Wye Valley Trail Race 2023! What happened when I ran a Trail Race in the wrong direction?

How do you run a Trail race in the wrong direction?
Getting lost, chucking a strop and hardcore trail running.
The beautiful Wye Valley Half Marathon 2023 racevlog. #trailrunning #wyevalley #davetalbotevents

[@yellowfolder]

Loved the "road-runners are botoxed-up boy band members, trail runners are rockstars, they STINK" monologue. The best any sub-group can hope from you is a back-handed compliment. Great dialogue in your vids in general.

[@middleagedrunningman]

Thanks Yellow. Definitely meant as a compliment. Those guys are neanderthals - (another compliment). And yesterday, I was one of them. Then I showered.

[@adomcgrado]

MARM is a machine "I've gotta stick with this guy in front" chasing down third while presenting to camera, providing the bants! Unreal 👏

[@middleagedrunningman]

Tough old race that one. Never knew from one minute to the next where I was going!!

[@adomcgrado]

@@middleagedrunningman awesome video and even better effort. Absolutely loving the channel!

[@doingmybest6438]

How you manage to run so fast whilst being so entertaining is beyond me. Amazing result as well.

[@middleagedrunningman]

Too kind. Helps considerably when you talk total drivel….

[@deansummerton2577]

Great vlog again Tim. You got an excellent finish despite the adversity and you deserved it 🎖👏👏👏

[@middleagedrunningman]

Thanks Dean. Very tough going. A proper trail. Not sure I'm quite ready to be a rock star.

[@jeffreyalex1]

This is a great video. There is a Blair Witch feel to later parts of the run. Great work getting 4th!

[@middleagedrunningman]

Thanks Jeff / Alex. Blair Witch!!! Wished I’d shot it in black and white now.

[@DevRunner]

Great race coverage! Loving the tats! Keep pushing!

[@middleagedrunningman]

Cheers Paul. You too. That PB is coming in the heat!!

[@malcolmjameswakeman8480]

A brilliant 4th 😊

[@middleagedrunningman]

The tattoo was Chinese for "runs in the wrong direction" apparently.

[@stokie1988]

Well done on 4th 😊

[@middleagedrunningman]

Thanks mate. With my sense of direction I could still be running to be honest.

[@Ponty30]

I enjoyed watching that, but I'm sticking with Westlife!😊😊

[@middleagedrunningman]

Good choice! Safe choice. Solid chart toppers. A cover ballad never put anyone in danger.

[@JCeeeeeee.]

Brilliant!!!! But hate poor signage, when I run my brain is off! Give me big signposts. Still... great result, 4th place!

[@middleagedrunningman]

I don’t think I can blame the signs. Think it may very well have been human error…. Or perhaps ignoring the simple instruction to download the route on gps….

[@matthewdavidge4970]

Hey I was on the group of 6 behind you, we made the same mistake, but we realised and turned albeit after we had added 3.5 miles of running in the wrong direction, we ended up doing 17.5 miles 😂, the signage at the one key turn on the whole course was non existent, pretty disappointing in an otherwise excellent event... great effort whatever happened though 👍

[@middleagedrunningman]

Matt - I’ve just looked at some photos online. Judging by the official snaps, I think we ran the MAJORITY of the course in reverse. Loved the race to be fair, but it was knackering on those uphill trails, particularly when I was convinced I was running deeper into Wales… Hope you got a decent place.

[@matthewdavidge4970]

@@middleagedrunningman I can see from the video you did basically the whole thing in reverse, I think I saw you guys in tintern, I'm not sure why the feed stations didn't let you know, we ended up nowhere in the race from a possible top 10 at one point out group passed the tail walker!

[@Dmasson14]

I might have a bash at this next year, seems like a good HM to do. Dave seemed to suggest that there were arrows to follow, are they not clearly marked?

[@middleagedrunningman]

Great race to be fair. There were markings, but not that clear and some may have been moved which apparently happens a fair bit. Dave Talbot races are very decent though. Superb merch!

[@busterska2860]

Wish i’d known about the tattoos! Got some my little pony glitter tattoos here you could of had 😂😂😂

[@middleagedrunningman]

Just the job.

[@thethompsonsgotagopro.]

Fantastic run as usual! Shame about the signage but at least you still came 4th eh?

[@middleagedrunningman]

Thanks Thompsons. Never really had to look at signage before. Taught me a lesson. Also maybe taught me a lesson to enjoy the run, rather than getting swept up in places and times.

[@DarrenWilkinson-p1x]

Signage was hilarious yesterday. Tiny white rags on small poles😂 I was in the group who went wrong at the start and ended up running 27k. Talking to runners around the course loads of people went wrong. Lovely countryside but think i will avoid dave talbot races. Great effort by all the runners yesterday

[@middleagedrunningman]

I don't think the countryside helped, because it was quite distracting! Must be a nightmare trying to mark out trails to be fair, but I was quite despondent half way through when tail runners were coming past in the other direction. Some were kind enough to applaud, thinking we'd lapped them. Really sorry you ended up running a marathon. Legs feeling it today?

[@DarrenWilkinson-p1x]

Yeah it's not easy either that amount of turns and different ways to go. I didn't mind. Once I realised I went about 12th to last I just enjoyed the countryside and chatting to other runners. I saw a runner at one point go into someone's driveway by mistake because the marker wasn't clear😂 Once I got the disappointment I actually enjoyed not worrying about placing and took in the scenery. Legs aren't too bad. Might be tomorrow though.😮 Great vid by the way

[@SwimBikeRunStu]

#tattoolife. At least going the wrong way makes great youtube content 😂😂

[@middleagedrunningman]

Correct. Might ramp it up next race, start tripping other runners deliberately?

[@clairehoward550]

Excellent poetry reading today. I challenge you to deliver a piece of contemporary poetry, ideally not written by a man…

[@middleagedrunningman]

Right.

[@gavinbruce-thegreyrunner5581]

Came a Crocker.

[@middleagedrunningman]

Not sure the trails are for me, Grey.

[@gavinbruce-thegreyrunner5581]

@@middleagedrunningman 4th place buddy. To me they certainly are the place for you. Imagine what you’ll do when you believe in yourself and get comfortable!!!(If this lack of belief is down to injuring yourself please ignore above)

[@middleagedrunningman]

@gavinbruce-thegreyrunner5581 No doubt Grey. If I get injured and have to have time off work?? Too dire to contemplate. Those vital emails won’t send themselves.

[@gavinbruce-thegreyrunner5581]

@@middleagedrunningman 😂

[@alexbrown651]

Well that's highly annoying, one job - put some arrows up, must be a skills shortage in the wye Valley.

[@middleagedrunningman]

Not sure Wye.