 |
| Ox 50 White Star Running startline |
The sign reads ‘YOU WILL LOVE THIS HILL’ as runners and walkers dressed in various ‘Mexican day of the dead’ costumes charge up a VERY steep hill. With a combination of ‘Ridiculously Over the Top Medals’, aid stations with beer and a festival feel I found myself at another White Star Running event last weekend and it was even better than the last one.
 |
| YOU WILL LIKE THIS HILL Ox Races White Star Running |
The White Star Running Ox Races are held in the Rushmoor Estate in the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wiltshire. This has become an area I’ve come to love for running from my time spent on the Monarchs Way which also runs through it. Its very hilly, very scenic and untouched and the chalk terrain means there isn’t too much mud and water.
Its a UK trail runners paradise unless you don’t like sheep poo.
White Star Running are well known for their quirky and broad ranging weekend running events and The Ox Races have the reputation of being ‘THE BIG ONE’ so when I found out there was an extra big medal for doing all four of the races on offer over the weekend I thought Id have a crack at ‘The Epic’ . This meant committing to a Friday night 10km , a 50 Mile Ultra on the Saturday and a 10km AND half marathon on the Sunday .
 |
| Running with Danny the Legend on the the Ox Races White Star Running |
There are a broad range of races on offer, you can even do the 50 miler as a ‘frolic’ instead and do it in relay teams as laps , or just as many 6 mile laps as you can be bothered to do before the lure of the Beer Tent by the finish becomes too much. With generous cut offs I noticed a large number of people of varying ability all enjoying themselves, and a surprising number of people doing their first Ultras at the event. Gone was the mentality and terror of their first ultra , replaced with smiles and Mexican day of the dead costumes and people enjoying themselves so much the ultra was fun not a suffer fest.
 |
| Ox Races White Star Running – pic by Lee-Stuart Evans |
The Friday Night ‘Dark Ox’ was a wet rainy one . In a bid to help the Cranborne Chase AONB bid for an International Dark Sky Reserve Status we set off with torches, glow sticks , flashing lights and glow in the dark fancy dress after sunset. The juxtapositon of Mexican Day of the Dead costumes in the UK countryside is brilliant ( something to do with the date the first Ox was held I think) and after a 90 min run and a stop at a ‘Love Station’ with the usual Beer and Schnapps available we were back.
 |
| Ox Races White Star Running – pic by Lee-Stuart Evans |
The Saturday Ox50 set off early with the typical relaxed ‘don’t be an idiot‘ race briefing from Race Director Andy Palmer. The course was 8 laps of 6 ‘Palmer’ miles (6.5miles) through Woods, Hills and Open ridges on the estate. The overall ascent was considerable and I clocked up 5000ft of ascent over the course of the day. We were lucky with the weather not being too hot as well. I got through the cut off time with just a few mins to spare as I was aware of the races I still needed to do the next day so I took it as easy as possible ( I ALWAYS try and make running as easy as possible, anything more than 10 mins in front of a cutoff is overachieving unless you are aiming to win).
 |
| Ox Races White Star Running |
The facilities for the entire camping weekend were top notch as usual. Easy parking, ample toilets AND warm showers available and no charge for race photos. Given the resources and time put into setting up one race there are lots of Race Directors that could learn from the WSR approach of maximising the races, revenue and appeal of a weekend event. There was even a Dog and Owner Trail Race !
 |
| Ox 50 Ultra White Star Running – Lee-Stuart Evans and RD Andy Palmer at the finish |
For the last day the sun came out and we set off for the 10km ‘Ox Light’ at 8.30am. I used almost every minute of the generous 2 hour cutoff to attempt to bully my legs and joints into working properly again. I crossed the finish line with 10 mins to spare and went straight on to the Ox Half Marathon start.
The Ox Half was without a doubt the best race of the weekend for scenery. With huge hills taking runners up to high ridges with great views I would have absolutely loved it had I not been quite so tired and broken. I finished in probably a new personal worst sub 4 hr for a Half Marathon time but with the accolade of being a White Star Running EPIC runner and getting an additional ludicrously over the top Skull with Crystals and hanging off bits medal to celebrate doing all 4 races. I went home with various buffs, 2 T-shirts and a squeeky cow toy too.
My friend Allie Bailey won the fastest EPIC female trophy too which was brilliant!
My biggest joy that weekend was seeing such a huge range of runners all doing amazing things and having so much fun doing it. I chatted with loads of people, was very amused that a few people wanted to say hi to ‘The Monarchs Guy’ and swapped running tips on the course with Danny the Legend who is in his seventies and still smashing out regular trail marathons. I also got a lot of quizzical looks and questions for why I was doing an Ultra in a white Vollebak shirt and shorts which I was testing for a review here
 |
| Ox Races medals |
If you want a PB and take running seriously, like early nights and rarely drink alcohol this weekend may not quite be for you. If you want a Weekend Trail Running Festival to celebrate the best UK Trail Running can offer and bring the family with you then I doubt you could do better than The Ox Races.
Find out more here
I’ve also reviewed their Bad Cow Marathon here
