As I have some spare time I’ll plug the ‘6inch’ trail marathon I’m running on December 18th this year. The only time I really get on the trails in a racing capacity. Much prefer the concrete myself but once in a while it’s good to mix it up. The race was a ‘fat ass’ (free entry and self supported) the first year I ran it in 2009 and it has grown from about 20 runners to a 350 sell out. Very popular and if you are ever in WA around the end of December I highly recommend it. ( http://www.6inchtrailmarathon.com )

The atmosphere at the end of this race is particularly friendly as it’s mainly ultra-runners who tend to be a more ‘sociable’ animal than the normal marathon racers. Not that marathon racers aren’t social but in a different , more competitive, way. The ultra community really are just nice people who are more interested in you and your journey, not your time. I bet some of them haven’t even got Strava accounts…. a funny bunch.