Lindfield 10km - King Edward Hall

SUNDAY 22nd May 2022 was the date for the return of the Lindfield Village Run.   Having been missing from the Mid Sussex running diary for the last two years, it was good to see it return in spectacular style.

This is the fourth time I have entered the Lindfield Village Run which is a well-established event setting out two cross county runs: a 10k Village Run and a 5k Family Fun Run.   Both take place mostly on paths and tracks through the West Sussex countryside in the immediate vicinity of the village of Lindfield.   It has often been described as an old fashioned cross-country run with plenty of multi-terrain, some slippery surfaces, and the odd cow in fields!

Once again I entered the 10km course which is a tough course from roads, to trail and then across country. Athletes have to run stairs that take them up hills and down the other side to multiple bridges, even to the point jumping streams. It's a beautiful and unique run and takes in the sights of Ardingly Resevouir and College. 

Some of the route you can only run if you enter the event as it goes across private property and you need permission to do it.   I ran a part of it recently, but it was quite dangerous with a lot of exposed tree roots (this is where I had my accident recently) and a number of trees down.   I felt I spent a little time trying to climb over trees instead of running.   But that's the fun of going off road!   Lindfield had to alter the route accordingly, but it's a route they have used before and I was familiar with.

You walk away from Lindfield always feeling proud of your achievement and feeling that is was professionally organised from the start to the finish with plenty of marshalls out in the fields (quite literally).

I feel I should offer my apologies to fellow Haywards Heath Harrier, Ben, (left on the photo opposite).   He had not done the run before and asked, "Can you get lost?".   "No," I said, "It's really well marshalled and if I don't get lost then you have nothing to worry about."   Turns out he was in front, took a wrong turn (someone standing in front of the signpost) and went the wrong way for a while.   He still came second, great work.

Welcome back Lindfield.