West Wight 3 Hills, 2017

I've been quietly looking forward to this race ever since Mrs S and I booked our entries a few weeks ago. The journey there was a lot of fun - on the deck of the ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth, and from there a pleasant ride up the Yar estuary to Freshwater.

This is just the kind of race that I like... small field, unobtrusive, no razzmatazz. There were a few familiar faces there, all experienced off-roaders. We set off over a playing field, then a short length of road and then straight into a steep track, getting straight into the fun. We buzzed around the roads for a while, and then the proper race started as we climbed up onto the chalk downs. Big views of spectral clarity over the Solent, technical lumpy paths, still climbing up, and then zigzagging downhill near Alum Bay.

We had been promised a really, really steep section, and it didn't disappoint.  It was a great vertiginous stomp, hand on thighs, up on to Tennyson Down. A runner in blue ran - really - past me, gaily greeting me 'it's a bitch, this hill'. I started running as we neared the top, heaving away... and wow, we were at the top of the island, running over the top of an enormous chalk ridge.

This was the absolute business. We ran downhill, then up again to the Tennyson Monument, then a glorious whoosh all the way down to Freshwater Bay.  I looked at my watch, tried to convert kms to miles and reckoned there was about 2 miles left. Gradually gaining on Man In Blue, I was looking forward to building up some steam for a fast finish.  I felt strong and it was utterly different to the grim final section at Salisbury last week.

And the suddenly we were into a field and into a funnel and that was it! I was bemused and a bit annoyed with my lack of awareness of the imminent finish, but every moment had been fabulous.  Here are the results.  The lovely Mrs S came home soon afterwards with a huge smile on her face. A fabulous day out!