Run report - Shepton Runaway Train 8.5 mile trail run

[Runnin-g]

Sorry, this is a long one & probably why I don’t post very often! 😆 I woke to quite thick fog & a chill in the air. I had entered the 8.5 mile run with a friend and my husband had entered the 3 mile walk with a friend. We walked to the start for registration. Walkers set off first but there was a delay of 30 minutes for the run. The fog was rapidly disappearing and I started to feel the heat of the sun. At last we were off, but the start was a steep uphill section 😱. I managed to run up most of it and walked the last bit to the top. A short road section and then we joined an uphill bridle path known as Rubble Lane which was very muddy. Luckily, the many feet that had already passed had flattened a pathway to one side. There was then a long downhill section through woods to a nearby village where I saw a Policeman holding a speed check gun towards me!  As I passed, I could see the speed gun was a hairdryer; the first of the en route entertainment. 🤣 From the village the route took us on a long, 2.5 mile uphill green lane, narrow in parts with limited passing places. This was the section I was most worried about but after the first very steep bit, it wasn’t as bad as I thought but I did do lots of walking. We were greeted by a bagpipe player at the top of the hill, amazing 360 degree views & a welcome sign telling us we had 2.5 miles left to run, downhill. Through fields & onto an old railway line, over the first viaduct where we enjoyed shanty singing from a local group of volunteers working on creating multi-user paths on the old railway line. One of the group was my neighbour and it was a wonderful surprise to see her! Then through a short, dark tunnel with drummers drumming at the end. Over the second viaduct, opened especially for this event and I hope will soon be reopened permanently. 🤞🏽 Then down into the market place in town for the finish. I hadn’t planned to stay for the food that had been arranged - Boxty Feast, instead we headed off to the pub with friends. It was a great run & I thoroughly enjoyed it, even managed to stay injury free, so far. Well done to everyone that ran this weekend, whatever the distance and speed, we’re getting out there & moving which can only be good. 😊

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon]

Love the medal 😂 That sounded like a lot of fun, if a little tricky in places. Well done and congratulations and please post more. We like a good read 😊

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles]

Can only be good, yes exactly, good for us all and what a great run you had

[Stephen_UK Half Marathon]

Nice report, Runnin-g. Sounds like a really entertaining run.

[Dexy5 10 Miles]

a brilliant run report, and what a great medal. I’m all for running along disused railway lines as they are nice and flat, but not so sure about those hilly roads from the start. 🥵. It sounds like a great community event with all the entertainment. 👏👏

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Wow, what a fun and varied run, and that medal is awesome Runnin-g! Well done. The entertainment sounds wonderful too.

Oh, don’t worry about long posts. Yours was bite sized compared to some, and it was great. 😅

[Cowladyrunning Marathon]

That's a great medal! I think that's a great report - it sounds a lot of fun and well done!

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Bagpipes and drummers! I want to do this run! Sounds fab. Well done to you.

That’s such a great looking medal too, very different 🙂

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

What a great route that sounds.to have been. Congratulations on a great run 👏👏👏😊

[Kevin41 Half Marathon]

This is one of those run reports that really makes me want to run that race. It sounds awesome, if a little challenging. Congratulations