The World of Leather

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The World of Leather isn’t a high class furniture store or a secretive establishment that sells kinky underwear under the counter. But if I told you the World of Leather is an open air activity that includes wet t-shirts and bodies covered in mud it might get the closet voyeurs amongst you curious. However, the difference between imagination and reality would still be miles apart or more accurately kilometers apart. The World of Leather I’m referring to is the Leatherman’s Loop 10k trail race. An event where normally reserved respectable people let lose their inhibitions to charge through thick mud and rivers in the name of innocent fun and frolics.

Registration for this year’s race sold out within 16 hours when on-line registration opened, such is the demand to participate in this event. That didn’t prevent a group of nearly 20 BS regulars getting together and planning the now regular World of Leather Road Trip to run and tailgate. In previous years the weather has been a typical April unpredictable mishmash of wet and windy conditions with the occasional splash of sunshine. This year it was almost perfection. Early heavy rain the week before ‘groomed’ the trails with thick mud and filled the rivers to a point where they were substantial obstacles without being too dangerous for shorter runners (three years ago deep water diverted the race across a bridge – a serious disappointment), while on race day the sun blazed and the temperatures soared. It made the running hot but the post race party fun in the sun.

Within the group we had several first time leather clad runners (well, slap my thigh!), filled with scary stories of deep rivers, shoe consuming mud and stampede starts. They collected their race numbers with wide eyed expressions which this year included the runners first name. Was this for easier identification after wards!

The Loop never starts on time and this year was no exception, at 9:19 we were off. The initial few yards are a mad adrenaline dash across a field before a hard left turn that leads onto the first muddy track. Runners fell in the rush while others crashed into each other jockeying for space. If you want to try a do well in this race, you have to ride the early rush and hope you haven’t expended too much energy in the later stages.

The early trails have several downed trees to jump over an couple of lower hanging ones to duck under (Ultra, take note here – DUCK under). At each obstacle hesitancy loses time and position, the best tactic is to keep moving as hard as possible. The first of two river crossings brought welcome respite from the warm conditions. Rocks below the surface will trip the reckless and slippery rocks on the far bank can making the climb out a challenge for the unsuspecting. After more twists and turns the Wall, a near vertical ascent up a sandy cliff reduces most to a walk. A piper playing at the top lifts the motivation to keep going though. More undulations and then the final significant climb through the pine plantation before descending back down to the river, while in the distance, the crowd gathered at the final water crossing can be heard. But you are not as close to the end as that sound suggests.

Finally, the penultimate hill, over a partially buried drainage culvert and out into a grass filed filled with sunshine. It is hot but the crowd roar in the distance has now got louder and you can’t help feeling you are about to be thrown into a gladiator ring to be slain before a mob baying for blood. The trail curves to the right and the crowd is now in sight, through a hedge and the final river crossing appears. It doesn’t look to be very wide but the nearest bank doesn’t offer firm footing and then it drops two or three feet immediately at the water’s edge. On the far side the crowd is yelling, it seems as if they want to see mishaps and misfortune as anyone who trips and flails to regain their balance gets the biggest cheer. After an initial deep section the river shallows then deepens before the climb out on the far side. The climb out is muddy and this gets progressively more slippery as the runners come through. Out on the far side, the runners have a final bank to run over before a dash across a field to the finish. I think this is the hardest part of the course. Your legs seem to feel tired as you leave the water and the next grass bank feels bigger than it really is. Once over the end is in sight, the mind is willing but the legs are not. Can I catch the runner in front, or will a rush of people behind beat me to the line? The final few yards are an ‘eye balls out’ dash before finally you can stop to catch breath.

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But wait, it isn’t over yet! It’s a dash to the car to grab cameras and then quickly back to the river to join the mob and enjoy the spectacle of more poor souls suffering! In the mayhem of mud and water splashing, we snap friends make their crossing. Dorothy, who rarely seems to appear in public with a hair out of place crosses the river in seemingly pristine condition, how can this be so? I attempt to splash mud over her as she exits the river and her ‘other side’ surfaces. Bending down she gathers 2 handfuls of mud and plasters several of us, luckily the cameras managed to avoid the splashes. Welcome to the World of Leather Dorothy!

Once everyone is accounted for (Where’s Margo?) we wash the mud as best as we can and head for the cars. A spread of fruit, cakes and cold drinks appear and the party really begins aided with Margaritas in paper cups! As we celebrate word arrives that no fewer than 4 of our group have placed. Guthrie, course record holder, once again is first female, Shellygirl and Eraser win their age group and Bimble is third in his. The Leatherman had provided yet another memorable adventure.

For full results, click here