Hi how h'are hue!...... Ok! I cant keep the 'H' theme going! I probably need a couple of extra pints to do that! But what a great run this was! fan-bloomin-tastic! What can I say about this race? Well, lets just let my fingers do the talking!
The day wasn't what was forecasted. The sun wasn't blazing away in the sky, and just as well! I am sure I would have melted! I got out of bed at a fairly descent hour for a Saturday, even though the old boy was up at least an hour before me, he has his own agenda today, fixing the car! I had breakfast, which was cooked by the Old Boy, egg and dippy soldiers, and a nice cup of splosh to wash it down. I relaxed for the whole morning, making the Old Boy coffee when he needed it.
The H.H.H.H.H5 started at a very civilised hour of 2pm. Not only that but at the half way water stop, they had, well, water of course but if you were tempted...... there was beer!! Yes! Beer! It's like the perfect run, I wonder if its sponsored by that lager people, Carlseburg? But all I know is, that just along from the village green is a pub called the Amazon and Tigers, where we all will be ending up after the run! But I am jumping the gun. There were quite a few PWR's at this run, here is just some of them.
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| Our PWR's |
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| And some more PWR's |
We made our way to the start. I stood in the 50 mins and under section, well, I didn't want to be the only PWR standing in the 60 mins and under section. Here is a picture of Sue (Sue by the way, very kindly picked me up and drove to the race, just as well as the Old Boy had my car to do the running around to pick up car parts for his car!)
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| Sue at the beginning |
I kept her in my sight for only a short while, after all, Sue does run in group 2 at our club! Ok, I'm making excuses! But I was determined to try as hard as I can to get this race done within the hour! After that, they open the roads to traffic! I don't want to be chasing cars! Is there a song about that? The support on the road part of the race was brilliant. I was wearing my club running shirt, of course that has my name on it from when I did the MARATHON (yes, I got it in again!) So, for my second race of the year, I had people calling after me, "Go on, Old Girl, you can do it"
The road section was not too bad, a slight incline, and then we entered the wood! Oh what a delight that was! Yes, it was muddy, England is wet!, which is why we have such lush woodlands, but who cares when they are as lovely as this. The peace and quite, the birds tweeting in the trees (no, not on the mobiles!) and the flowers! Pure delight! I was moved to stop! Yes, I stopped, but I just had to take this picture.
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| Pretty bluebells. |
This is perfecting running! An absolute delight, that's all I can say! I carried on running through the woods and I could see the runners in front of me getting slightly further! I took a picture, here,
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| My race ahead! |
that's how far they was, but I also, took a picture of the runners behind! As long as there is people behind then I will be happy! I don't like to be the last in!
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| And my nemesis behind! |
I also noticed some posts, in the wood. And for a while, whilst running I thought about what they might be for. I came to the conclusion that they are for martial arts! you know, for the crane kick, what the karate kid saw Mr. Miyagi doing!
I didn't get a picture though, from this point on I was concentrating on getting back to the village green within the hour! I had really warmed up! I was sweating.....glowing quite a lot now! It was just as well I had left my running jacket at the PWR's tent, but it also had my hankie in the pocket I will just have to 'cuff' the glow. The woods were stunning though, the people walking through the woods giving encouragement through out!
Before long it was half way through and the water station was just ahead. Of course being a Hash run, there was a choice of hydration source, beer or water. I chose, being as I am a first time hash runner, water to refill my water bottle. I also grabbed some jelly babies, not because I needed the energy but just because I love jelly babies!
Now the race for me really started. The first half was a total pleasure, just enjoying being out in these gorgeous woods, being part of yet another great race fun race, but now I must get my racing head on. the people who I took a picture of were still in front of me, I over took them then they found some energy to over take me. I could hear the the two chaps that I captured with my lens behind me, talking about the beer they had consumed at the water stop! I cannot let them over take me! This is a race now! I have to take it seriously.
Around about mile 4 there is this cheeky little hill, shall we say! It all of a sudden just springs upon you. I wasn't quite ready for it. Of course I walked up it, it was a tad slippery as well! I was pleased that the hill was at the end of the run. We soon popped out of the woods and back on to the road we were first on.
My race couple was till ahead of me, and now the two 'drinking buddies' were also in front of me! they had overtaken me on the hill. They must have a bigger stride then me! I overtook them again, when we got out on to the road, though with a very polite "Ladies first, because we are gentlemen" . Running along I developed a stitch, "Why or why now" I thought to myself, "just short of a mile to go" I grabbed my side and kept going as fast as I could" The two drinking buddies did eventually overtook me, maybe I should have the beer at the half way stop!
The 800 metres board, just nestled at the side of the road, not a big bragging sign, but just sitting there. I smiled, I heard the two chaps up head mention it. I knuckled down and tried to catch them up, but the stitch was just awful! I will have to learn to run through a stitch. I couldn't believe it when I saw the 200 metre board! It came up so quick, I could hear the crowd cheering the other runners in, I am not that far now!
Just there, just a little further, I turned right to enter the village green, I didn't look at the clock, I just didn't want to see the time, I head the compare call my name out! The PWR's cheered from the tent (I didn't hear that, I was just concentrating on crossing over the mats) Then I was there, crossed all three mats before I turned off my Garmin.
My Garmin read.....well, have a look at the geeky stats! But as soon as I had finished the race, after collecting my medal and water, I hunted down the beer tent! Now that's running!
This is me after I had finished my can of Fosters, at the pub, another beer polished off!
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| Me with my medal |
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