Druridge Bay Beach Trail, 26th January 2025

Lynne Cornell and Julie Cross headed to the beach for some frosty fun this Sunday:

Lynne: “I did this run last year and loved it. Conditions this year were very different from last. Last year was very wet under foot-this year the ground was frozen solid but thankfully (for me anyway) not icy. Beautiful sunny, cold morning.

I arrived in plenty of time to park, collect my number and go on a recce of the course to see what conditions were like. Relieved to find the large puddle on the northern side of the lake wasn’t there. Soon it was time to ditch all the layers and make my way to the start where I bumped into Sarah who told me she, Julie and Liz were doing the half. Looking at the results, great running by all 3 and well done to Sarah for being 1^st lady.

This year there were 4 starting waves -10k at 9.45, Canicross 10k at 9.50, half marathon at 10.00 and Canicross half at 10.05. Also a warning to the 10k runners to follow the yellow arrows rather than the person in front of you, just in case a half marathon participant was in front and you ended up doing more than you had signed up for! 

It seemed very crowded at the start, but I managed to get into a position where I could run comfortably and it seemed to work OK. Then we were off – around Ladyburn Lake and then onto the road that leads to the beach at around the 3.5k point. The next 2k are on the beach and there was a stiff breeze blowing from the south, but nothing like last year. Those doing the 1/2 marathon would have another 2 miles on the beach!

Once off the beach and up the dunes and over 2 stiles, the run was along tracks and roads through the East Chevington Nature Reserve, then back to the Druridge Bay Country Park and the finish in front of the visitor centre. Like last year, slightly longer at 6.5 miles but it didn’t matter – what a lovely run.

At the end we were rewarded with either socks, a buff or a mug type thing plus water, beer and a snack bar or chocolate. Husband very pleased to get a Mars bar!!! 

A great event-well organised and fantastic marshals.”

Julie: “If you like running, what’s not to like about this event? There are the reports of all that mud, so you might as well do a very long ultra x country and have done. Ok, so apart from the mud, what’s not to like?

It was sooooo cold at the start, and after, though great conditions for running. And a super little coffee van with the best coffee and even a gf sweet treat, which really hit the spot after the run.

Right, so apart from the mud, the cold, what’s not to like? The endless um-ing and ah-ing about footwear. Wild Deer always recommend trail shoes, and I gather that in previous years they would have been suitable on those muddy bits which were frozen over yesterday (see above: The Cold). I rather fancy nobbly soles might have made some bits more treacherous. But normal running shoes proved perfect for the hard ground round the – beautiful as ever – Ladyburn Lake, then on the long, long stretch on the beach into the breeze.

Apart from the mud, the cold, the footwear decisions, what’s not to like? It’s not a high profile, club event. Ok, I’m struggling now. This race was chilled, friendly, informal, tough, very tough when you have failed to acknowledge that when one is of a certain age one should treat 13.1 miles with the respect it merits.

And a cracking route, always something to think about and a bit of everything: lake (twice, anti- and clockwise), beach, dunes, track, lane, more beach with horses galloping alongside me – obviously no match for JC. Even the weather was kinder than feared, the rain held off. As I said, what was not to like?”

Well done everyone on your runs, especially Sarah Kerr as 1^st woman, and Lynne and Julie coming 1^st and 2^nd in their respective categories!

10k
Position	Runner	Time
137	Lynne Cornell (1st V60)	57:04

Half-marathon
Position	Runner	Time
13	Sarah Kerr (1st Female)	1:33:16
36	Chris Jones	1:39:57
77	Julie Cross (2nd V50)	1:48:15
164	Liz Denyer	2:01:02