Bury Ditches

Race Reports

As Part of this year’s Croft Ambrey club championship I decided to have a go at this 5.8 mile hill race which started outside the Powis arms pub in Lydbury North on an unusually warm autumn morning in late September which felt far more like an ambient day in the middle of July.

The Bury Ditches is a fairly recent addition to the local running calendar and partly organised by Mercia Fell runners and definitely more of a hill run than a fell race, I can honestly say that I did manage to run the entire route which I find impossible on fell races.

Starting on the driveway into Walcott Hall Estate, the first 2 or 3 hundred yards was on flat tarmac, the race goes over private land, farm tracks, through forestry, over the top of the iron age hill fort at Bury Ditches, along part of the Shropshire Way before the final climb and decent back to the finish at the Powis Arms.

Out of the total entry of 46 sadly only 5 participants were from Croft Ambrey but I’m sure we all had a good run and enjoyed the experience, (although it was hard to see it that way as most of the first 2.5 miles was uphill!)

The race was won by Dominic Jones of Shropshire Shufflers in 38:28, just outside of the course record of 37:04 which was set in 2012.

Of Croft’s contingent the first runner home was Neil T who must have been delighted with 24th 50:44 just 7 days after taking part in Hereford’s Running festival marathon, then there was a gaggle of Croft Runners led home by Gary G. in 27th place just 1 day after taking part in an 18* mile race over the Black Mountains! *please correct me if I’m wrong, finishing in 52:10 and being awarded 1st MV65, I finished a mere 7 Seconds behind Gary in 28th and Sam followed me home in 29th in 52:51. Tom finished 38th in 56:33.

 

1 thought on “Bury Ditches

  1. I know its a bit late to mention now but Steph Main was also listed as a Croft Ambrey runner, she finished 32nd in 54:05. apologies to Steph for missing her out and taking so long to attempt to correct my mistake.

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