Yesterday I managed to participate in the Conquest of Avalon event, in Somerset. For me, it is the last of a few one day events leading out of (hopefully) the worst of the pandemic.
The race, organised by Albion Running, is approximately 50 miles long, with a 30 m option. It starts at Ham Hill Country Park, weaves along the Leland Trail then the Lands End trail, in to Glastonbury. The route is steeped in history and goes up to Glastonbury Tor during the final leg : awesome.
I shared the pleasure of this day with two chaps, both seasoned long distance runners, Sean and Chris. I enjoyed immensely the company, chat, pacing, and buffers against the inevitable emotional lows. Sightings of Glastonbury Tor were magical, as was a teeny glimpse of the festival site also. We were plodding along right at the back of the race competitors : it was dark and atmospheric when we reached the top of the Tor with magnificent views of the area. Coincidentally, a Van Morrison concert was being held in Glastonbury Town that evening, so we got to run down the tor and through the town with an unbelievable musical accompaniment. I don't think this could have been planned to be a more perfect way to end the day. Fabulous.
The route accumulates around 4,000 foot of overall elevation - pretty much ouch. Five much appreciated checkpoints, also much appreciated course markings. We finished just over thirteen hours, that will certainly do me proud. For some runners, it was their first 50 miler : their finishing times, way faster than ours, are hugely impressive and something that should be shouted from the rooftops. If we can do this, we can do anything.
