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Thread: New AL race in Shropshire

  1. #1
    Master Dave_Mole's Avatar
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    New AL race in Shropshire

    I'm sure the RO won't mind me putting this on here....

    there's a new AL race in Shropshire, the first running of which will be on Sunday 14th May. The South Mynd Tour and visits some parts of the Long Mynd not even Mercia Fell Runners have reached. It's a scenic 23km (14-ish miles) with 1270m of climb (4160-odd ft) and is a bit of a brute. Lots of it is very runnable and there is a degree of route choice, right from the start. Details and a map can be found here:
    http://www.merciafellrunners.org.uk/node/2839
    go, on treat yourself to another day out on the Long Mynd.....
    ....it's all downhill from here.

  2. #2
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Hi Dave, I should be at this one.

    Very interesting start, I was at the campsite on Sunday for the Mynd Dragon, and was contemplating the initial ascent (I think via Ashes, reversing the LMV route, tough start but I won't go astray), and I dare not even contemplate CP1-CP2, think I'll make it up on the day!

    Looks the makings of a great race.

  3. #3
    Senior Member RaceTheSweeper's Avatar
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    MrRTS will be at this one. Beau dog and I will be out on the course somewhere shouting encouragement. Maybe will have to be on a CP as looking at the course they could come from blooming anywhere. Super looking race :-) Well done Mercia!

  4. #4
    Master PeteS's Avatar
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    Ooh that looks like a fun day out - not sure I can make it though so hope its a success and on again next year.
    CP1-2 will be a bit of a shock to the uninitiated but what a great run in from Pole Bank down Ashes Hollow (if you have anything left in the legs by then!)
    Pete Shakespeare - U/A

    Going downhill fast

  5. #5
    Master Dave_Mole's Avatar
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    Ashes Hollow is the slowest alternative to the finish, Pete
    ....it's all downhill from here.

  6. #6
    Master PeteS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave_Mole View Post
    Ashes Hollow is the slowest alternative to the finish, Pete
    Sshh - don't tell everyone! ;-)

  7. #7
    Master Dave_Mole's Avatar
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    message from the RO:

    SOUTH MYND TOUR
    10am Sunday.
    Registration at the back of the Ragleth Inn.
    Car park in a field immediately opposite the Minton back road. We'll sign it clearly.
    Please use the Pubs Loos - do not use the camp site WC!
    Presentations at the Ragleth Inn -held as soon as we get the results through after the race!
    ....it's all downhill from here.

  8. #8
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    Looking forward to it... Plenty of variety and route choice...

  9. #9
    Master Travs's Avatar
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    What a fantastic race this was. Shropshire races are always great, and usually very tough. I can totally understand why runners based in the north don't often venture this far south, when they have such great hills on their doorsteps, but they really are missing out, and fair play to those that do come down.

    A very interesting start, with the field splitting in two opposite directions, some taking the runnable line, and others, including myself, taking the direct route. I fairly hared up the first half of the climb, but on seeing the likes of Pete Vale only 30 yards or so in front, I decided I was going way too hard and settled into an easier rhythm.

    Then came the major route choice of the race. Unfortunately I neither took the up-and-over route, nor the contouring route, and instead made up a haphazard zigzag across the valleys to the next checkpoint. Lesson learnt: make your route decision and stick to it.

    The rest of the race up to the final checkpoint was either on a fixed route, or fairly obvious in terms of route choice, and I set about regaining the places I had lost on the previous section. Unfortunately I then let a few of them go again on the final section of route choice. Attempting a crafty contour round to the final steep descent, I went off memory rather than checking the map (which was actually in my hand), and made rather a pigs ear of it, then doubled back to the big path and resumed my trudge down the Stretton Skyline descent.

    33rd. 2hrs44..... A pretty remarkable set of results. In comparative terms to the race winner, I had my best race since 2015, yet finished in the bottom half. I'm usually a good 5-10% further down on time, yet rarely finish out of the top half, so it was a fast race today.

    Slightly disappointed that I made two route errors, probably costing between 5-10mins in total, but overall very happy with my running. Was fearing a complete breakdown on the long running section in the second half of the race, but held it together adequately. Ascending was once again my strong point, and apart from a very cautious first descent, I was fairly happy with my downhill running.

    It's a great course, in terms of character, length and severity I think it fits midway between Long Mynd Valleys and the Stretton Skyline. If you're a "glass half full" you could say it's shorter than the Skyline, and the climbs are a bit less severe than LMV. If you're "glass half empty" you could say it's longer than the LMV and the climbs come at you quite thick and fast at the start.

    Hello to DaveMole, Tindersticks, and Nigel RTS, good to chat briefly at the start.

    Pete
    Last edited by Travs; 14-05-2017 at 05:52 PM.

  10. #10
    Senior Member RaceTheSweeper's Avatar
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    Well done everyone! MrRTS said he had great fun. He said nice to meet you all. ........ & the blooming results are out already! Now that is 1st class. The hubby came in 15th (his 8th race of 50@50) so he was pretty chuffed with that. http://www.merciafellrunners.org.uk/node/2923

    :-)

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