On the 22nd March Fiona Walker who works at myRaceKit, took on the popular cross country race held in Epping Forest. The 15 mile course is entirely on trail and throws in some lovely hills!
This was the second time I have taken part in this race. It is a lovely route around Epping Forest that takes in several hills on the way. It starts just a short walk to the clubhouse from Bury Road, London carpark. The start has a lovely atmosphere. Lots of different club runners, all very friendly. There was Marshalls available to direct you to the start line. I got there nice and early to pick up my number upon arrival in the clubhouse. There was toilets in the clubhouse that you could use before hand. I made my way to the start line that was opposite the club house for a mass start.
From the start the course seems fairly flat and then the undulation begins. This year the ground seemed dryer than previous years but still very muddy in places. I wore my Hoka Torrents. These shoes are made for this sort of terrain. I wanted something that I felt comfortable in that I new I could get the miles done in. These shoes are a lower profile than other hokas that I have so they were perfect for the firmer ground underfoot. A trail shoe is definitely the way to go in this terrain. I would say this course has lots of obstacles to look out for. Roots and rocks that came out of nowhere. The mud was slippery in places and quite deep too so be prepared for some slippy surfaces. After the first mile or so we hit the first hill and then it was constant rolling hills after that. The last two miles are fairly flat so you can pick up the pace in your race to the finish line.
There were two water stations on route. They were handing out water in cups so you didnt have to carry any water with you. I opted to take the Maurten Gel 100 on this race. I had two for this race and I made sure I had water at both stations. The Marshalls were really friendly and encouraging. They were doted throughout the route and there was no way of getting lost on the course. When there were no Marshalls the route was highlighted by sawdust so it was easy to follow.
The race wasn't overly busy so the route is not crowded. I met some lovely people on the way round. It is such a friendly, happy race. At the end you do not get a medal as the entry to this race is on a donation basis. You can opt to buy merchandise at the end (or online to pick up) if you wanted to. At the end there was lots of refreshments available and it was easy to change out of muddy clothes. The showers were available at the clubhouse too. I highly recomend this race if you are a cross country fan. The Orion Harriers are an awesome club and this race is very well organised with a great atmosphere. I will be back next year!