On the Herepath path

The nights are drawing in and the clocks fall back an hour on the weekend of race number 22 of the Somerset Series to be staged in the Blackdown Hills and the Halloween horror of the Herepath Halfish Marathon. I had entered this race last year but decided to run the Stroud Half instead but after running the Piddle Wood Plod in the Summer I was keen to make amends and run it this year. The only preparation I could think of for this arduous trail race in the Quantocks would be the Pyjamarama Park Run. Obviously a 5k run wearing a ladies nightdress carrying a teddy bear perfectly replicates the hills, woodland and mud of Herepath.

Unfortunately Madame Pompomadour was unwell and unable to fulfill her civic duties as the Harriers cheerleader and left the drivers with no car key custodian. The road trip was a reduced party of Adrian Smith, myself and genial host, Ian Yoda Booth. Chat consisted of England’s sensational victory against the All Blacks in the rugby World Cup semi final and Yoda’s encyclopaedic knowledge of the course we were about to run.

We rocked up at race hq, Thurlbear Primary School, and met up with the other Harriers Ian Waude, Timmy Byrne and Paula Hopley. It was a real surprise to see Paula as we thought she would be running in Shepton Mallet and this might be a little out of her distance range. Weather was really good after the previous day’s wind and rain at Park Run. Although chilly, the sun shone brightly on a beautiful Autumnal day. A huge feature of these kind of races is the fabulous array of cakes which regrettably I can’t dig into to before the run.

The race briefing was clear and concise before being led out and released into the woods. The first 6 miles were constant climbing. Running through woods with the dappled sunlight momentarily blinding and then returning to shade, ankle deep mud and exposed tree roots but the view at the summit was magnificent and made the all the hard work worthwhile. The road sections, after running on soft ground, I found excruciatingly painful on my back, hips and knees. More proof if it was needed that I’m an old bugger. The final couple of miles consisted of a boggy trek around a field and a technical assault of more woodland, a bit more bridle path, a huge puddle and some road.

The course record was broken and the Harriers put in some great performances. Little Timmy was first in an incredible 1.47 followed by Ian Waude, Myself, Adrian, Yoda, and best of all a smiling Paula. I watched her as she picked up her finishers drinking vessel and then the change on her face to elation as she won a spot prize of a can of gin and tonic.

Often during races I found myself immersed in a song that reflects the way I feel at that point in the race and during those last few miles Running on Empty by Jackson Browne was that tune as I felt completely spent, and coincidently the first thing that Paula said as she approached us was that she was ‘running on empty’. Great minds, eh.

Overall I found the Herepath Half Marathon to be a terrific, if tough with over 1200 feet of climbing, race which is well organised and brilliantly marshalled.