On Sunday 8th July I took part in the High Weald Challenge, a slightly longer than a marathon organised by those lovely LDWA chaps, so there were runners and walkers.
If any of you have done these challenges before, like Gatliff or Winter Tanners you’ll know that there are about 8 pages of instructions of self navigate through the countryside, punctuated by a couple of well stocked checkpoints. Entry was only £8 so no medal, t-shirt etc. I use them as good honest training runs.
So 30 degree temperatures and frankly the most overgrown paths and fields meant slow going. At one point, over 2km round fields of pernicious 10ft high weeds, brambles, nettles and thorns. Lots of people got horribly lost. 2800ft of Weald hills around Goudhurst, Cranbrook and be Biddenden later, with scratched and blood soaked shoulders from the myriad of thorns…..it must be like Berkeley marathons!
I handed in my race card at the finish in 5 hrs 45. I don’t thing I’ve run a slower marathon, even at the back end of a 100. Only 67 finishers including sons very good members of the 100 marathon club. 1st finisher…me! 5.45. 1st lady Annabelle Stearns 6.03.
A lovely day out for a low key but challenging event.
Rob Jones