Box Hill Fell Race – 23 Jan 2010
It is over a mile from registration to the start of this race, which as another runner pointed out at least ensures you do a bit of a warm-up (especially if you cut it a bit fine with your arrival time, as I did – memo for next time: the last 10 miles of the drive are very slow!). The morning was fine, but slightly misty, and the course was, not surprisingly, quite muddy.
The race starts with a long, steep climb and as soon as you reach the top you turn right and come down again, just as steeply. The next ascent is at a lesser gradient, but the ensuing descent is extremely steep, followed by a brief flat section and then what I felt was the hardest climb – there was little running to be seen at this stage, at least not in my part of the field.
The middle third of the route is more gently undulating, but tricky underfoot in places, leading to the descent of some steps, where I found it very hard to establish a rhythm. This leads to the last big climb, after which there is a descent which includes squeezing under a fallen tree (some apparently claim it gets lower every year, but could that just be the ageing body finding it harder to bend?). A final short climb (with some more steps) leads to the final highly enjoyable descent (somewhat reminiscent of the Butser finish).
My time, for 7.5 miles with around 1700 feet of ascent, was 66:50, which gave me 65th place of the 214 finishers. It says something about the toughness of the course that my time was about what I would expect for 10 miles on the road. Back at the event centre, the bar was selling sandwiches, pasties, tea and coffee. Oh, and the amber re-hydrating fluid.
Overall a great event, and for a bargain £5 entry fee (it is a no frills event, with no medals, T shirts or whatever to push up the costs. And of course no police to pay!). It is also a very popular race, with the entry limit being reached around New Year. I was the only Stubby in the race – perhaps others may be tempted next year? Graham James.