I like many others have often passed by the large green man at Buckshaw village and wondered why?? so when the name cropped up linked to a race curiosity started to stir. It’s a free 5k timed race every Sunday morning its got its own face book page and website for all the details.
A few Red Rosers had already done this one several times and spoke highly of the whole set up and set about my ear drums to join one of them and the words next Sunday were uttered.
I had my mind set on cycling there taking it easy and cycling home. Oh how wrong I was on both counts. Mother nature had other ideas on the nice cycle ride and provided rain a plenty and strong winds as an added bonus. Undeterred off I headed to Buckshaw.
Dead easy to find and ample car parking very close and a nice dry looking gazeebo. Glancing around I couldn’t help notice the large hill very close by with yellow race markers on it That’s still fine I’m just going to amble around
The organizer was most welcoming all they ask is you fill in an online form first and sign in the book on the day and you get your number wrote on your hand There is no charge for this one but there is a charity bucket to donate but no pressure is put on you at all and there was a large bucket of free Lollypops at the end. What’s not to like.
Onto the start line with a wet small field of runners and someone shouts GO
That damned word again and out of the window goes the amble.
Off we go on a trail path and swing sharply on to a track over a dry ditch and onto a field and into a climb (I believe this bit of field is only temp due to footpath renewal ) quite steep and turns back into trail still going up its a sharp right and back down to a sharp left and some flat on a trail footpath and up pops the green man. Another climb back up to the very top round the trig point and off back down to a fast flat tarmac section and onto the second lap.
The course is not at all flat but but is not over challenging and all sections are runnable at some kind of speed if the mood takes. Its all well sign posted en route and as you cross the finish line you shout out your number and are entered into the results along with your time and position and a free lollypop.
As I had heard the whole set up and course was most excellent! low key and friendly and I would highly recommend this one to anyone. You can go as fast or as slow as you like and simply enjoy the view from the top which is quite impressive Oh and as an after thought I forgot to mention that I WON .