I have been doing the Foxlake Winter series events for a while now for many reasons. The full Winter series comprises of 6 races ranging in length from 10km to half marathon (there is also a 5km series) across three different venues. They are wonderful events – lovely routes and so well organised but above all: a lot of fun. I have made so many friends doing these events and love catching up with everyone at each event!
Last weekend the second race in the series took place on the Friday evening…the night 10km. This is one of the most popular events in the series and had a waiting list in excess of 100 which is unbelievable for a relatively small event. This event always falls in the same week as the East Lothian Saltire Festival and this year it happened to fall on St Andrew’s Day. This means….saltire themed face paints and a chance to air the mini kilt! Great fun altogether! The route is two loops of a 5km route (more on that later!) and started at 8pm.
Friday was an exceptionally bad day weather wise…really wet and miserable and the course was a little “muddier” than in previous years. More mud = more fun in my view and at least you know you have done something when you finish caked in mud! I had a good run this year and managed to beat the boys (I was a little lucky with a few notable omissions from the start line that would usually have destroyed me along with a few that were recovering from the dreaded manflu) for first time at Foxlake. Chris Boustred was third male. Other good performances from Carnethy included Kirsty McBirnie narrowly missing the podium in fourth place with Ali Wylie in fifth, Jeremy Milne, Mark Hardy and Clare McDonnell.
Next came Saturday! The Nocturnal Ultra – this is the second year that Foxlake have held this event. The format was essentially as many loops of a 5km course (the same route from the previous evening) in a six hour period from 4pm to 10pm. At 10pm a firework would go off signalling the finish but at this stage you were to finish the lap you were on as the fireworks commenced. There were also relay teams of three in the event…taking it in turns to try and fit in as many loops of the 5km route as possible. Absolute madness and I swore last year I would never do again…and yet I entered!
A combination of wet conditions in the previous few days and the race the evening before meant that the course was extremely muddy…a week later and I think I still have mud on my legs! But the running conditions otherwise were ideal…relatively mild for this time of year and dry and calm. Rachel Normand, Matthew Curry and David Hanna were also running so I knew it was going to be a good field …and it was. The four of us took the top four positions in a superb Carnethy display! All of us completing 14 laps! I finished lap 14 with 100 seconds to spare…with the decision to make of heading out for lap 15….NO WAY! 14 + 2 laps was more than enough for me.
It was hard going and the looped nature and an overall time limit completely changed how the race felt. It wasn’t really about how many miles into the race you were…but rather how much time to go and you were fully aware that you were in control of the ability to finish whenever you felt like it! So much more of a mental battle than “normal” ultras.
Having the relay speedsters whizz past you through the event was occasionally soul destroying, especially near the end when you felt like barely moving yourself. But it was such fun going through the party tent after each loop to cheers from everyone supporting/waiting their turn in the relay. The Rave Barn on the route was brilliant fun and definitely kept me going as something to look forward to on each loop (what tune would the DJ be playing?!!). Foxlake as ever nailed the organisation and put on a fantastic and fun event – but I mean it when say that I am done with that 5km loop!!
Kudos must go to Ali Wylie who did the relay dressed as Zippy!!
Special thanks also to Ross Henderson for supporting Rachel and I and keeping us well hydrated! Active Root provided the drinks for all the events over weekend as well as some of the prizes…and even managed to pick up third male team prize on Saturday! Matt from Improve My Running sponsors these events and was there both evenings supporting and giving fantastic spot prizes of sessions at Improve My Running… I think the ladies podium shows the benefits of getting sessions with him!
Nicola Duncan