Lesley Pymm reports: Once again a Christmas visit to family in Bath coincided with the Skyline 10k – well, it would be rude not to take part! I had not done it for a few years and the course had changed and so had the organisation. This is a two lap course and there is a 5k event as well. They were setting runners off in ‘waves’, all mixed ability. I decided to go for the 3rd of 4 waves – and I think that was a good choice (there was logic to it, but I won’t bore you)!
The race started in a car park at Bath University. There were also childrens’ races, which I watched from the loo queue – so cute! The first two waves went off and then we had our briefing and we were away. Out of the car park and over a footbridge then down onto the path beside a road before going off onto a track which leads to the Sham Castle. Then it was up and over the golf course on Bathampton Down. There is a loop, so you can see other runners coming towards you at this point, and very confusing it is too. Everyone has coloured numbers which show which wave they started in, so you don’t really know if you are ahead or behind people – especially as they may be on their second lap…. Just get out there and enjoy!
There was a woody bit where tree roots had to be watched – but the really tough climb that I remembered from previous years was not in it. Back in over the footbridge, round the car park and off again. I was picking people off and did enjoy it.
There were mince pies, fruit etc at the end. This is part of a series of 4 races, which I am obviously not doing. If you are doing the series, there are inter-connecting medals. if you are just doing a one off – there is a medal with Pultney Bridge on it.
At the risk of boring you, Barrie – the logic was that the people doing the 5k all had to do the 1st wave. I knew that some of them would be very slow having just completed C25K programmes and didn’t want to have to negotiate them on the narrow sections. I didn’t want to go last as I would slow other, faster runners up – so 3rd wave was the ideal one for me! Incidentally, I found out later that I won my category.
Thankyou Lesley for your succinct report on the Skyline 10k. Congratulations on competing yet another `unusual` run. Not perhaps the best race if one happens to be colour-blind! You may be the only BvHer with a Pultney Bridge Medal. What was so special about the 3rd wave?