Brown Clee Burn

Photos of last year’s race, with runners splashing through a stream and blue sky behind, attracted me to this new 10k multi-terrain race that starts and finishes at Stoke St Milborough village hall. A disappointingly small field of 49 runners lined up for the start, to tackle a steadily rising 1 mile of road before we took a bridle path leading us ever upwards towards the summit. This year we had just the blue sky, and no water underfoot at all. From the summit there was a sweeping downhill on roadway, a little grass, more track and then eventually a mile and a half or so of road (so quite a lot of tarmac!). The race was won by Andrew Salt in 41.58, with Dic Evans (MV65) 5th in 51.15  just ahead of Sue D (13th, in 52.40). I came home 20th (55.18) glad to have got off the tarmac. It was a friendly, well marshalled race with hot drinks and burgers in the village hall afterwards, but too much road for me, and a week’s wait for the results.