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Race report for the Trail Outlaws St Cuthbert’s Way 100k
My experience of the St Cuthbert’s Way – 10th July 2021.
Distance – it’s over 100K
Trail Outlaws run a number of trail based (as the name suggests) events in the North East of the UK. The events are always friendly, without pressure and the emphasis is having fun out on the trials.
Firstly, my experience of some elements of the event probably wasn’t a normal race day experience in view of the fact that we are slowing exiting COVID restrictions and provisions. There was also an added issue for Trail Outlaws to navigate with approximately half of the event taking place in Scotland and half of the event taking place in England (and the variance of restrictions).
Also another little point of note, they don’t take your bib numbers at checkpoints and the tracker is doing all the work so if you want to run straight through you literally can run right through.
Registration
On the Friday evening, between 6pm and 8pm registration was open in Wooler (Wooler is the 45.5 mile point of the 100k and the finish of the 45 miler). A super fluid process, grab your number, move along to pick up your goodies and then shimmy a little further along to have your tracker attached. This year there wasn’t a full kit check due to regulations. I did take my pack in with me which allowed my tracker to be popped on their in readiness for the next morning.
Race Morning
There was only 2 portaloos at the start point. I get that these are a cost and that they do have limited use on the basis that people won’t be around there very long. There was quite long queues. Not a critisim at all – just a heads up to get your butt into the queue nice and early if you’re a pre-race pee-er.
There was one little issue with the start, again not a critisim and these things can’t be helped but there was a delay in the coach that was transferring some people to start line and there was over 40 minutes delay to the start time. Which is usually totally fine as checkpoint times could be extended, ALL BUT the last checkpoint on the 100k as that would compromise being able to return from Holy Island with the tide times. Unfortunately, it seems that one runner feel victim to this delay. My heart breaks for her if this is the case. She had done the whole of the race up to that last point and the delay in starting had impacted her ability to finish.
Let’s Get Going
The race starts off with a little meander through Melrose.
Then you hit a narrow single track to take on your first hill. If you’re interested in eating that hill up for your breakfast then I’d suggest that you need to get your positioning during the initial half a mile through Melrose as passing, particularly initially, would be very restricted.
If, more like me, you know setting off too fast would have a huge impact to your race then it’s certainly a hill to walk. It’s a lovely hill, going through the middle of two Eildon hills. Dropping down from the first ascent you head into a gorgeous little woodland. Through to the first checkpoint your terrain is now fairly flat – along by the river, through lovely woods and a very pristine golf course.
The course remains fairly flat and totally runnable up to Checkpoint 3 (other than that first climb.
Morebattle is your checkpoint before hitting the middle section of the route which houses the hills. Truly stunning, beautiful ascents made completely worth it by the surrounding views. BUT all the same, it’s climb time. For most runners I would say that this middle section is going to see a slowing of pace (and for me there was certainly lots of power hiking the hills).
Before Yetholm there’s a little section on the road before taking a right onto a track and then beside the river. A lovely little stretch.
Town Yetholm is an epic additional place to have people met you if you have a crew/friends and family following you along the route. It’s right between 2 of your biggest ascent times of the day. Having a little refuel and a lift there is great. It might feel that it’s not far from other checkpoints but I know that it was one that was appreciated by me.
Checkpoint 4 at Hethpool isn’t accessible for your crew/friends/family at the site of the checkpoint as it’s on a private road although there is a little area to park at the end of that road and also on the direction that the St Cuthbert’s Way heads there’s a little parking area around 1/2 a mile after you join the road that seems to be a walking/picnic site.
You’re then up again and onto your last major climb of the day. There are a couple of boggy sections at the top of this climb but nothing you couldn’t get around during the 2021 run and keep your feet relatively dry.
Dropping down then into Wooler. There’s one little area that will absolutely make you curse St Cuthbert where the designated route takes you around the edge of a field (there’s one earlier the day that’s similar too) despite that you can see the gate and a direct route across the field (I can confirm that I am a good honest girl and stayed on the designated route).
When you come into the Wooler checkpoint there is a little out & back to the checkpoint which adds a little extra to your route for the day although toilets and drop bags are available there. I don’t think that there’s anything stopping you running through and keeping on keeping on if that works for you.
Wooler to Holy Island seems to be a nice flat part of the course, it’s rolling (perhaps even undulating in places) and on tired legs some of those climbs, whilst often not steep, feel long and relentless.
It seems like an age before you can actually see the sea. I know that it was a sight that was truly welcome for me and one I’d been (perhaps even frantically at times) searching for and it did seem to take longer than I anticipated to appear on the horizon.
Your last checkpoint is just before you cross the A1. From there there’s a couple of miles before you hit the causeway.
The causeway is 3.5 miles from the finish – I can confirm that that is “not just a parkrun” and actually feels like 55 gazillion miles. Long straight stretches can make it feel like you’re getting nowhere fast (I actually wasn’t getting far fast by then but that’s another story).
The course is more than 100k but who’s counting
And the finish – such a beautiful sight!
Would I recommend it – ABSOLUTELY I WOULD. It’s a beautiful route, with stunning views and all manner of different terrains and scenery. It’s well way-marked. There’s beautiful souls out on the course – both runners and volunteers. AND who does’t wanna have the little added pressure of not being able to get to the finish if you miss the tide time.
Holy Island = I ❤️ you
AND Northumberland = you’re even more stunning than I already knew
That’s not to say that I didn’t call St Cuthbert some unsavoury names along the way and for that I beg forgiveness – BUT if you’re ever put in charge of planning a route that may later become a pilgrimage then do consider some more direct routes in places.
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