Serpent Trail 2: The Return
Difficulty: ‘Go Easy On Me Knees’
Game Mode: Co-Op: 2 Player
Player 1: Dai
Player 2: Ultra Nick
Cue theme music. Some correct late 80s keyboard and synth Jingle jingle vibes…
With all sport sequels come new characters, skills, foes and new methods of interacting with the surroundings. Fundamentally the enjoying rules have a tendency to stay unchanged. For that objective the Serpent Trail supplies the platform for this sequel.
Back in 2018 I ran the serpent path on what was fairly frankly a ridiculously scorching and sunny day. That day I recalled my journey like a pc sport; I used to be the participant and the solar was the pesky boss degree character on the Serpent Trail. It was one thing I had in my head all day as I ran the 100km from Haslemere to Petersfield, a form of aspect scrolling platform journey. Four years later I returned and this time it was a co-op mode with Nick being the brand new ‘participant 2 character’ serving to me to finish the space.
Unlike 2018 my ‘operating character’ may be very totally different. I really feel the 2022 model is a pumped up model from the primary iteration in what was my third 100km race. Metaphorically talking in fact and I’m interested by operating expertise phrases.
So right here we go. Loading up the the sequel…
We camped on the end line in Petersfield Rugby membership the evening earlier than and sadly mistimed the meals as there was nothing heat prepared (or anytime quickly) once we had arrange the tent. We did nonetheless discover a burger van after strolling over to a Gospel Festival occurring additional alongside on the fields. A burger and 1.5 hotdogs meant it was a meat heavy little bit of race prep. I didn’t foresee it on the time, however this might show to be one of many ‘sport enemies for me’.
4am we had been awake and jostling for bogs and sinks with the opposite runners earlier than being herded onto 3 buses for the quick journey to Haslemere had been we’d begin the extent. Like 4 years earlier, the beginning was as low-key as they arrive as all of us huddled in a small opening of grass and we’re merely waved on our manner by Tom the RD. The distinction this time was solely that the sector dimension was in all probability 4 occasions what it was on my first go. The race profile was certainly rising – moreover a bigger variety of individuals there at the moment are quite a lot of totally different distances to run over the weekend.
Level 1: Tree Tops
Unlike earlier than, I don’t have a play by play of the miles from begin to end. This was very a lot, for me, a far simpler play than that first time spherical. Perhaps I did have it on ‘simple’ mode (and I used to be definitely considering of preservation forward of the following mountain occasion, the Eiger Ultra Trail, in two weeks time!). But, enjoying two participant mode definitely makes it simpler and the early miles simply flew by slightly rapidly as I ran with the help from Nick. The course was additionally very acquainted having run the primary 25miles of it only a few weeks earlier as a part of our preparation. For a lot of the route you run by means of scenic forest tracks with large timber and views over the Surrey Countryside.
Somewhere early on in these first 10 miles we met Pete. It was like one other participant inserted his cash and pressed begin to be part of within the enjoyable half manner. After chatting for some time he determined to stay with us slightly than push on for his goal time. Multi-player mode activated like a superb quaint coin-op arcade sport! Between us we batted away all of the early obstacles the sport threw at us. Little hills? No drawback. Hot and sweaty? Not a priority. Rooty woodland trails? No falling over right here! Thankfully it was nowhere close to as heat this yr and general the enjoying circumstances had been very beneficial. With every support station we took a couple of minutes to refuel – on this sequel the well being bar was recuperated largely with sandwiches. Jam sandwiches had been my go to selection on the support station. There had been nonetheless no roast chickens smashed out of dustbins a la Steets Of Rage although!
From early on I did have my very own private battle all through the day. Kind of like a aspect mission, as I struggled with the ‘burger demon’ who tormented me by means of a lot of the race. However, that’s not a personality price writing about any additional!
Petworth was a goal and milestone for us. Our save sport zone. It could be the midway mark and the place the narrative of the sport would change as we may begin homing in on the end. We’d ticked off the ‘1/3 of the best way’ mark and shortly sufficient we’re closing in on that 50km marker and heading in direction of the little city of Petworth. This was across the time I began vividly remembering elements of the course. I began recognising indicators, timber, lakes, particular views and all types of random issues. I used to be remembering the place the course would go and what would come subsequent. It was fairly enjoyable and having fun with to recall the earlier recollections. The others had been in all probability fed up of me going “oh I bear in mind this”…
Level 2: The Wall
One factor I remembered earlier than we received to Petworth was that there was what felt like a by no means ending stretch of highway alongside a large stone wall in Petworth (earlier than the help station). It was longer than I recalled. This was a foe that may sap your vitality for certain as your thoughts would give attention to the stones and curves of the wall for what felt like an eternity. When we did arrive on the support station we had been greeted by the beaming smile (as at all times) from Dimi who sorted us as we took 15 minutes to refuel and recuperate. A pleasant face is at all times a morale booster!
