Tori and Sally represented Carn Runners at the Bude Pirate Run on Sunday 20 September, taking on a relentlessly hilly course in surprisingly warm conditions.
Both Carnies produced brilliant performances over the demanding coastal route, with Sally adding yet another age-category victory to her rapidly growing collection.
Eight miles of hills and coastal trails
The Bude Pirate Run is certainly not an event that gives runners much time to settle into an easy rhythm. Starting and finishing on Maer Down at Crooklets, its approximately eight-mile route combines coast path, fields, woodland and short stretches of road.
The official elevation profile shows around 1,221 feet of climbing, so the hills are a major part of the challenge rather than an occasional interruption. Add in warmer-than-expected weather and this became a particularly testing morning on the north Cornwall coast.
The race was the third fixture in the 2026/27 Cornwall Multi-Terrain Race Series, which takes competitors across a varied calendar of trail and mixed-terrain events.
Brilliant running from Tori and Sally
Tori and Sally both handled the tough course brilliantly, flying the Carn colours across the hills and trails around Bude.
There was another excellent result for Sally, who secured an age-category win. It continues an impressive run of racing success and means another prize for a mantelpiece that must be getting increasingly crowded.
Tori also deserves huge credit for taking on such an unforgiving route and completing another demanding off-road challenge. There are no easy miles at the Bude Pirate Run, and every finisher has to work hard from start to finish.
The pair had also been part of the Carn team celebrating podium success at the St Ives Bay 10K earlier in the series, making this another strong outing on Cornwall’s multi-terrain circuit.
Another successful trip to Bude
Carn Runners are becoming familiar faces at this distinctive event. The club also enjoyed age-group success at the 2025 Bude Pirate Run, and Sally has now returned to claim another category victory a year later.
The combination of rugged coastal scenery, steep climbing and mixed terrain makes the Pirate Run memorable, although probably not always comfortable while the race is under way. This year’s warmth provided one more challenge for Tori and Sally to overcome.
The full 2026 Bude Pirate Run results are available through Cornwall Running.
Huge congratulations to both Tori and Sally on two brilliant performances — and special congratulations to Sally on bringing another age-category win home for Carn Runners.
