Discover everything you need to know about before running in the British countryside at the Maverick adidas Terrex x Series Peak District
For this race report, we had the pleasure to join forces with Greg Hile to discover his experience at the Maverick adidas Terrex X Series Peak District 2023.
Distance: 10k, 29k, 42k, 54k
Where: Bakewell, Derbyshire, England
When: End of May
Cost: From €42 to €90 depending on distance
How to Enter: Sign up on the official website
The Event
The Maverick Peak District race is a trail running event situated in the heart of England's picturesque Peak District National Park, making it an ideal race for those living in the central regions of the country. Being the closest race to my hometown, it was the ideal spot for my first attempt at trail running.
Maverick is an event organizer that specializes in hosting trail running races across the UK, including the Peak District, the South Downs, the Cotswolds, the Chilterns, and more.
The Course
The Peak District event has four distance options, with each following a similar trail but varying in length. Starting from the Bakewell Showground, the courses head towards Carlton Lees. The longer routes extend further to Grindleford, Burbage Rocks, and Froggatt. In the middle-distance race that I participated in, we followed the River Derwent north until Calver, then looped back down towards Bakewell through Rowland on the Monsal trail. The terrain varied from rocky climbs and descents to open moors and forested sections.
The middle-distance race started at 9:00 am, just by the car park. With a total elevation gain of 635 meters, the course featured two main peaks. The race began by crossing fields and ascending a steep incline around 4 kilometers in. Afterward, the terrain leveled off as you follow routes through fields and villages. The trail then reaches Chatsworth, and runs adjacent to the River Derwent, enjoying the stunning backdrop of Chatsworth House. Finally, the trail approaches the main incline, which heads along a gravel path with a steep decline, ultimately leading to the finish line.
My Race
This was my first trail run, after completing a marathon and numerous half marathons in the past. I saw this race as a good opportunity to train for a multi-day ultra in Sweden that I have planned in September - more to come on this.
The race came up sooner than I would’ve liked in the calendar since I had recently missed out on the Barcelona marathon due to an injury. Keeping that in mind, I started at a slow tempo, taking advantage of the steep incline where runners naturally walked. I packed two drinks and energy bars, which was unusual for me, hoping they would provide a boost.
The route was well-marked, and the marshals were friendly and encouraging as we made progress. However, the lack of atmosphere was noticeable since most of the routes took us through country fields. The narrow paths sometimes made it challenging to overtake and maintain a steady pace. Plenty of dogs participated, and there was a funny moment when one dog refused to jump over a stile.
The initial incline caught me off guard with its steepness, but it soon leveled off. I may have gone through my fluids too quickly and brought more food than I actually needed. With only one outpost on the middle route, dehydration was an issue, especially with the heat. I felt a twinge in my left leg leading up to the second main peak, but I managed to push through towards the finish.
I maintained a decent pace throughout the race without any stops, and I even found some extra speed on the final trail before the finish line. My final time was 3 hours, 10 minutes, and 40 seconds, just one second ahead of my mate Max. I placed 162nd overall. For a first trail run, it was a success, helped by the nice weather and stunning views. I was also pretty chuffed with my wooden medal.
Nutrition: Lucazades X2, Energy Bars & Aid Station Food
Final Scorecard
Course ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Enjoyable trails and stunning views.
Logistics ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Atmosphere ⭐
Medal & Tee ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Comments