Boconnoc Multi Terrain Race Event 22 (A bad day in the office)

After what was a busy June in regards to work and holiday, June lacked in races for me. I can almost hear the little violins being played as I write this hehe!

Now having only done one race at Bude, Cornwall (Event 21) before going away on holiday to Kos I was really looking forward to toeing the start line again at an event in Boconnoc, Cornwall. Having to work lots before and after the holiday despite getting runs in, the quality of training around work hasn't been a good as I'd like to be honest. I should remain positive though take away the fact I am still running regardless.

Anyway there was an event down in Cornwall not too far away that I heard about ad fancied giving it a go. It was a Multi Terrain race around the beautiful National Trust Estate in Boconnoc and as I could enter on the day I thought I'd go give it a go. It was ideal for me as it was an evening race so allowed me to pick my boy up from pre school and drop him off to the wife at her work on my way to the race.

Event 22 - Boconnoc Multi Terrain 5 Mile Race

I was feeling good in my self for this, on my way to the event traffic was good so little stress or panic. The weather was really good with very high temperatures even in the evening. The UK was having a good spell of hot weather so I knew the course was going to be pretty dray around most of it if not all. You never quite know with multi terrain/trails how they will be under foot if in shelter of trees and knowing the estate I knew the route passes through some wooded areas.

I arrived in good time and finding the event was pretty easy well marked along the way and ample of parking which was marshaled by the volunteers from the St Austell Running Club who were laying on the event.  Registration was simple enough, the usual fill out a form pay your money with a little extra for on the day and it cost me £12. I was given my race number and off I went. Being a Cornish event, I got to catch up with my good friend and some of his Carn Runner friends as well some Mud Crew legends of Andrew Ferguson (recently smashed in West Highland Way Ultra) and Jane Stephens (recently smashed in the Classic Quarter Ultra). It was nice to chat to them and catch. Up these runners have been very supportive of what I am doing and it proves what a close community the ultra running world is.

Craig and myself

 So after the fun run for the younger runners had finished it was out turn. We all mustered on the start line for a quick safety brief. The weather was still sunny and the temperature was still very warm I would say borderline roasting to be honest. I was in two minds knowing how I am with heat and hydration to wear my inov8 race vest but I thought otherwise. I carried a Lucozade bottle with me and I knew there would be at least a water stop around the half way mark.

We set off and went down hill from the start via a tarmac section. It wasn't a long section of downhill as once we turned right along the start of the various terrains it was the start of a slight incline. The terrains changed from trail, gravel, grass and undulating underfoot. It weaved us around a section of woods and across a small river crossing. The river wasn't very deep but enough to get a little wet. With the heat it was refreshing on the feet. Soon the incline increased in climb and it became a lot steeper. The hill or incline wasn't a short one either it went on right until 2.3ish miles before eventually leveling out. By now I had gone through some slightly soft muddy patches in the sheltered sections of the woods. Despite being in these sheltered areas is was still very warm and close.

Boconnoc Estate

 I soon reached the water station, manned by some ladies and children.The kids were picking up the dis-guarded cups and the ladies were handing the cups of water out. The route then dropped down hill slightly before coming out at 3 mile mark for a short period of tarmac. Turning left off the tarmac through woodland once more along the trails. The trail was again undulating underfoot and it rolled up and down as you went, with another downhill section at the 4 mile part it was soon another climb back up as you headed toward the finish. With about 3 hundred yards to go it was downhill with the short uphill finish to where we started.

Trail through one of the wooded sections

 As runs go for me, it was a bad day. I was not feeling the love at all. I struggled even with the 5 miles. The course was great, it had it's challenges that make it a good multi terrain course and yes the weather was warm, but this was not an excuse for my poor performance. My body was just in love with it today. My head was loving it though, it enjoyed the course and the scenery. The event is well organised, well marshaled. I guess maybe my body was out of race form as it's been used to racing pretty much every other weekend up until June.

Not sure why, it felt like this for me to be honest even during the drive home I was kicking myself. Yes I have had slower times in other events some due to supporting another runner, some because I fancied just taking it easy. This time was neither it was my body holding back for some reason. I will put it down to being out of routine for now. I've another event Thursday night so will see how it goes then.

I recommend the event I was the only member from my club to go to it, which surprised me a little as it wasn't that far to go. Hopefully more hit it up next year. I am not a fan of the baseball cap memento to be honest though, the fun runners got medals and I like my bling to hang up but that's just me. I will do this one again and recommend people to do it though.

Baseball cap finishers momento

 During this event I took my first pair of Hoka's out for a test run. The conditions allowed me to get away with road shoes, so this was a good opportunity to put some miles in them.  The reason I wanted to give Hoka's a go is because especially on road runs over distance I bruise the bottom of my feet easily. I wear lightweight shoes like Saucony Kinvara's but over long distance and not being an very quick runner my feet take a pounding and suffer for it. So not sacrificing lightweight for big amounts of cushioning I chose Hoka Clifton's. They are 215 grams which are slightly light than my Kinvara's at 218 grams yet they are amazingly comfortable under foot and feel like running on cushions. They look clumsy but take my word they are far from it. I am looking forward to putting some miles in these and hopefully this will be a solution to my comfort issue. First impression for me are only positives and that the shoe seems to be a good one.

My new Hoka Cliftons

Well 22 event out the 37 target completed 15 to go. It's also getting very close now to the main event on 3rd August. Excited but nervous as well.

Thank you for reading
Owain

Event 21 - Bude Lifeboat Run - An evening in the Cornish Sun.

