Race Date: Tuesday 1st August 2023
Race Report by: Cara Hanson

Looe Summer run is a 6-mile trail run which is part of Looe carnival week organised by Looe Lions and all profits go to their local charities.

Looe is a beautiful fishing town on the south coast of Cornwall, my dad moved down to Looe nearly 30 years ago so I’ve spent a lot of time there. This year we decided to have a week’s holiday staying with my dad . Our stay coincided with the week-long Carnival so there was plenty going on, obviously I had to enter the summer run on the Tuesday evening (as well as Tug of war on the beach).

The race start and registration was at the new location of the Mill pool centre in West Looe and a 10-minute walk from my dad’s. Registration was quick and easy so I had half an hour before the start.  I was surrounded by local club runners who’s warm ups made my race pace look like a slow jog even the kids were doing a full-on RAMP warm up in prep for their fun run. I definitely missed the presence of fellow striders as I had a little warm-up jog.

Time for the race to start and we were treated to a downpour of torrential rain and no sign of the race starting, I soon learned that the start was delayed by 15 minutes while we waited for the tide to go out a little more. Finally, soaked through to our bones and amazingly not a waterproof jacket in site (everyone knows ‘vest is best’), we were off!

The route heads out along West Looe Riverside and then through the beautiful Kilminorth Woods with plenty of ups and downs along the way (about 900 feet elevation gain).

It was a tough route made harder by all the mud and streams we were running through. Even the small road sections were tricky with the trail shoe/wet road/steep decent combo but adapting my running style to resemble that of a penguin I managed to overtake a few people (who would then pass me again on the uphill’s).

I really enjoyed the race. It was so refreshing running in the rain and the route was lovely.

First lady was Lisa Picton of East Cornwall Harriers in a time of 45:51. First male was Alan Barker also of East Cornwall Harriers in a time of 38:20.

I was the only Strider and finished in a time of 55:29.