Race date: Sunday, 14^th October 2018

This bijou trail half marathon is a Time2Run production, I think in its first year.  The Canal & River Trust operate the truly spectacular boat lift which resides in Victorian splendour near Northwich in Cheshire.  If you’re ever in the area, go and have a look.

The half marathon consists of two circuits of a great variety of tracks ; I thought that it would be a bit dull second time around but far from it.  The scenery ranges from open canal side vistas to atmospheric woodland, all accompanied by easy on the eye autumn colours.  Great.

Owing to the small field, the start was a very friendly affair with none of the customary  jostling as everyone had space rather than having to impinge on somebody else.  The finish (the start from the other side) was equally personal with an almost individual hailing of the fact of survival from the chap with the microphone.  Also great.

The tracks themselves are mostly level and very forgiving; even the tree roots behaved (ie by not being slippery, inconveniently close together or of the lethal person ankle trap design).  The tracks were well marked and navigation errors (easily possible in dense woodland) therefore limited.

Have I mentioned the rain?  Like every other race today (apparently) it rained.  And rained.  Not all the time but there was certainly enough of it; even my posh Strider number clips were so wet they hadn’t dried a couple of hours later. Haven’t dared to look at the (essential in these conditions) trail shoes.  Crucially, there was no breeze and it remained an about 10^oC throughout.

It is interesting that runners, including me, put effort into avoiding puddles as if going through them would get them wetter…!  Other runners included a couple of Wingerworth Wobblers who were making good progress and a chap from Bolton running his first half; he thought he’d do 2:30 but in fact made it in 2:05.  Great result.

163 runners got wet, with Carl Krystek of the Stockport Tri Club surfing home first in a good 01:19:29.  Jemma Bell was the first lady home, in 01:30:38.

The Results seem to show just one Strider ran; if any others surface (sorry) they will be added.