I’d signed up to the race through a transfer from a friend who had to withdraw. Switching entry was really easy and the process very smooth and quick. I was still entered as Female on the system (as a relic from my friends original entry) and asked if it needed to be changed but I didn’t hear back so assumed it was ok (which it was).

The event was easy to find and the local car park had plenty of space. Registration was in the pub and after a 5 minute queue I’d got my number. The queue for the gents in the pub was tiny but the ladies toilet queue was enormous.

The race briefing was in the park in Melksham and the start line was on the main road. The race itself started off with a short hill followed by a about 5 undulating miles through the countryside. The roads weren’t closed and there were several idiotic drivers zipping past runners around blind corners which was pretty dangerous.

The course turned back on itself roughly 5 miles in and passed through some lovely areas including Lacock. There was a short uphill section after Lacock followed by a return along the same country lanes for a few miles. The finish line was back in the park on the path. The water station in this race was roughly around the 3 and 7 mile mark.

The medal is beautiful with what I think is Wiltshire’s county bird, the Great Bustard on it. There was also a bottle of water, chocolate and some sweets in the bag and a newspaper from the sponsors.

It was a great race, the people around the route were really supportive and the marshalls fantastic. It was definitely worth doing and I’d like to enter again.