Its the 3rd time I have taken part in the Obelisk race, in case you are windering about the name, half way around the Half Marathon route you run past an Obelisk, but some people miss it as a water stop is right opposite it, so if you dont look right at the right moment you will miss it.

Any way this year a slight change in route to take it from an 11ish mutli terrain route to a Half Marathon Multi Terrain route.

After a run around a field, you soon hit some tarmac through some alleyways and housing estate, but very soon a right turn at the top of a steep hill, you hit the trails again, there follows a mix of trail, gravel paths and tarmac, at mile 4.5 in previous years you went straight up a long steep hill, this year a left turn sees you running up a not as steep long winding upwards road, which is where the extra miles are added, just as you pass the Obelisk the route goes down through the Woods at Haldon, with your feet sinking ever deeper into the wet mud, jumping trees, ducking under trees, before another climb up again, you then come out onto the steep hill of previous years, but this time running down it, this in lightweight trail shoes caused a grumbly calf msucle, at the bottom, its onto the fields again and softer underfoot, returning along the first 3 miles in reverse.

After one last climb up, you get to run down a hill and across the field to the finish line, it was a cold day so perhaps thats why the finish was fairly quiet, not many people stood about, but a welcoming finish from the race officials and for the first year a medal, however I think if you are doing medals take them out of the bag before handing them over or better still put them on people, a small thing maybe but for some it would mean a lot to them, espicially if it was their first or longest event they had done.

Will I do it again next year, yes i will, muddy fun.