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Reviews

17 October 2024

Race Report: Lakes in a Day

At the Christmas party 2023 we suggested to Armando that we ought to do this race and he took out
his phone and entered there and then. No going back then.
Dave Armando and I travelled up on Friday and parked the van on Cartmel racecourse registered and
took a little sustenance before retiring with an alarm call set for 4:30am. The buses leave at 5:45 for
the 2 hour trip up North to Caldbeck. It started to rain as we disembarked but it wasn’t bad so Dave
and I decided on shorts but with the waterproof top. At 8 we start and head out onto the northern
moors for the 50 mile North to South route. The route initially is free choice but generally everyone
processes in line over High Pike until the mandatory location at the river crossing. This was
surprisingly tame this year and the support from the marshals seemed overkill, the river was a lot
deeper and faster two years ago

Doug Alsop

15 September 2024

Race Report: The Woods

Bys Vyken 'The Woods' Oak (12hr) race report
The concept is simple: you have either 3, 6, 9 or 12 hours to run as many 4 mile loops of the Tehidy Woods course as you can. In my case it was making the most of the day with the 12 hour course.
This Bys Vyken event had its first outing last year and this was my first time here (having done a few of their other events). The sun was rising as we prepared for the 8am start with all the participants from across the different times (3, 6, 9 amd 12hrs) all starting together. Each of the time groups had their own 'pen' where you could store your own kit box (an addition to the drink and food provided by the race organisers). Knowing what to put in your box is difficult: packing things you may want or need and hoping you don't leave out something important, guessing in advance what you might fancy.— with Ross Buscombe

Paul Johnson

8 September 2024

Race Report: Great North Run

The biggest and the best so they say, do you believe the hype?
I'm not sure how to describe this event as I wouldn’t want to put anyone off if like us, you have it on the bucket list. Every course has its challenges, but this one is challenging for more than its course and having raced many halves we feel able to say it is rather dull and does not live up to its accolades.

Unfortunately, we felt this was a lackluster affair for those of us who, although we're mid pack, we’re too late to hear most of the pomp and ceremony that surrounded the start. The supporting crowds appear to have diminished by the time we got to start our race and with no spectators allowed near the start, it can feel quite subdued.

Debra Gibbs

1 September 2024

Race Report: Treggy 7

Not having run this race previously, I decided to do some research. This simply meant asking people, but this then led to me trying to find the elevation profile so that I could take a look at “That Hill”!
[Dun Dun Dun] (that was supposed to sound dramatic)

Clive Gibbs

26 May 2024

Race Report: Classic Quarter 2024:

This was my first event with Endurance Life as the organisers. I had run this route as Mudcrew’s Southwest Traverse so knew what I was expecting: 44+miles along the Southwest Coast Path from Lizard Point to Land’s End taking in stunning views and challenging hills (over 7000 feet of gain). It was to be a day of mixed successes and big challenges…

Paul Johnson

28 April 2024

Race Report: Beacon Beast Half Marathon 2024

This race is most definitely beauty and the beast. The race started at 9.45am, which didn’t mean a crazy early start thankfully. We all milled around deliberating if trail or running shoes were best, shorts or leggings, sleeves or vest. This time of year, you just never know. However, we were blessed with lovely sunshine the whole way round

Gwen Maggs

21 April 2024

Race Report: London Marathon

Travelling up by train on the Thursday to get to our Airbnb accommodation was a great idea, much better than travelling with maddening crowds on the Friday/Saturday and we were able to acclimatise to the big city way of life. Thus, allowing us to get to the Expo early on the Friday, and down time for steak and beer in the evening. Leaving the Saturday for restful stroll before the big day......................

Clive & Debra Gibbs

10 March 2024

Race Report: The Granite Way

Signed up for this as part of preparation for Falmouth half. Spoke to a few people who said flat. Well I beg to disagree. Not mountainous hilly like Looe but that first 5 miles of the out and back is mostly uphill. Not uphill like you have to walk it but constant.

Janet Wills

15 October 2023

Race Report: Eden Project Marathon

This is something I thought I would ever be writing 😂 Running Eden marathon has never been on my radar, I’ve been happy marshalling all these year, but this year I decided to see it from the other side. The start is downhill and it was difficult to keep to the plan, not to go too fast, but to make use of the downhill road bit to try and stay on track for the cut off times, then we turned on to the track, this is not my preferred terrain but it wasn’t too wet underfoot so was able to keep ticking along, there is a slight uphill and some steps but managed this and kept moving forward,

Jacqui Martin

30 July 2023

Race Report: Lakeland 100

105 miles. 21,000+ feet of elevation. Through the Lake District. Over 3 days and 2 nights. It was every bit of difficult as I had expected and then so much more... in fact I'll try and convey why this was the hardest race I've ever done!

