Race the Train – Tywyn, Wales
Report by Paul Ackerley
This is a 14 mile race in which you run there and back, setting off at the same time as the steam train that travels almost the same route. The only difference being the train has a straight almost flat route, the runners have a slippery, narrow, undulating route. The area had experienced 24 hours of rain on the day before the race so parts of the course were not dissimilar to the Arncliffe fell race. The first and last 1.5 miles are on roads and the rest is on paths, through fields, etc. It was so slippery and stony underfoot, it was rare there was the chance to look up, but when I did the scenery was magnificent.
A very well organised race, with lots of drink stations, motivational marshals and ringing of cow bells. Lovely to smell the steam train at the start – such a particular smell – and then one real, real highlight. As the train caught up with me at one point, I was about to cross a bridge it was going under… I and another runner paused to look back at the train… and all the people on it were cheering, waving hands and programmes… and for a few seconds I was Jenny Agutter… we were the Railway Children… such a priceless moment, I can’t do it justice here.
Back to reality, the train beat me – it ran it in around 1 hour 48.