The 'Full Monty'
If you feel that you should run a more gruelling, hilly and muddy race to earn your Christmas pud then the 'Full Monty' has it all (yes I know it's the middle of summer..). The setting for the start/finish is magnificent within the grounds of the National Trust's Montecute House. Parking is OK and the village of Montecute, famous for its ham stone buildings, is worth a look. There are only 10 miles and 8 hills between you and your Christmas pud - and the National Trust tea room.
Crewkerne Running Club make the 8 hills more welcoming by letting the runners know their names:
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Ladies Walk
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Horses Wood
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The High Wood
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Pease Hill (drinks at the top - maybe some Christmas music too.)
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Tinkerbubble (the spring at the bottom of the hill is Tinker's Bubble named after the tented community who live in the nearby wood)
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Witcombe Valley and Ramparts (site of a medieval village and part of Ham Hill Fort - drinks station + jelly babies.) Watch out for the chap handing out the water, he didn't seem to want me to keep running with my cup and I felt compelled to stop, gulp it down and hand it back to him.
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Hedgecock Hill (very steep and fairly necessary to hang onto the trees as you haul yourself up this one through the slippery mud)
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St Michaels Hill (with look out folly tower at the top) really slippery mud and not so many trees to hang onto. One step forward and slide back two if you haven't got your off-road shoes on...
The finish is grand, through an arched gateway and up the sweeping driveway to Montecute House to claim a pud and win a spot prize if you are the lucky sort. So how much more fun is the above compared to running around the 10k course at Burton for your Christmas pud?
There was a handful of Striders there the last couple of years, so hope to see more this year; it is popular and gets full some weeks before the race.
If you are totally amazed that I remembered all the hill names or took notes en-route, well no I cheated and e.mailed the secretary of Crewkerne Runners after the race, who very obligingly e.mailed the hill names to me.
The Dalwood 3 Hills Challenge (February)
The race starts from the lovely village of Dalwood near Axminster. The first thing that struck me as we waited at the start - was the finish. The final few metres took you through a stream to the finish line. It was a chilly, late February day with the threat of snow and it didn't look inviting. In fact it was irrelevant to consider what the finish had in store because the race organisers took a perverse delight in sending runners back and forth across various streams and rivers - thankfully all fairly shallow. The three hills were big. The lower tracks were very wet and muddy - which was worrying because that was during a dry winter.
The final hill, before the elation of running down hill into Dalwood (and that final stream) was cruel. I staggered with tired legs up through woods, through a gate to what I thought must surely be the top of the hill - no; I looked up to see runners above me another 40 metres or so higher again. It was all good fun, and a 'friendly' race; a bit like the Stickler, but wetter under foot.
I was the lone Strider at this event, (maybe some company next year?). Sadly Laura had entered but was injured but chauffeured her friend from London and myself to Dalwood and cheered us on (thanks Laura). I know she will be there next year if those injury-gremlins stay away. What else would you rather be doing on a freezing cold Sunday morning in February?
Forde Abbey Cross Country 10K
Another caper in the mud. It also involves a dip in the river Axe. I ran it for the second time this year (end of June). Everyone finishes smiling - it's just that sort of race. Hope to have some Strider company next year.
Liz Baker August 2006
