It's intended to be brutal, and Brutal Run Bagshot lived up to its name on Saturday 25 January 2025. The race website proudly proclaims: "This is wet and very hilly!" In the pre-race instructions, the organisers amusingly remind prospective competitors: "The water features will be about waist deep (perhaps slightly deeper for short sections, and short people)."

Bagshot has always been a classic Brutal venue with the water, mud, and tough hills. This is a military training area used for Alpine driver training with a series of super steep tracks called 'High Curly' by the locals. The area features significant hills and on the south side, there is a plateau with water features of all shapes, sizes, and depths.

Brutal Bagshot's two tough laps exploit the best the Army Alpine Driving Training circuit offers. With a fast and flat start, it’s wet and downhill to the first of many climbs. There's a bog to negotiate around 3K followed by more twisting, turning hills. Then it's the spectator's favourite – the fearsome Zig Zag slopes – before the punishing final kilometre, with up to waist-deep water holes, then on to the arena ready for the second lap (yes, there's a second lap for the full course which measures 11K).

This was the first event of the Brutal Run Series for 2025. Brutal HQ is partnering with Havant and East Hants Mind. This collaboration will see all Brutal Run events throughout the year serve as platforms for fundraising and donations to support the invaluable mental health services provided by HEH Mind. If you'd like to learn more about the charity, click here.

Despite the near-freezing temperatures and brisk wind courtesy of Storm Eowyn, there were 146 finishers inside 2:15:00. The vast majority opted for the full course and two men beat the hour. First to finish the two laps were unattached runners Sam Burton (58:26) and Alexander Buck (59:11). M45 Daniel Rose (Silwood Park Karate, 1:03:19) was third.

Lorna Adams (Redway Runners, 1:19:16) swopped the Milton Keynes footpaths for a Bagshot mudbath, winning the women's race from W40 Eleanor Sherriffs (Bedford Harriers, 1:23:01) and Louise Markham (unattached, 1:24:33).

If this report has "wetted" your appetite the full Brutal Run Series events are here.

Results and previous race reports are at the runABC South race listing here.

Brutal Run logo courtesy Brutal Events