Race report by Dave Phillips.
Well what can I say as this was the 10th Tamworth event and I’d never done it before nor to be honest not known about it. Pity because out of all the local short events this has to be right at the top so well done Dave Williams and Tamworth Athletic Club.
The 1 mile race was for kids and started at 1000 hrs then at 1030 hrs about 200 of us “big kids” lined up on the 400 mtr. race track outside their superb club house and off we went. By 350 mtrs about 180 were in front of me but who cares?
I hadn’t a clue what the course was or where it went but soon I realised that we were in wonderful countryside. The whole course was on tarmac cycle and walking paths and tracks all through what must be Tamworth’s huge natural history woodland, open spaces, lakes, rivers and streams and parkland with loads of wildlife around the lakes. Stunning.
So after a mile where we were watched by numerous swans, geese, moorhens, coots the trail veered left and a hill started and it went on for over a mile. Hmmm I thought but at least you have to come down sometime.
Well yes we did come down but it was up and down for the rest of the course but always in beautiful countryside on the edge of Tamworth but always on the cycle and walkways with a few people and plenty of wildlife.
Throughout the run the marshals were superb and a good job there were plenty of them because the whole area was criss-crossed with woods, tracks, paths, trails all over the place that getting lost would have been easy.
Eventually at 4 miles we re-joined the outward route so a final sprint back to the track and stadium was at least flattish.
Then round the corner of the car park, onto the track and a 100 yard sprint and job done.
For the first time (ever?) there were no runners from our local clubs in Cov, Ken, Leam, Strat so why not? But I kept the red and whites alive and believe it or not there were 3 Godiva runners there!
So next year is a must.
Massey time: Dave Phillips 62.44 (for the 5 miler NOT the 1 miler !!).