What a Day!

[BettyJane]

Well today was the day of the Bedgebury Forest 10k Trailblazer run. I signed up for it a couple of months ago and Joined Team MacMillan to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Support, at about the same time I also signed up for a 5K run to raise money for Bromley Mencap (I'm a Childmimnder on their network). I spent quite a bit of time getting sponsors for Mencap, which I ran on 19th May. Realisation dawned on me at the beginning of the week that I hadn't done an aweful lot of fund raising for MacMillan. So I have been telling anyone that will listen this week about running 10k to raise money for MacMillan, and managed to get quite a few sponsors.

The weather has been lovely here in South East England this week, I was getting a bit worried about it being too hot. Today started off quite cloudy, with a strong breeze. My start time was 12.15, which happened to be just when the sun came out. I knew that the course started off up hill, and once I'd got up the first hilly bit I tried to find a steady pace. I was expecting the rest of the course to be downhill/flat, but no, there were quite a few uphill bits. At 6k my legs were quite tired and I seemed to be going really slowly, 7 & 8k were ok, 9k was a nice downhill bit, then came the last kilometer, uphill and not a gentle slope, I ran a bit, passed a few people but I just couldn't keep going and had to walk, I did run the last bit over the finish though.

Offical time 1:02:07, not too bad as it was such a hard run.

[wilmacgh Graduate]

Fantastic time in a lovely location. Well done on your run and the sponsorship.

[nomorejellybelly Graduate]

Wow, good for you & a very impressive time considering the hills. Congratulations. Claire. X

[LMS2110 Graduate]

Wow, many congratulations - amazing time for all those hills, and such a worthy cause. What a lovely and FIT person you are! I was driving around your local hills last week in a little old sports car, and it was having some problems chugging along. You are awesome!

[Malcy Graduate]

Sounds like a magnificent run. Hills can be tough, but hills and hot weather are a horrible combination. Very well done!

[BettyJane Graduate]

Thanks everyone, My legs are now OK, but my lower back is still feeling it. I think I'll make sure that the next 10k race I enter is fairly flat. I'm going to have to sign up to something soon to keep me motivated.

[TJFlute]

Well done on that amazing time for such a difficult course. Was it enjoyable? I was thinking of signing up for it one year as it's not too far for me to travel to. Is it well organised? friendly bunch/well supported, or is it a race you won't do again! Thanks, Theresa x

[BettyJane Graduate in reply to TJFlute]

Theresa, it was extremely well organised, there were over 900 runners, but there were 8 waves, one setting off every 15 minutes. The course was harder than I expected, not helped by hot weather and my wave set off at 12.15, the last part of the course is uphill, so I was very glad to get over the finish line and collapse on the grass and send my husband off to get me a pint of cider.

Would I do it again? Not sure, probably by the time I get an email telling me about next years i'll have forgotten the hard bits (bit like childbirth!). Also hopefully I'll be even fitter by then

[TJFlute in reply to BettyJane]

It sounds like a course to avoid overall! I find that most of the races around here have horrendous hills; even the race for life in Tunbridge Wells had a tough hill at the end and the Sussex marathon is apparently a killer according to friends. Thanks for your reply p.s. I like the pint of cider idea!

[SBG356 Graduate]

Sounds hard Betty Jane but you did it in a great time! Well done you!

Sue