03 Apr OLIVER BAGS NEW RECORD!

Massive congratulations to Oliver Perratt who set the ‘fastest known time’ for completing the Mortimer Trail which runs off road from Ludlow Castle to the town hall clock in Kington. Read on to find out all about his achievement.

The Mortimer Trail is a long distance path from Kington (home to Hergest Ridge of Mike Oldfield fame) to Ludlow (home to me of not so much fame). It goes over an undulating crest across the northwest corner of Herefordshire; fields, forests, valleys and generally very pleasant countryside. About 4600 feet elevation over 30 miles. Quintessential rolling rural landscape.

I’ve wanted to do it for a while and have supported several attempts, including the Andali Events races over it.

Then once the races started it didn’t just become a case of I fancied getting along it, more I need to DO it. Like really DO it.

Summer 2024, the first race was held and 4.35 was the winning time. In the winter, they reversed it to be Ludlow-Kington and around 5 hours was the mud infused time. Both with well stocked checkpoints. I marshalled at both, and the winter CP at halfway was sublime.

So, the perhaps arbitrary goal of 3 self supported hours was set. That was quickly scrapped when I realised that’d equate to a 2.30 marathon over non too conducive terrain, then a bit more.

3.30 seemed more reasonable; 7 minute miling on average. And beginning of March, fully unsupported. I end employment (yippee!), have some time off, weather ought to be fair and ground conditions not too grim. So, I had a vague idea. I didn’t train, just played with pace a bit to see what it ought to feel like, but no long training days or the like. Of course not. To take a friend’s concept of their training, mine is “anarchic”. Insomuch as I don’t train, I just run and I race, mostly up big, muddy hills.

So, with the void of unemployment looming, I recced the first section and trusted on familiarity and a paper map to get me along the rest. Eventually my designated day comes, I hadn’t told anyone, reduce the pressure, just asked Laura nicely for a lift to Kington. The weather looked perfect, carpe diem.

6 litre bumbag and Salomon Pulse Belt packed with windproof, phone, debit card, map, compass, whistle, buff, gloves, 400 ml Active Root gel mix, 500 ml Active Root Energy Drink and a handful of gummy sweets and dextrose tablets, plus an emergency flapjack. A vest, my 3” racing shorts and new VJ Xtrms.

So, Laura dropped me off on her way to a jolly round Knighton and I was off. I have never run to a watch before. I only inherited a GPS watch in early 2025, and very rarely wore my cheapo time only Casio for races. But in lieu of any other way to gauge progress, I monitored my time and pace. Aiming to go just under 7 min/mile on the flat, closer to 6 on the descents, and 8 on the climbs.

Setting off, I happily settled in at 6.30 along the river. Brisk, but this was all or nothing so I accepted it.

I kept a steady effort on the first climb up Rushock through some goopy fields and grinds of farm track, then gunned it over the top and glorious single track. Tacky farm tracks proved an effort downhill as they weren’t quite sloppy enough to flow through, but a bit too unyielding to properly land on. Still, I made Titley (hee-hee) in good time and by the top of the second climb, Wapley Hillfort (glorious but no time to admire!), I had averaged 7 min/mile. Perfect; two climbs down and on track.

Another fast descent, this time slightly slowed down by numerous trees from the winter storms, and a map check.

Down the flat road, blegh. That takes energy from the legs but pace was okay still.

Third climb up Shobdon. The Mortimer Trail has been rerouted since summer 2024 through more accessible fields. But everyone last year did the narrow single track, as per my map. A last minute decision and I committed to the single track hoping the marginal less height gain would negate the trickier terrain. Shobdon summit, again on target then a stupendous long descent. A bit firm on the gravel track but much needed speed and time in the bank. It’s a long stretch of downhill and nominal flat to Aymestry just over half way, so I needed to make the most of it.

Aymestry, then the climb up to Croft. This is where I started to feel weary, about 18 miles in. A steep woodland track then one helluva grind, through Croft Woods, bringing my average pace just slower than 7 min/mile. The hill eases, then it’s some of my favourite single track round the edge of the Croft Ambrey hill-fort, but the legs doth protest and it takes until the easy grass of Bircher Common before I shake out, in a time deficit. But it’s a long, fast descent and I bring the average pace to the right side of 7.

Orleton Common and the mother of all hills. Ordinarily I’d say it’s short and sharp, but on Saturday 1st March, it was not short. Purgatory.

Well, Prelude to Purgatory.

Lovely country lane running, then the sting of High Cullis over to the Goggin. And so the suffering began.

As I approached the climb to Hanway Common and my beloved Mortimer Woods, I downed the last of my fluid and gel and ground out the incessant climb. Ordinarily, a gentle climb through sheep cropped grass with views to Clee Hill and Ludlow before entering the woods, was now a sufferfest. Followed by another sufferfest up to the top of Vinnalls. With little energy, all I could do was watch my average pace dribble down.

But finally, downhill. I didn’t have the strength to throw myself down, but was pleasantly surprised by the speed I could make, legs holding me up against gravity.

Then the final climb. A grind up to Mary Knoll and my first ever experience of cramp. My legs pulsated and writhed as if beetles were crawling under my skin. And I walked. The shame, about twenty metres out of thirty miles, I walked, a dead man.

And the final downhill. Can I do the last mile and a half in 10 minutes? No chance, but I could try. Unrelenting, I made every effort to flow down the hill, cruise the single track, down the steps to Dinham, then THAT final climb to the castle.

3 hours 36 minutes. Gutted to miss those 6 minutes, but happy enough and an hour ahead of the previous fastest time.

Maybe if the fallen trees were cleared, the ground drier, my sock didn’t disintegrate and leave a blister, or I actually trained, then maybe I could do it. Next time, maybe.

It has been confirmed as the Fastest Known Time (https://fastestknowntime.com/route/mortimer-trail-united-kingdom), and fully unsupported,  taking an hour off a fully supported attempt.