Successful vert hunt!

I found it. My trip to Church Stretton this week was a success. The out and back route I made has MORE vert per mile than Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc! It’s about 6 miles with 2500 feet of vert per out and back. Lots of steep pole hiking and obviously steep descents. As the race gets nearer this is as specific as I can get which is perfect! The photos don’t do the hills justice.

Looking up Caer Caradoc 

Looking down Caradoc, The Lawley in the distance 

Downside is that it’s about an hour drive. So when the time comes I’ll need to see if it’s cool for me to leave before the kids are off to school which I’d guess won’t be a problem. So I’m psyched! The route goes up and over Caer Caradoc and then up The Lawley. Two giants hills outside of Church Stretton. I’ve ran then before as they are part of the Stretton Skyline fell race I ran around 9 years ago. There’s another two hills  next to Caradoc called Hope Bowdler and the Ragleth that can be added in as well for variety. 

One cool thing is next to where I park there’s a “contactless cafe!” A shed with a espresso  machine and a refrigerator carousel vending machine in it. All contactless. Super rad. There’s even dairy free ice cream! 

Yesterday I was scouring the internet looking for training ideas for crazy huge mountain races like UTMB and came across the Hardrock 100 in Silverton, Colorado. An old school classic mountain ultra that is even more difficult to get into than Western States or UTMB. Well guess what race is a qualifier? UTMB! So if all goes well in August fingers will be crossed as I throw my name in the hat for that! I just can’t stop!