Looking to get back to winning ways, Jacek Cieluszecki was back on local turf at Wareham Forest for the Sika Trail Run 10k
After venturing over to Exmoor for the North Coast 110km Ultra and the Scottish Highlands for the Saloman Mamores Vertical Kilometre and Three Mealls Trail Race, Jacek Cieluszecki and his wife Ela were back on familiar ground for the Sika Trail Run 10k.
The race was organised by Ultimate Fitness, a gym in Dorchester, and was located at Wareham Forest. Jacek goes to Wareham Forest quite regularly for runs with Ela and he really likes it there so it was the ideal race for him.
Setting his stall out early on, Jacek blasted through the first mile at 5:16 pace. It was a speed that very few runners would be able to live with in an off-road race.
He then completed all the remaining miles at around 5:30 pace or slightly under which gave him an astonishingly quick finishing time of 33:49.
For an off-road 10k that was mightily impressive. It was pretty much like a time trial for JC as no one else could get anywhere near him on that sort of form.
In fact, he was 3-and-a-half minutes ahead of his nearest rival Paul Hilton who runs for Lytchett Manor Striders. Paul took 2nd place in a time of 37:27. Then it was Daniel Thomas taking 3rd in 38:57.
Jacek made short work of the Sika Trail Run route, tearing through it at a tremendous speed
It was about as resounding a victory you’re ever likely to see in a 10k race for JC. He was expecting to perhaps come in under 35 minutes but to produce the time he did on that sort of terrain actually surprised him somewhat.
Jacek’s wife Ela had been first female in the North Coat 110k so she’d already had a taste of winning a tough trail race. She very nearly repeated those heroics in the Sika Trail Run but was denied by Annie Wooldridge who got round in 46:34.
That put her in 9th place overall. Ela arrived just over a minute later to take 12th overall, clocking a time of 47:46. Carly Forward of Dorchester Riot proved she was fast enough to claim 3rd female spot in 49:05. A total of 117 runners successfully completed the course.
Jacek was so far out in front that it was like a time trial for him as opposed to a race against others
It was another very successful day for Jacek and Ela and they had every reason to celebrate the fantastic results they had each achieved.
Next up for JC, it was the slightly tougher prospect of The Stickler. That was on the followed weekend, and quite fittingly taking place of Halloween.
The Stickler is a very hilly 10 mile route that is a notoriously difficult race to get to grips with. Having gone the wrong way the last couple of times he was hoping it would be third time lucky and he would find the correct path this time round.