Larmer Tree half, 2018

It was an early-ish start on a wet but mild morning.  Sue Sleath joined the lovely Mrs S and I and we set off to Larmer Tree Gardens, close to Blandford in Dorset.

White Star races are in a class of their own when it comes to offbeat, quirky, don't-take-yourselves-too-seriously events in extraordinary landscapes.  Our first adventure was parking in a very soggy field where a couple of vans had been abandoned, up to their axles in mud.  The start area was low-key, with an eclectic bunch of runners, several of whom were wearing peacock-themed fancy dress, in tune with the theme of the race.  I loved the sign outside race HQ: 'Did you know: London has a marathon too'.

We set off, and I was in 8th place.  After about 1km we were slipping through mud, with the early finishers of the earlier 10 mile race returning in the other direction.  I slowly picked my way through the runners ahead until I was in third place.  As we hit the first crunchy hands-on-thighs hill I managed to pull ahead of Gregor Kazahieki and I was left wondering if I was really in second place and whether I had started too fast.

Here we go... the first hill

But I was feeling great.  The course and the terrain were fantastic.  The course was well signed but with few marshals, and I was on my own.  There was a long, steady drag uphill and I passed the remnants of snowdrifts from last week.  These remnants became bigger until I encountered a car-sized drift right in the path.  i ran into it, and was up to my thighs in snow - a bizarre and thrillingly unexpected encounter.

At just past halfway I was at the highest section of the race, at around 250m.  I ran through a long avenue of trees in thick atmospheric mist.  Then downhill and a long section of muddy field.  At the bottom we took a sharp right up another tasty hill, I glanced around, and there was Gregor, about 100m behind me.  This really spurred me on.  By now I was passing the tail end of the 10-mile runners and we shouted lots of encouraging noises to each other.  A sharp downhill on a treacherous grassy camber - I stayed on my feet, somehow - and then back on the muddy trail home.

Mrs S was waving and shouting in the final field.  I was terrified that Gregor was going to take me, and I heaved my way to the finish... but I was safe.  Second place!  I was given a box of beer and a framed picture, and the customary White Star hug from the large lady.  Here are the stats.

At the finish line, done for

This really was a top-class race.  I loved it, and felt good all the way round.  Sue came in as second lady, so it was a properly successful outing.  Excellent preparation for next week's Grizzly!

Romsey Road Runners: second best