Sway 5, 2017

This is a delightful local event, run by the Sway village carnival committee.  Wilverley Plain and Enclosure is a pretty corner of the New Forest, Mrs S and I headed off this morning to try the race for the first time, with Finn as official cheerleader.

We had an cheery send off.  'Have a good race!' called the starter.  'It's a race??' called someone from the crowd.  The first half of the route was all quite familiar as a combination of the local parkrun and RR10 races. Very quickly I found myself near the front and behind Russell Wynn from New Forest Runners.  After a mile or so I found myself closing the gap.  I edged forwards and took the lead, nervous that Russell might know the course much better than I and have a cunning plan.

Up and down along forest paths, on my own, marshals waking up from boredom as they saw me.  It was a super course.  Just over three miles in, I emerged onto Wilverley Plain, which I had assumed would be an actual plain.  It wasn't.  Down a long sandy track into a valley and then back up windy, tussocky paths.  I was dreading the tap of feet behind me and I ploughed on.  Back on the plain proper, it was a long drag to the finish line, and I staggered home in first place, before collapsing in a state, Finn asking if I was OK.  Mrs S, despite feeling low-energy, did a blinder and was 11th lady. 

Here are the results - I finished in 30:23.  Here are the Garmin stats.  A lovely, low-key, local race.  We'll be back!