Boconnoc 5 - a downpour adds excitement to the final MTRS race of the series

Boconnoc 5 - the final race of the Cornish Multi-Terrain Race Series and one of my personal favourites! The race follows a nice hilly route through the picturesque forested Boconnoc Estate with pleasant helpings of mud along the route, no matter how dry the recent weather has been. Rather uncharacteristically for the weather of late, grey gloomy skies loomed over the start line, heralding rain which arrived 10 mins into the race and made it all the more exciting. The race starts with a fast downhill section on tarmac down to the lower part of the estate, before runners are directed off onto an uneven grassy track lined with vegetation into the woods. Shortly after a fun stream crossing, runners then commence a long uphill slog to the highest point of the race, never particularly steep but it's important to pace yourself correctly. Once at the high point, it's back onto the tarmac for a fast downhill section before once again being directed off onto a rough forest track to begin an exciting undulating section through the woods. By this point the rain was really coming down and the ground underfoot was being increasingly slippery and muddy at an alarming rate - no doubt disastrous for the unfortunate few who had started in road shoes. A really fast exhilarating downhill adds excitement around the 4 mile mark, before runners turn a sharp corner and are greeted by a fairly brutal steep climb on rough track back up to the road leading into the estate. The final straight involves a nice fast downhill sprint with an uphill kick back to the finish. Great race to finish the series with!