Well, I decided to turn up and run this, having had one of the worst night's sleep of the week and feeling pretty lousy, sniffly, sore throat. Being sensible I should not have run, but we never learn and off I set at 8am for Sandy Balls campsite. Got registered and tried to warm up. It was cold, damp, windy, but thankfully the rain had abated for a while and we actually got through the race downpour free.
A very muddy walk down to the start line and at 10am we were off, and uphill! My breathing was ridiculously hard and I felt dreadful, although my legs were in good shape! I didn't bother checking my heartrate, but was probably off the chart! Anyway I dug in near the front and settled into something like a comfortable pace and the race proceeded much like that, nice and easy pace and then uphills and then down again. Through fords, mudpits, over gravel trails, grassy knolls and through countless puddles of varying depths! And the hills, lots of them. In fact there were no flat sections on this run. The last mile was on tarmac until it kicked off onto a footpath that had become a mud bath!
It was a very enjoyable run, but long!!!! My Garmin had it down as 14.98 miles. I completed it in 1 hour 46 mins and something, in around 22nd place or so. I think my coach would be pleased how I approached it. He said to go hard for the last 3 miles! Turned out it was 5 miles hard at the end! Not so bad considering I was very under the weather and was contemplating not running. Legs feel a bit sore as I write now 5 hours after the finish. And I haven't eaten much as I feel sick as a dog! Results will be out later on the racenewforest website. Big thanks to Richard Iles and Joanne for hosting yet another great event. Why do they always make em so bloody tough!!!???
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