Inaugral Run Reigate 10km Trails

 

STORM EUNICE caused a lot of issues with trees and power lines coming down right upto the wire with Run Reigate's inaugral 10km Trails Run on Sunday 20th February 2022.   With organisers holding an emergency meeting in the early hours it was deemed safe for the event to be run as athletes began to arrive at Gatton Park.

Run Reigate half marathon started in 2014 and five years later opened their second run with Run Gatwick half marathon.   Adding to their portfolio is the new trails run.   Run Series appears to be going from strength to strength.   Great promotions, great runs and great organising.

The route is situated just below the north downs at Reigate Hill, nestled between Redhill and Merstham in Surrey. It’s a 5km loop of the grounds landscaped by Capability Brown between 1762 and 1766 incorporating the beautiful lake.   There is a Japanese Garden that was featured on Channel 4’s Lost Gardens and this week saw BBC Weather filming there due to their abundance of snowdrops.   In order to complete the course athletes were required to complete two loops of the course.

With a lot of rain overnight and high wind warnings the run went ahead. First off were the CaniCross runners, with their dogs on leads around their waists’, with sweeping runs down to the lake and running across a ford feeding excess water from the large lake to smaller ones, before going uphill on the other side.   Circling the Royal Alexandra and Albert School and going back out onto the trails.   Parts of the course were extremely muddy with 200+ athletes running the 5km course twice.

In the line up was some great efforts from Haywards Heath Harriers Oliver Farr 00:52:29, who is getting close to completing his personal challenge of 100 marathons and Michael Parish 01:02:06, who was born in Redhill.

There is a great vlog from "Here We Are Running" of the race.   If you look at the photo's above you can spot me at the beginning of the race.   Highlights are the lake, water ford and muddy bits (you have to wait until the second 5km loop to see it properly).

Click here for the Here We Are Running vlog.

 

Coverage in The Mid Sussex Times, text by me and Photograph by Oliver Farr.