Ultimate Cartmel Trail Race 18K

Kevin1 wrote (see)

Also, the 'muddy' secitons on the course, is it just ankle deep or is it getting on for  a Hell Runner type bog?

Depends how long your legs are and how many folk have got there before you

The video and photos on the race website all cover by far the 'worst' bit - which is actually no more than a couple of hundred yards long.  You can see that, for most people, it was around ankle deep last year but up to calves on some others.  There is certainly potential to lose shoes but you're not going to be up to your knees in it.

To some degree though it has to depend on the weather - its been dry up here for weeks but it did rain for most of yesterday and, as Roundy says, its forecast for more tonight and tomorrow.

Looking forward to seeing people - I'll be there all day.  I'm marshalling the 10k in the morning, running the race at 2pm and will probably stick around for the post race scialising until we get turfed out at 6.

Morning folks

Will be arriving about midday and doing the main race at 2pm. Sadly I've got to shoot off straight afterwards as it's my parent's 45th wedding anniversary and need to be back for a family meal.  I'll be wearing my distinctive aqua/greenish Bournville Harriers vest though so feel free to come and say 'hi' if you see me (I'm the only BvH person there).

CumbriAndy - about how much of the course is on tarmac as I'm wondering what trainers to wear? I've got two pairs of trail shoes: the first of which are out and out off-roaders; great in mud etc but feel heavy and cumbersome on tarmac for any length of time. The second are lighter and ok on tarmac but suited more to hard trail surfaces rather than mud. What do you reckon?

<Dredges back through memory>  The following may not be entirely reliable

There's probably no more than a mile or so of tarmac though some of the other tracks are pretty well packed - in addition to the deep muddy stuff through the woods, there will also be plenty of wet grass and bare earth.  I'd probably go for grip over 'road comfort' if I had a choice, particularly given the weather forecast, but then I'd also put both pairs in the car and make a decision on Saturday when I've seen how much water is on the racecourse.  Your avatar piccie is taken at the Hawkshead Trail isn't it?  Whatever you wore there would probably see you round - I say 'probably' because I have seen folks doing Hawkshead in road shoes which are definitely NOT suitable.

If it makes any difference,  I'll be in my older pair of Inov-8 Roclites which I find very good on all terrain.  I'm keeping the newer pair back as I break them in for Hawkshead next month.

I'll look out for the Bourneville vest - and try no to confuse it with the Helm Hill Runners vest worn by the club who train on the hill over the road from me.

Hi everyone,

Sportsunday's photographers will be at Cartmel tomorrow so give us a smile. Will look out for the Bourneville vest. Sorry looks like rain which is unusual in the Lakes.

Cheers Andy

I ran Hawkshead in my Roclites (i.e the lighter of my trail shoes) and was inclined to run in these but as you say bringing both pairs and seeing what the conditions are like on the day seems the best way forward.

Well that was fun!

Marshalling this morning in the rain was a surprisingly uplifting experience - its rare we get to see and encourage absolutely everybody who takes part in any event and understand the whole range of abilities that participate.

I'm really pleased the weather cleared up for the Trail race so we could see where we were going even if it was a bit claggy in places.  Hope the runner who had to be airlifted out from the Challenge is OK and well done to everybody who stayed with him/her while the air ambulance was on its way.

Roundy - good to see you - hope you had a better journey home!

Morning Folks

I really enjoyed it too! I've never run a race with that much mud before so it was a new experience for me.

Andy - good to see you you too - the journey home was much better thanks and got back in good time for the family function. Looking forward to Hawkshead already - I usually do it with friends and make a weekend of it.

Provisional Results are up on the Ultimate Trails website together with the notice that the free photos offered as part of the race reward package will be up in the next couple of days.

Don't give sportsunday a hard time demanding their unofficial images for free - they were there in a freelance capacity and the Race Director has never heard of them.

What a great run, first time for me over hills like that but loved it, I did the hellrunner at delamere and although much less mud, I found this much harder challenge overall. Clearly went into the wrong category and ran the late event but great fun and the scenery alone was worth running the hills.

Marshals were really good

Thanks

Hey folks!-anybody fancy doing a training run around  G-O-S coast on 10th 11 May?

Please let us know on www.coastersgb.co.uk