A recent race made Claire realise something important
I haven’t taken part in a road race since the Virgin Money London Marathon in April last year. It’s not that I’m particularly averse to road events; it’s just that, once I finally got round to booking in some races after my 26.2-mile endeavour, all the local ones seemed to be of the trail variety.
In that time, I’ve come to love trail running with a passion. Admittedly, I don’t live out in the back of beyond (zone 4 of London, in fact), but my local surroundings are wonderfully green, fairly hilly and contain a maze of off-road tracks and footpaths. Which means that the nearby trail races, from slogs uphill through the mud to wonderfully panoramic views across open countryside, have captured my heart, too. Of course, a hilly trail race might do wonders for the soul, but it’s not the best if you’re aiming for a great time.