Hello readers,

We're now half way through the year, and I'm half way over my target goal of 37 events. With June being busy for me with work and going away on holiday (or as I call it Training Camp) there is little room for events. However mid this week, two events in the evening provided me with an opportunity as I was working days and not nights. I either stayed local and run a 5K event (one I had already run in May) or travel just over an hour away for a multi terrain 6 mile event in North Cornwall. I chose to travel for an event I had not run before as I like to try new events out.

I finished work, picked up fellow club member Jason and made our way from Plymouth to Bude. The trip wasn't the greatest, with road works, single roads and rush hour proved despite leaving early enough it would still be a little close in timings getting there. We both still had to register as we chose to enter after pre entry had closed.

Me and Jason went on a road trip

 After arriving at the Race HQ, we were informed parking was down the road in a car park with a small walk back to the Race HQ. We arrived at the car park to be informed it was pretty much full and that we may have to park even further away. Being someone who doesn't like leaving things too late, there was no way I was going even further away from Race HQ. So I found a place to park (just about) and made our way to registration. It was already very busy with the junior fun just starting and the main race runners gathering, registration was busy. With limited entries to 300 runners, by the time I got to the registration desk via queuing they had run out of numbers and had to go find some more. Obviously they were expecting only 250 runners as they found spare numbers for remainder of entrants. They had in fact 342 runners which was a record for the event. They had run out of safety pins for runners to pin their numbers on. Usually I carry my own or my race belt but I had forgotten both in the rush in the morning to get ready for work and through everything in my kit bag.

Luckily I had seen one of my good friends Craig who runs for a Cornish Club called Carn Runners (another bunch of mad socially friendly runners) who had spare. Craig's friend Vinni had some Carn Runner bib clips as well, and offered me them. So I ran in my club vest with Carn Runner race number clips. Maybe I should have a second claim with their club!

Me and good friend Craig

 The event was starting and finishing at Bude Rugby club, which provided ample facilities of changing rooms, toilets, baggage drop and Burger stall.

Fellow Muskies Darren, Jason and Joanne

 Event 21 of 37 - Bude Lifeboat Run

The event itself was a 6 mile (ish) course. It was part of the Cornish Multi Terrain Race Series (MTRS) which would earn runners points or whatever through the series if they ran all the or some of the events. As it's not part of Devon's series it didn't really effect me in that way.

The weather was great, sunny quite warm with a breeze in some parts. I didn't know to much about the route, some mentioned it was flatish. However knowing multi terrain events in the South West as I do, I doubted it would be that boring.

As previously mentioned the start/finish was located at the Rugby club where Race HQ was located and all the runners gathered at the start line. The hooter started and it wasn't long before the fast runners were screaming off. We did a half lap of the rugby pitch before leading out of the grounds and along a wide foot path along the canal/river. The sun gleaming down made it a very pretty mostly flat (it had the odd incline) route along the canal with rowers paddling a long. The path soon leads through the countryside and for the first 2 and half miles it was tarmac. I was wondering where the multi terrain was going to come into it. Not long after the first drink station appeared where I didn't take any water on mainly due to wearing my hydration race vest. I had learnt in the past in warm/hot weather that some times, drink stations just isn't enough for me.

Canal path

 Then the multi terrain came in to play! The route lead us up hill through a field, the climb was reasonably steep but it soon leveled out at the top. The ground turned from hard dirt track to a rocky lumpy one. Due to being multi terrain, I chose to go with a pair of my Inov 8 Roclite 295's instead of Road Shoes. I could've got away with road shoes, but I was glad on the lumpy rocky dirty part just to have that little bit of grip and traction.

This route soon lead us through some amazing corn type field along a track which headed towards the coast, with the sea in view it was breath taking. I think that to me is why I have learnt to slow down and enjoy races. Those going all out, focusing on PB's or trying to win sometimes miss out on the things that make events such as this type of views.

Some view!

 Unfortunately this wonderful view had to end as we turned right up well worn tractor track up another hill. By the time it was due to head down hill it was just over 3.7 miles and soon heading back down on tarmac through a farm back toward the canal. Just after 4 miles we hit the same water station as before.

We headed back along the canal path but the first part was on the opposite side to the outwards part. We turned and soon headed onto the path we started on. As I hit 4 and half miles I picked up my pace slightly, up until now I haven't really felt the run. I hadn't eaten since lunch, rushing about after work and shattered from early start also at work just made it feel a little off. However I upped my pace as I still wanted a nice strong finish. I started to over take other runners as I approached 5 miles and soon as we headed towards the last part towards the finish I turned it up. I crossed the line in just over 55 minutes which I was pretty happy with and deposit how I was feeling I had a really enjoyable run.

Finished

 Did I make the right choice of running in this event over the local 5k? Yes, for £10 I had a really beautiful course to run on, it was well organised, money went to charity (RNLI), a medal and a goody bag which included a bottle of beer which put Plymouth Half marathon to shame.

Goody bag

 It really was a good event, and one I recommend, to avoid potential disappoint next year I recommend pre entering. The event is obviously popular and will even especially if the weather is good once more may hit it's limit.

Kit choice for this event, X-Bionic Trick top, X-Bionic Running Shorts, X-Socks Speed Run 2.0 socks. I wore my Sunwise Canary Wharf sunglasses which were definitely needed. Inov 8 race ultra vest for hydration and Inov 8 Roclite 295's shoes.

So what's next? I'm off to Kos for a week and looking forward to running there especially as there are some nice looking mountain trails near my hotel which I will now call base camp. I arrive back in the Blighty at 3am to which on the way home I will be racing a 10 miler for event 22 of 37

Thank you for reading!