2 race weekend

I ran 2 races last weekend 29th and 30th November.

 Moors And Dales Trail Races (MAD RACES)

Don’t Stop Be-Leafin 5K Dash

29 November 2025.

This was the first event for the recently revived MAD races, old name new event team.

It was at Kiplin Hall.

It was a chilly damp morning. Registration was at 9 am for a 10 o’clock race start. The route has been changed due to flooding the day before but was last minute returned to the original route due the the lake sinking back into the lake.

The route started with a grass incline, and this ran us around the parkland, and through the woods before the lap of the lake and back u the grass incline to the finish.

There were a couple of hiccups on the day for the event team, but before long all the runners had finished, and we were warming up in the café with a hot drink and flapjack which was included in our entry fee.

I finished in 29:25:60

 

Running GP Croft Motor Circuit.

Run through Events.

Sunday 30th November 2025.

There were 6 different events on the 2.1mile tarmac race track available and each had its own start position on the track and time time.

Marathon – 9:00

20 mile – 9:15

Half Marathon – 9:45

10 mile – 10:00

10 km -10:15

5 km – 10:30

I picked the marathon. I arrived at 8:00 on a cold bright morning. It was quiet with only a few runners around; most were keeping warm in their vehicles. At 9:45 the warmup started, I don’t normally partake in these things, but I was freezing and needed to warm through a bit. After the warm up we were walked to the start point. There were quite a few icy patches on the course but the sun was coming up. We were instructed to keep left and make sure that we passed the timing scanners on each lap but that we were responsible for ensuring that we completed the 13 laps. There was one water station on route.

I soon found my self at the back of the pack of 49 runners. It’s a fast flat course and attracts fast runners looking for a fast time. I just wanted to finish, faster than last year would be a bonus. Soon the 20 milers joined us, and the track became increasingly busy with each race start and then gradually emptier as the shorter races competitors finished.

I counted through the laps. By 2, my gloves were off, by 3, my jacket was off, I left it at the water station. My legs don’t do well with repetitive, first my lower left leg started to ache at around 4 laps, then my left hip flexor and finally my left glute, I kept on moving but it was mind over leg. On the last 4 laps the course was quite empty, I pushed on in the chilly head wind. I just wanted to be finished. For the last 3 laps I put some music on for distraction to my aching leg. I collected my jacket on the last lap, and ran as hard as I could for the end. I was so relieved to finish my marathon/ultra number 144.

This is a good event for being inclusive, just pick your distance and run.

I finished 40/49 overall, 8/10 female and 2/2 in FV55 age cat.

My time was 4:48:19, about a minute faster than last year.