Imerys Trail Marathon 2014: Cornwall's answer to Marathon des Sables!

The weather all week had been hot. Very hot. The sun had been shining, winter layers of 'Gortex' had been shed and people were down to single layers of clothing. As Sunday drew closer, I actually found myself in the strange position of wanting the weather cool down. Maybe a light shower on Sunday, please. A 26.2 run around a hilly Cornish china clay pit would be tough anyway; in baking hot sun shine it would be worse. As Sunday dawned, a colony of BATs set out from their roostings on the Bere Peninsula and swarmed across the boarder to Cornwall. At first light it seemed as if the weather would be kind to us, as it was cool, damp and a bit misty. Perfect running weather.

As we all congregated at Cornwall College , St Austell [race HQ], the tension was mounting- as were the nerves. The cool wind was still blowing off the sea and sky still cloudy. As I burn at the first hint of sun, I covered myself in sun cream anyway, just as a precaution. Took my new desert hat as well. English weather is known for its changeability and unpredictability; but we were in Cornwall, and Cornish weather has its own protected minority status!  

The Imerys Trail Marathon offers a unique experience to runners. For one day the land of Cornwall’s China Clay Industry are open to the public and the operational working sites along with land which has been regenerated from the industrial past provides a challenging and spectacular course. With only short sections of road, this multi terrain route takes runners on sand roads which will leaves them thinking they have been on the moon! Together with private farm land and picturesque tracks and trails, the course also offers stunning vistas of Cornwall’s countryside and coastline at its very best.

I had never run this event before, only read race reports, and descriptions were full of phrases such as 'moonscape' , toughest race yet' , 'hilly' and 'scenic'. All said it was friendly and well organised. I was just about to find out for myself. Five BATs were running the full; nine were running the half. We were ready. Altogether 284 taking part on a course which offered no shade.  The split between the two distances was 110 for the marathon and 174 for the half

10.00hrs, and the race began. Twice round the college grounds 'to thin the runners out' apparently, before heading up our first hill. As if on some sadistic cue, the sun also burnt its was through the morning cloud and the temperature began to rise.

Within the first two miles, it was hot.  China clay is white. The mine scape is exposed. There is no shade. The heat was reflected back off the surface. The temperature  was increasing with every step. I was feeling very glad of my suncream and hat, despite all the comments my headgear received about the French Foreign Legion. I would be running in this heat for the next 3 - 4hrs at least.

Oh dear. The scenery was, as promised, quite spectacular. It was a surreal, artificial landscape. Nothing in it was natural. It was a landscape hewn by dynamite and very large machinery. Yet it was undeniably dramatic and stunning. A bizarre, hot, alien- esque scenery. And I, along with a hardy / foolish bunch of other runners, was running around it. Over the hottest part of the day.

My sense of direction is usually pretty good, but I'm sure we were running around in circles! Maybe it was the sun. Maybe it was the pain. Maybe we really were. But we did pass at least 3 drink stations twice, that I am sure of.  In this heat I was very glad of the drink stations and the friendly faces that greeted us there. Unusually, I hadn't looked at the course profile or route prior to the event. If I had, maybe I would have had a better idea of where I was going!

As the temperatures sored, I kept thinking this is what it would be like if Cornwall did the Marathon des Sables. I had the headwear anyway.  

It was advertised as being a tough course, and it was. The heat added its own set of challenges. By the end, it was a matter of slogging it out. Finish it, I would! Of the nine BATs who took part in the half marathon, Philip King was making his distance debut and finished in a great time.  Mike Smith was the first man home with Pam Adams and Heather Smith running together to be the first ladies home, (the Imerys marked the 30th half marathon for Pam). It was PB of 30mns by Hillary as well.

For the marathon, I was the first BAT home with Rachel Wood and Dotty King being the first ladies.  Rachel and Fran Morgan were making their marathon debut. Although Rachel had actually run an Ultra [Dartmoor Discovery] previously.

Team Bat Imerys 2014 are pictured with their times.  Half marathon: Mike Smith 01.58.29, Dave Adams 02.02.03, Philip King 02.06.24, Grant Lawrence 02.17.00, Martin Head 02.19.58, Pam Adams 02.28.59, Heather Smith 02.28.59, Sarah Cohen 02.32.37 and Hilary Head 03.24.35.

Full marathon: Murray Turner 04.15.52, Paul Mingo 04.59.56, Rachel Wood 05.19.59, Dotty King 05.19.59 and Fran Morgan 05.32.42.

Full results here.

It was a hard & hilly course, but well organised and friendly event. Marshalls of all ages were fantastic and the massage at the finish was very welcome for my hot & tired limbs. And any finishing goody bag with a bottle of 'Tribute' beer is an excellent goody bag.

Thank you to St Austell Running Club for all the hard work. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even if my feet didn't.

A special mention to Paul Mingo who took most of the photo's, the official photographers who Took the one of me in full stride with desert hat and to Dotty King, who is not only our head coach, but from whom I  shamelessly plagiarised bits of this race report.