Run the Sun, and Walk the Shade! When it starts heating up, you may find yourself on an exposed bit of trail. Run this bit, and then to recover, walk the shade!

The Hills Are Upon Us: Shorten your stride for the climbs and keep those arms active. Use them as swinging levers to help you up the hill, not as dangling dead weights. When passing on narrow sections, be sure to call out to the person in front “On your right!” or similar. The person in front should move over when/if it’s safe, but should never have to launch themselves into the bushes to get out of someones way.

Course Intersections: Be mindful when the courses rejoin. It is quite a wide trail, however, if you’re keen to pass just call out and do so when safe 😊 Something simple and succinct such as, “on your left.” That person can then make way for you when it is safe for them to do so.

Uphills and Walking: Are you one of those people who persistently run/grind up to the top of a hill… or until your lungs explode and your legs melt? Sometimes it feels pretty good doing this, particularly if you pass people on the way up. But sometimes you might just be knackering yourself which prevents you from reaching your full potential on the downs and the flats. We’re not talking about every uphill incline, but rather the hills that you have to work extra hard to get up. Consider (power) walking uphill instead with the thought, and this is the important bit, of then being able to make up more ground on the downhill and any flat bits! We’re expecting there won’t be a huge difference in the times but hopefully a huge difference in how you feel at the top and consequently how you run the next section.