Malvern Joggers 10k

Race Reports

On a warm summer evening myself and Jon Briggs headed over to Malvern to take part in the Malvern multi terrain 10k , a well attended event with 253 taking part with a variety of clubs from Worcestershire /Gloucestershire and beyond in attendance. Registration takes place at Welland village hall, from there it’s about a 10 minute walk to the start at the common.

With a pre-run briefing and a reminder that there’s a curry awaiting at HQ for all runners, Malvern Jogger Steve dressed in an England kit and voovoozala providing a starting rally cry, the race began.

Heading off the common and immediately onto a 1 mile road section the runners headed off. Quickly thinning out as the meandering road section gently climbs reaching a low stile, a hop over onto a single file track across a planted field. Over another stile and field to a waiting marshal, guided up and along skirting the field and across a boggy section with a well done, the marshal points you uphill onto a lane section. Looking to the left you can appreciate the views across the lowlands of Worcestershire .
A descent then brings you to a turn onto and across boggy marshy terrain rising then flattening out to bring you upon another road after a few hundred yards diverting off the road a quick trip, taking care down a steep but runnable drop, around a picturesque water-filled quarry you return after a short climb to rejoin the road. Downhill for roughly half a mile and then turning left onto a stony track approximately 4 miles in a much needed water stop ! The stony track climbs on joining back with the early part of the course, I hear the voovoozala sounding to my left and see Steve playing sweeper . Continuing up along the track at its peak a marshal directs you down a nice grassy track over a stile, along a field towards a very muddy gateway and along an equally muddy rugged track ending in a shallow water crossing.

Having negotiated the water crossing you find yourself back on the original meandering road section, less than a mile to go; when the finish line comes into view there’s time to decide on a last ditch effort or consolidation of your position. As you leave the road onto the last short section of grassy common the finish line awaits. Beyond the finish line you’re welcomed with a bottle of water, a banana and this year a morf (similar to a buff ) in green, adorned with Malvern Joggers’ logo. Last year we were given a towel, most useful.

As you head back along to the HQ reminded of the waiting curry, my thoughts are that the race is 70 percent road and stoney track, the remainder field with marshy areas, a well organised enthusiastically marshalled race and would recommend a trip to Malvern.

Three Crofters attended , Martin 32nd in 45.56, Jon Briggs 62nd in 49.27 and Stephen Jakeman in 80th 51.23.

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