Review of 2009 Wyre Forest 8

by Mark Coyle

We took the M42 around Birmingham leaving at junction one joining the A38 then the A491 before following the A456 through Kidderminster and past the West Midlands Safari Park. We then followed the brown road signs (with a picture of a tree) for the Wyre Forest Visitor’s Centre which you will find on the right hand side of the road. The race instructions told us to park at the pub on the left hand side just a few hundred yards further down the road and walk the very short distance back to the start. We arrived approx 20 minutes before the race started and found the pub car park to be full and were directed back to the visitors centre where squeezed in without too much trouble. The race starts – and finishes - at the visitors centre so you haven’t got far to walk to the start, or stagger back to your car at the end. The visitors centre also has toilets available and a local running shop had pitched up a small tent flogging bits and pieces that you may have forgotten.

The Runaround Wyre Forest 8

The 2009 Runaround Wyre Forest 8 was the 13th consecutive year that this popular off road event has been held by the Amazing Feet Running Club. The starting point is the Wyre Forest Visitor Centre, Callow Hill, Bewdley, Worcestershire. Race entry was a very reasonable £6 and for this you get a well marshalled event – some marshall’s patroled the course on mountain bikes – a post race goody bag containing a medal, and a most welcome mars bar and bottle of water at the finish. There are mile markers and one water station just after half way point. More details and information can be found on the Amazing Feet website at http://www.amazingfeet.co.uk/.

If you have a penchant for cross country then this baby is for you. If you like mud then this race is for you. If you like your hills then this race is for you. If you like your hills muddy then this race is for you. If you like……..well, you get the picture. Lots of hills, lots of mud and – actually – a lot of peace and quiet can be found on the forest trails and cross country sections that combine to make this challenging course thoroughly enjoyable, although you can certainly forget about PB’s on this one.  Mainly because the distance for the new course – first ran in 2008 – is a rather bizarre 8.42 miles.

Obviously it’s a traffic free course although you have to share the trails with other park users, such as dog walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders, although space doesn’t appear to be a problem as race numbers are limited to around 350. The course was recently changed and the new course record now stands at 49.59 for men (Dave Mansbridge, Telford AC) and 56.21 for women (Emma Goodenham, Malvern Joggers). I noticed that Sphinx’s Graham Birch won the inaugural race back in 1997 and that Godiva’s Jayne Mumford was first over the line for events first three years from 1997 through to 1999.

Six Sphinx bods gathered at the start line of this year’s race including Myles and Ian Davies, Bryan Pears, Darren Handley, Jackie Stuart and myself.  From the gun the route meanders for a mile or so down hill along a wide trail leading from the visitors centre. Reaching the bottom you are directed over a wooden bridge which crosses a wide stream before you are marshalled sharp left off the trail and down along the bank of the stream. What follows is a stretch of cross-country that traces the water for around a mile to a mile and a half along a rutted boggy track which widens and narrows randomly.  Its strength sapping stuff designed to soften you up ready for the remaining 6 miles or so which can only be described as “undulating” at best, a term I’ve learnt to view with a huge dose of suspicion down the years. Their must have been down hill elements to the next six miles but frankly my recollection of them is somewhat hazy to say the least. I do recall on a number of occasions glancing up to my left through the bare forest foliage while gasping for air only to spy glimpses of fellow runners hunched over as they continued the upward struggle.  It was no surprise to find that the finish was atop a particularly steep climb where a sprinkling of spectators urged and clapped you home. This is a well run event that certainly represents excellent value for money. It’s certainly a challenge but the scenery and the fact that it is off road i.e. traffic free more than make up for that. I’ll certainly be back next year if not before for the July half marathon.