Race Day Part One

I got up at 5.30am, and had a cereal bar and a cuppa tea, got into running gear, and made sure my rucksack and my transfer luggage (to the end) were correctly packed - although I had brought a pillow and sleeping bag, I left them at the hotel as I felt I wouldn't need them.

I arrived at the start point of the race about 6.40am, in order I could have more time to do final bits and pieces plus I could purchase the official technical shirt, and pack it with the transfer luggage.

I picked my registration pack, and grabbed a cappuccino, and did all the usual stuff to be race ready, and I just soaked it up with 2000 fellow runners.

There was meant to be two starts - 8am for the runners, and 8.15am for the walkers but it all merged into one start that kicked off at 8.06am.

There was a lot of congestion and stoppages as 2000 people tried to funnel into paths wide enough for two to three people, and at points one person - the biggest stoppage was at the stage where you join the Ridgeway proper that involves a steep uphill forest route wide enough for one person and ends with a kissing gate - I would say a good 30 minutes was lost due to these stoppages when your legs are fresh, and with hindsight it might be worth starting off five or more minutes later than everyone else because it is a chip (not race) time event.

The views once on the Ridgeway were impressive, and I was pleased I had taken the IPad with me to take lots of photos up until nightfall.

The final congestion was at the top of this bit where the first aid station was.