For a short time after Petworth we performed as 4 when Pete’s brother in legislation, a Petworth native, joined us for a number of miles. The route restarted with a stunning climb by means of some open areas with unbelievable views. We then ran a number of kms by means of extra of the scenic woodland trails together with a bit of additional once we all missed a really blatant signal on a downhill part and needed to again observe as much as the route.
At this level we had been all feeling fairly nice. We had been over half manner by means of and none of us has any actual points or issues. The vitality was fairly excessive and we had been deep into conversations bouncing backwards and forwards. I significantly cherished the nostalgic buzz of recalling the late evening tender porn television reveals from the early days of Channel 5 once we had been all youngsters. Red Shoe Diaries anybody?!
Around 63km we met Elise and Nick’s mum who equipped us with chilly drinks and meals. It was an enormous enhance and we had been glad to see them. It additionally introduced one other flashback to a few years earlier when a girl was outdoors the exact same store supplying runners with chilly Coke. I can bear in mind how grateful I used to be for that within the warmth of 2018!
Level 3: The gray roads
The additional we went, the extra Pete yearned for it to be over. He was nonetheless feeling good and powerful and needed some highway sections (he’s extra keen on a highway marathon than Nick and I). We agreed that he ought to push on every time he felt prefer it. He was keen to complete now. We additionally had a short cease close to some farm land as we waited for a herd of cows to, slowly, proceed down the highway we would have liked to cross. Each checked out is inm a grateful and confused manner, maybe curious as to what we had been up too. It was just like the technical a part of a sport had been you might want to time your transfer good to keep away from getting caught out in some way. we definitely didn’t desire a herd of cattle turning on us!
Through extra support stations we went after which we noticed Elise and Nick’s mum once more at 83km. At the Midhurst aidstation with not far left to run. They got here right here ready with McDonald’s chips and nuggets. It was superior, a cheat code for a full well being refuel! The volunteer laughed after I turned down the jam sandwiches as a result of I had rooster nuggets. She didn’t consider me and thought I used to be joking. There was one runner right here who was trying a bit of worse for put on and going by means of some knee troubles. But she got here by means of behind us and left earlier than us, decided to see it by means of and reassuring everybody she was okay. We took off a number of minutes later and nearly instantly Nick began to endure. In sport converse, he took some form of crucial combo hit and suffered a from a typical runner’s character weak spot – blisters. He’d been complaining of sore toes for a short time and now they had been beginning to have an effect on him.
This leg of the route was gently undulating and we walked and ran in equal measures. We had been at a cross roads the place the ache hurts extra when strolling, however the legs had been fatigued and didn’t need to run as a lot. Nick powered on. I used to be always amazed that we didn’t meet up with the lady who was limping till nearly the penultimate checkpoint nearly 7 miles later. She was sturdy and centered!
As we started to hit the highway sections, Pete now headed off at a faster tempo at this level. He additionally had a busy evening forward with getting residence to his household submit race. The roads had been lengthy, straight and inclined ever so gently. within the dying gentle they had been gray and the great thing about the route began to go away us. At the following checkpoint Nick took a seat. He positioned it proper in entrance of the aidstation desk, as if interviewing the volunteers behind it. We all laughed and I mocked his struggling while consuming lollipops.
Final Level. The Petersfield loop
After some time he discovered the power to stand up and hold going and so, with powerups and a well being high up, we continued on to the ultimate battle to the tip. This was it now. no extra lives or save slots nor continues. Once probability to assault and full the ultimate degree: Two quick sections had been all that remained now, separated by a small support station only a few miles from the end. We recalled the ultimate few kms from a current recce and loved (form of) the mild change of terrain to the flat highway sections. I feel this helped Nick’s toes a bit of together with offering the boldness that the end was sure to occur.
As we left the path I checked the watch. We had slightly below 20mins to finish the final 2kms and end in below 15 hours. I put it to Nick and he was completely happy to select up the tempo. So I did. Probably an excessive amount of and I received into the groove and we simply stored operating. The lengthy loop across the rugby membership, into the riverside path on the again. We pounded the roads after which the tree lined path. Just a 100m from the end, earlier than rising into the sector, Nick demanded a break. He was spent from the growing effort. So we stopped, caught our breathe, and composed ourselves earlier than ending the journey to the cheers of the supporters on the end line. Of course the loudest of all of them had been Elise and Nicks mum.
Relief washed over us as the tip credit began to roll. After a fast pose for Phil to take our photos and sweaty hugs all spherical, we had been glad to get straight within the automobile and head residence to our beds (given the clubhouse showers had been closed (whhyyy?!)).
And so, like many occasions earlier than, I’ve been privileged to be there by Nick’s aspect as he pushes his boundaries and reveals what he’s able to. It’s a terrific feeling to run along with your mate and see them obtain. And in fact, it’s at all times pleasurable to observe them endure simply as you’ve gotten achieved your self!