Paul Johnson

11 July 2023

Race Report: St Ives Bay 10k

On the 11th July four intrepid STARCies ventured west for the St Ives Bay 10k. The race had been billed as a testing all off-road beach and dunes 10k, so after battling the traffic we were all excited for the challenges ahead. The rain held off and although a bit blustery at times, the sun shone on the assembled 123 eager participants.

Beckie Shore

29 June 2023

Race Report: Gribbin 10k

It was a great night to take part in the inaugural outing for this race which offered a little bit of everything and hopefully will take it’s place next year amongst other great races in the MTRS.
Around 50 of us gathered in Menabilly car park on what was thankfully a cooler evening than of late with high cloud and a gentle breeze. It was exciting to be running a race along a new course without that knowledge of what you were about to face. Are hills easier if you don’t know how bad they are?

Paul Johnson

17 June 2023

Race Report: TSUNAMI Ocean Trails

So yesterday I embarked on a 16 mile coastal run. This was in preparation for the 20 mile Red Rat in a month. The Rat distances are on difficult terrain, and so I figured, this 16 miles shouldn't be too bad, I've done hills, I've got this. I WAS SO WRONG! 😂

Gwen Maggs

17 June 2023

Race Report: South Downs Half

A beautiful day in Hampshire.
As for everyone else running around the country it was hot and muggy. Which would make this even more extreme! We had been warned to expect a hill climb or two. But did not appreciate how brutal this course would be. Starting off across a flat field the speedies took flight. I kept my usual gentle pace to get settled, hoping I could keep going and not be walking too soon. The second quarter mile and a short hill starts to thin out the pack. Into the woods and a narrow path sorts out the stags from the Bambie’s. It was too much, I as a Bambi, need a little walk.

Debra Gibbs

13 June 2023

Race Report: Tail Runners

I am writing this after hearing of people’s experiences of tail runners. Most of you in the group have never run with a tail runner so are unaware of just how important this role is. I still remember my first Grand Prix run which was Storm Force 10. I was quite scared as a 68 year old running her first real “race” at a distance I had never run before (as part of my London Marathon training). I willingly hung about at the end to have the reassurance of company who knew what they were doing. Her name was Juliet and she was amazing.

Janet Wills

11 June 2023

Race Report: Boscastle Scramble

Driving down to the start line in Rock at 6.20am the temperature gauge was already reading 18°C which was a sign of things to come for the day.

There were over 60 runners listed to take on this coastal marathon which goes from Rock to Boscastle, following the SW Coast Path and passing through some beautiful fishing villages and incredible parts of coastline. After a kit check and being issued our GPS trackers inside HQ (a chapel) we gathered to hear the normal safety briefing which felt very much like a sermon with the big cross on the wall behind the Race Director!

Paul Johnson

21 May 2023

Race Report: Roadford 70.3 triathlon

So my 70.3 has come and gone - A very hot day, but with a solid block of training for the full distance behind me, I knew I could finish. Then comes the dreaded weeks of man flu, tooth infection and thoughts suddenly turned to withdrawing! My expectations going into this race was wishful thinking of going under 7 hours but I was pleased to finish in 7.30.

Gareth Perry

5 March 2023

Race Report: Cousin Jack

Cousin Jack Ultra 2023 – 35 mile out and back from St Ives to Cape Cornwall
Bys Vyken’s events are brilliant and challenging; the Cousin Jacks are no exception to this. For anyone who wants a taste of how tough the Cornish coast path can be then look no further than this event!

Paul Johnson

30 January 2023

Race Report: Arc of Attrition

27th January 2023: I have woken up on the morning of the after very little sleep, the day is finally here, today I am going to try and run 100 miles! The Arc of Attrition......

Karina Bowers

9 December 2022

Harrier Helvellyn Carbon Poles

Have you ever considered using poles either for walking or running? We did and we are so glad we carried out plenty of reviews. Our choice of the Harrier Helvellyn Carbon Poles was not unfounded, and we were certainly not disappointed……

Clive & Debra Gibbs

PLEASE NOTE: Any product reviews and suggestions are personal to the writer and not a recommendation by St Austell Running Club. You should still carry out your own research etc before purchasing any products recommended above.

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