DUNC’S DIRTY DOZEN
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By Duncan Charles
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The pure adrenalin rush of
running a 24-hour CrossCountry in daylight and
through darkness had fuelled
my appetite and imagination.
What’s next?
I’d taken part in the Adidas
Thunder Run 10k relay race
with 7 colleagues from RAF
Cosford. We raised £1450 for
the British Limbless Ex-Service
Men’s Association (BLESMA)
and SSAFA.
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W
hat’s next was a series of
multi-terrain races collectively
known as the “Notorious
Night Runs”. I’d have to run 12 races
during 2011 and would try to select
multi-terrain and night runs wherever
possible; so, this was the beginning of the
‘Dirty Dozen’.
Race one was the Blymhill 10km crosscountry. Many frozen puddles were about
to be stomped through, so I suppose you
could say this first race was indeed an
‘ice-breaker’! I came in at 158th from
226 runners - not great, but largely
due to a slow start, a late holiday and
carrying a lot of extra Christmas weight!
I consoled myself that, hopefully, the
weight would drop and so would the
times.
The weather was kinder for the 10km
Shifnal Gallop. As it was held around
roads, tracks and fields that I often use
for training runs I felt confident of getting
under the 1-hour mark. Being a local
event there were only 121 entrants and
this made for a quicker start. I came 79th
and my weight was now down to 75.7kg!
I presented myself at the Wyre Forest 8
Mile trail run for Race 3. It was pouring
with rain, and was the first time I’d
taken on an 8-mile run. Things swiftly
degenerated as the uphill climbs started;
they were very steep and covered in mud;
real energy sappers. This uphill/downhill,
coupled with dry/wet conditions
continued for the remainder of the
course with the final 2 miles being a long
and gradual uphill climb. By the time I
crossed the finish line, after 73mins, I was
very pleased with my 129th out of 220th
placing.
Race 4 was a multi-terrain night race a
month later. It was the first of the Rat
Race Adventure ‘Notorious Night Runs’
and was held at Henley-on-Thames. This
was also the first race in fancy dress and I
was joined by my friend and colleague Sgt
Pete ‘Trigger’ Guard, also raising money
for BLESMA. With the event being
called Horseplay, we ignored the obvious
choices and went for the Dynamic Duo
of Batman and Robin - a timeless classic!
The race was a fantastic event, over an
equine cross-country course including
large jumps, a big hill or two and a good
selection of water obstacles (some
deeper than others!). It was run in the
dark so head torches were compulsory
and very necessary. There were no
fallers and 251 finishers; Trigger came
55th and I was the first male (50+) or
“1st Old Nag!” I thought that this might
be my most memorable race experience;
however, the next one exceeded all my
wildest dreams!
To participate in the Mighty Deerstalker
10km Extreme Multi-terrain Night Race
I travelled up to Innerleithen (Scottish
Borders) on the Friday afternoon a little
apprehensive, hoping to pitch my tent and
get a good night’s sleep. The night time
temperature of -6°C certainly hampered
the sleep, even with the use of 2 sleeping
bags. I awoke to an ice-covered tent but
clear blue sky and an ever- warming sun.
The run itself involved lots of mud,
several river crossings, running up the
river into the town and two rather large
mountains, one of which involved a steep
scramble up rock scree. A total of 1705
people finished the Deerstalker, ranging
from 1 hour 16 mins to 4 hours 30. I
finished in the middle of the field, and just
to put the record straight the 10km (and
then some) was actually 16km!....
That’s Part One of Dunc’s exploits
covered. You’ll be able to read about the
remainder of his escapades in the next
issue, which sees the dynamic duo of
Batman and Robin become a dynamic trio
- as Catwoman enters the scene!
Edited by Sqn Ldr Matt Tope
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34
submit your article at www.rafactive.co.uk
35
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