July 7, 2024

Lion’s Bridge Trail Running Event

Andy Mellor reports on the 10th Lion’s Bridge Trail Running Event (7 July 2024)

I had entered this event as support runner/ cheerleader/ chauffeur for a clubmate’s ‘marathon-a-month’ challenge, but she had decided to sacrifice a functioning knee in exchange for a PB at Edinburgh, so I made the trip to Tyldesley alone.

The race registration was in the Gin Pit Welfare Club – a rather splendid welfare club with plush carpets and fragrant toilets.

This is a fairly small event with only 70 runners across a half, marathon and ultra distances. The car park seemed to be full of proper runners, resplendent in their 100 marathon club and GB Ultra running vests. In contrast, I hadn’t done a long run for over a month, and I’d just returned from holiday where my alcohol units had probably exceeded my training miles, and my diet wouldn’t have featured on any marathon training plan. What could go wrong.

The main challenge would be that the course was not marshalled – and anyone that knows me also knows that is a recipe for certain disaster. The only consolation was that it was a multi-lap course, so provided I could keep people in sight for the first few laps, I would hopefully have remembered the route by lap 3. There were plenty of arrows, but my special talent for missing them tends to render them ineffective.

As a trail race, there was plenty of mud, gates, tree routes and uneven surfaces. The laps also included a couple of road crossings and two crossings of the Leigh-Salford-Manchester guided busways (I didn’t even know that was a thing).

The first few laps were uneventful, but after lap three I had a feeling that my unique preparations for the event might not be adopted by UK Athletics. I passed the half marathon mark and embarked on lap four with a sinking feeling that my legs might not have signed up for the full distance. I also discovered that my plan to maximise the lifespan of my nipple plasters by not affixing them to my body was misguided, and my MAC vest was now making a bid to transfer to the Salford Harriers.

During lap four, I weighed up the pros and cons of completing the race. Frankly there didn’t seem to be many pros and my legs were making a persuasive case for chalking this up as a nice training 28k run. But then I remembered that at some point I would have to face MAC’s compulsive marathoner, Dan Ashcroft – and explaining that I didn’t finish the race because my legs felt a little hurty didn’t seem very persuasive anymore. Spurred on by picturing the looks of pity or distain, I completed lap 5, during which my legs and brain had another serious discussion. The legs were overruled and I grimaced my way past the temptation of the finish sign for my final lap. It was unspectacular to say the least. My nipples continued their proposals for new club colours and my legs were still a little hurty. I approached the guided busway almost hoping for a bus to emerge and take me out. As I approached the finish, a couple of fresh-looking ultra runners scampered past me.

And then it was all over. I didn’t get lost – I didn’t get run over, and my legs are still a little hurty. But a Lion Bar and splendid medal for my endeavours.

Information about the event is on Malc’s Blog, and results here. 5th place overall in 3:49

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