Wimpole Hoohaah 10k

[pinkaardvark]

Ran my second official 10k today, albeit garmin said it was 9.7km.

Was a much different affair to my prior hoohaah which started in misty rain and was a field slog through ankle deep mud. Today was scorchio.. or at least it felt very hot at 9:30am, probably was only 15-16c but bright sunshine.

The run was around the farm estate of wimpole hall, held in trust by the National Trust. It involved a significant slog up a hill at 2k and a milder hill at 8k which for me were like small mountains, but probably were mere hummocks to those that run in more vertiginous areas. The rest of the run was through dappled woods and field margins and aside from some remnants was pretty dry. I even heard the drone of the merlin at the 6k mark and spied that beautiful elipse of winged fury in a banking turn towards Duxford, likely for the air show this weekend.

I have no idea why all the runs I have booked are cross country affairs, I really would love to do a sub 1hr 10k but feel very proud to have made it round a totally cross country affair in 63 mins even if garmin said it was a bit short. My next run is around Hatfield forest.. here's hoping for flatter woodlands

Video of me finishing if it works, and feeling quite knackered. I sprinted the back end of my last 10k, this I was holding on lol. photos.app.goo.gl/0S9YBhrq5...

p.s. I tried the visor for this run, and it worked quite well. I was the only person wearing a visor out of 600 entrants. though I didn't see any headbands either.

I had a fanny pack too.. the shame

[Tasha99 Graduate10]

Loving the support in that video!

It’s definitely a bumbag not a fanny pack though 😂. I’ve got that Freetoo one too! I’ve also just invested in a visor so glad it helped! I pondering about running sunglasses now 🤔 £££

Congratulations! That’s a fab time! You’d easy go under one hour on the road! Well done 💪🏽

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Tasha99]

Thankyou. I didn't wear the glasses for the run, I find they get a bit too sweaty/steamy on the hotter runs and the visor shaded the eyes enough and acted as a sweatband for the worst of it.

[Tasha99 Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

Ok you’ve saved me some money there. Any plans to go to half marathon?

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Tasha99]

Yep.. doing a HM at wimpole also in October. So not only a HM but a cross country HM with hills.. *cries*

[bertiesugar Graduate10]

Well done you, braver than me, all my runs are on decent paths or roads

[Madge50 Graduate10]

Hoohaah! Hoohaah! Hoohaah! Well done, I was there too, it was pretty toasty in the sun wasn’t it, lovely through the woodland, nevermind the grrrtt big hill near the start and the lumpy sheep field near the end......🏃‍♀️😂 at the second hill, I kept repeating to myself ‘I must get better at hills’, ‘I must get better at hills’.......to try and keep myself going, my garmin came up a bit short too, unusual for those runs.....

Did you get the word? We didn‘t, but the girlie at the shop took pity on us as we did remember some of the animal pictures, and we did get a little treat 🍩

I wasn’t as quick as you but took 3 mins off my last years time, which quite surprised me......

Really enjoyed it, lovely day.

We’re not doing Hatfield, but will be doing the 10 miler in October......at Wimpole, as well as the two hills experienced today, there is another bigger, steeper hill on that one......😱......you in?

Mx

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Madge50]

I stupidly signed up to the HM.. probably got even more hills

[Madge50 Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

Ah no, only the three, but you get to do the nice steady sloping downhill through the woods.....really cooling and fresh on the last couple of miles.....for the 10 miler we get that flippin’ sheep field as the last joint jangling bit before the finish.....😂 (we did the HM last year....)

You are similar speed to my OH, we’ll have to try and meet up next time........I’m an MM too.....

Mx

[Fionn42]

Nice one pink! Fab time too, despite the heat!

[misswobble Graduate10]

Sounds like a fab day! Sorry about the hills but what can yer do. I like a trail 10k. I know they're slower, and even more so with the ruddy hills, but more interesting than a flat road

Some days though a flat road is heaven-sent

You did get a medal though!

Well done! I think the cap or visor is a boon.

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to misswobble]

I don't mind the hills, well I don't mind them afterwards lol. Good for the constitution what 'o!

[TedG Graduate10]

Great run Mike, sooner you than me doing cross country events. I personally prefer the roads or gravel trails. Cross country on uneven grass etc literally saps the energy out of my legs 😱

[Decker]

Great race Pink! Looks like a really nice spot for a run. Super quick time too!

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Decker]

Yes Decker. A lot of it is parkland that was landscaped by Capability Brown, a much feted (by the nobility) landcape gardener of the 1700's. Known for liking a ha - ha or har haar as the gentry may pronounce it, so ideal for a hoohaah run hehe. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ha-ha

[Decker in reply to pinkaardvark]

A-ha hoohaah!

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Decker]

No they were an 80's norwegian pop/rock band fronted by Morten Harket. Get with it Decker en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-ha

[Hidden]

Thats not too far from me...very nice & well.done 😊

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

See you at the next one then

[SW16 Graduate10]

Great running! Nice bling to go with the rest of your outfit!

[Hidden]

Well done. but then I never doubted your ability. you will ace your half marathon x

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

aww, thanks for the show of confidence Flick I definitely need to put a bit of work in beforehand. Maybe need to come to chippy for a week to do some hill training lol.

[Hidden in reply to pinkaardvark]

yes, I could shunt round like a goods train showing you the ropes

[Millsie-J]

Great vid Punk, love the visor! What a fab run and a very good time too!

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Millsie-J]

You looking at me punk 😃

[Millsie-J in reply to pinkaardvark]

Go on Pink, make my day😏

[EmmaRunning Graduate10]

Congratulations! And a very credible time too. It sets you up nicely for the HM. Well done!

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to EmmaRunning]

Thanks Emma.. I do like to be seen as credible

[Lordi Graduate10]

Great run / time Xcountry! Well done!

[JetsOwner]

I watched your video. Great. I need to aim for 10k. But next year.

[HeleneCorsa Graduate10]

Ooh well done! Sounds wonderful. I can empathise with the choice of cross country for your 10k. I think it is a long enough distance to get bored but when the terrain is varied and there are things to look at (your gloriously described merlin, for instance) then it is far more gratifying. I'd definitely choose the varied experience over speed.

I'm not commenting on the visor and bumbag combo but I do think we need a points system for the number of runners' accoutrements we take out with us. I'm hoping you'll add sleeves and compresssion socks next

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to HeleneCorsa]

Lol, I do have compression socks, but wouldn't wear them with shorts (only underneath longer leggings). The Merlin was the engine of the spitfire just to be clear.

With regard to the x country, I do admit I did miss a lot of scenery as I tend to just end up focusing on someone in front. It helps if you find someone with a nice behind that is running at the right pace hehe

[HeleneCorsa Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

Nope, that's no excuse - the shorts would show them off in all their glory.

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to HeleneCorsa]

Yeah.. that's the problem lol. I did see some shockers on display in bright flouro. I like my calves so they are better on show naked

[HeleneCorsa Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

Also I tend to do that thing of focusing on people running ahead of me. Not looking at their behinds (or not necessarily, lol) - but I think my latent sinister competitiveness comes out and I find myself thinking, "Let me reel you in, little fishy!"