"Wincle Trout Race"

Having recovered with some easy running after the Shutlingsloe Fell Race on Bank Holiday Monday the weather picked up again over the weekend for the second race of the week, the Wincle Trout Run with the finishers prize of a fresh trout from the local trout farm!

I have been racing this event for many years and such is its popularity that from an annual entry of around 30 runners the race has grown and now attracts athletes from all over the north west and the 300 limit is reached weeks beforehand.

With the temperature again over 25c this run over six tough country miles and with over 1800 feet of ascent this race has it all - a fast start, murderous early climb, river crossing, drop round the famous Hanging Stone and fast last mile descent (where I have previously broken my collar bone in an argument with a dry stone wall!) completed by a run in supported by several hundred visitors to the local fete which the race forms one of the main attractions.

Although I suffered again with poor climbing over the Staffordshire Moorlands I knocked over five minutes off last years time coming in 109th (293 finishers) in 49.57. The trout was delicious, which made for a really good end to a great day!

Weekly mileage 22. Annual mileage 597 (week 22)