By Simon Parker
A special day on Lundy as a boat full of runners was deposited at the landing bay before heading up the steep climb to start the 2026 Lundy Half Marathon. I've known about this race since I started here in January, much talk has been had surrounding tactics and how to survive the particular perils of running Lundys trails. Running is one of my main hobbies so I was eager to join in with the fun, six people from the Island took part this year, Me, Tara, Ian, Sarah, Becky and Pete. After some tactical carb loading the night before, the morning consisted of us all lounging around the village prepping and trying to calm Pete's enthusiasm. Mercifully, the heat had dropped off from the savage high temps that dogged the beginning of the week although it still felt like a furnace on the sheltered East side. Lundy race is hard, there's no sugar coating it, I've ran a lot of races in the past and Lundy ranks up there as one of the toughest. Lots of annoying elevation, steps and steps and steps, technical East track with bottlenecks, and wind, always a headwind.
Fuelled on by Jelly babies, pineapple and fizzy water (questionable choice) I actually felt pretty good and flew round the first half, fatigue crept in on the West and by the time I was on the main track home I was starting to will it all to be over. Pre-race chat on the Island had put me down as one of the race favourites, In the end I finished in a respectable 6th place, something to build on next year! The whole Island team did well with Ian and Tara racing each other to the finish, Pete shaving over 10 minutes off his last effort and Becky coming in as one of the fastest females. Notable mention to Sarah who completed and did absolutely zero training after being peer pressured at the last minute.
Claiming the title for "Most Colourful Shoes"
As the crowds shuffled back to the Oldenburg to make the crossing back to the mainland, the weather shifted to a strange cold wind which brought in the cloud and ruined the staff barbeque. A classic British BBQ event with everyone retreating indoors as the rain started.
In wildlife news... There were some notable entries in the logbook including 60 Shag and 23 Juvenile, this is from the newly arrived Shag colour ringing team who are looking to find as many juveniles as possible to start collecting data on our Shag population. 100 Puffin were entered and a singular Kestrel, the Sparrow population is increasing steadily with a new ringed adult recorded on a camera trap taking the total to 30 adult birds. A lone Buzzard which seems to have wandered over to check out the landscape was also seen getting chased by Crows just off the South.