Entered this one with a little bit of trepidation, having seen the elevation profile on Strava beforehand... it's fair to say, this isn't a run for the faint-hearted!

Registration was easy, through the usual BookItZone channel, and only £7 (+ booking fee) to enter! It’s a relatively small field – approximately 300 runners. Race HQ was at a nearby primary school, which actually organise the race in conjunction with a local triathlon club. Profits from the race/sponsorship go to the primary school, so another good reason for taking part!

The course itself is beautiful. Starts from a local pub, along the reservoir, over the River Roddlesworth and up into the woods following the river. The first half is uphill, along trail terrain and shale tracks, and is tough going but rewarding! At the top, there’s a brief respite along a tarmac country road, before the fun really begins – a downhill section back through the woods (trail shoes and a certain amount of courage required for this bit!). Really enjoyed this though, as it was quite technical and challenging, and so much more interesting than pounding pavements.

The only downside is when you’re racing you don’t get as much opportunity to take it all in and enjoy the scenery! I said to my husband afterwards that if we get a chance to go a bit further afield for a leisurely run together, we should do this route as it was a lot of fun.

The course was really well-marshalled and sign-posted, and the marshals gave lots of support and encouragement to runners on the way round.

At the end of the race, there was homemade cake and hot drinks back at race HQ. A 2km kids race and fun run (Daffodil Doddle) also takes place after the main Roddlesworth Roller, which is an out-and-back along the reservoir.

A tough race, but really enjoyable and one I’d look to do again.