To Prussia With Love
To Prussia with love, run by Bys Vyken Events, takes runners out on a fantastic out and back coast path run from Long Rock to Cudden Point, just before Prussia Cove. Whilst pleasantly undulating, runners get the opportunity to admire fine views out to the turnaround at Cudden Point on the way out, and to St. Michael's Mount and the western curvature of Mount's Bay on the return leg.
Starting at the Land's End Cycle Hire in Long Rock, runners attempted to find what shelter they could from the pounding north-westerly wind and stinging rain, before heading off eastward. The first 1.5 miles or so are predominantly tarmac, along the coast path eastward to Marazion and then through the village, albeit with a short section of energy-sapping deep sand opposite St. Michael's Mount. A long but relatively gentle climb up to the top of Marazion then followed, before runners were directed off eastward onto the coast path diversion. Following a descent to the coast path, runners enjoyed the fine gentle coastal undulations out to Perranuthnoe. However, the typically inclement Cornish weather had tactfully removed some of the race signage and I found myself unexpectedly emerging onto the streets of Perranuthnoe and rather further from the coast than I thought, before working my way back to the coast path. Fortunately, I had retained the lead of the race at this point as I'd taken my pursuers with me, for at least part of the way. On returning to the coast path however, I made a second and rather more costly error. I descended unexpectedly to a rocky beach and stupidly, in the heat of the moment, decided to carry on thinking this was the route, until I became aware that no-one else was following me. By the time I got back to the coast path further on, I emerged in 4th place and many minutes behind the leader. A recce of this bit of coast path before the race would have been rather beneficial, as I had never run it before...
The rest of the outbound route out to Cudden Point included some hillier sections, generally runnable, before a turnaround at the warspite memorial to head for home. With knowledge of where I went wrong on the way out, the return leg along the coast path was easy to follow, with a pleasant fast downhill on tarmac back through Marazion, followed by that same short energy-sapping section of sand, then tarmac again to the finish. I was pleased to hold on to 4th, but 3rd place was out of touch.
A great race from Bys Vyken, along a fine section of coastline in bracing weather conditions. Looking forward to Fordh Sen Mighal in December!