the info, we're looking forward to it - this is our slightly unconventional way of celebrating our first wedding anniversary!

 NE

First time for me at this one, so can I pick people's brains a bit?

Is it tougher/easier than hellrunner? Because the coffin trail sounds like bad news.

Also, will I be able to get parked there on the morning?

Thanks!

I'm in.

On the website it says time limit is 2 hours for the trail, but on the entry form it says 2 and a quarter hours.  Any idea which it is?? I may really need those extra 15 mins!!

Having a nice weekend down there. (So it will rain..... )

I'd looked at the results & some were over 2 hours, but they could have changed the cut off time for this year.

I'll just have to be faster then........

Old but slow - unless we get a monsoon making the field unusable, there will be masses of parking at the finish.  Not done The Hellrunner so can't offer a comparison - sorry.

Ria - if you're worried about the cut-off, may I suggest you consider entering The Challenge instead.  It's the same route, costs the same and you get the same T-shirt at the end.  The only difference is that its starts earlier and the whole point is so that there is an event for people to enjoy who would otherwise worry about being a back marker.  The cut-off times quoted are not strictly enforced and there are always a few that finish outside them - they are there mostly so that the marshalls don't have to stay out on the hills all day.

Too late. I've already entered the trail!!

I hopefully won't be too slow. It's hard to tell when you've not done the course before.............