Well, it's been a pretty tough race to be honest. The gremlins were out in force doing the samba happily through my mind before we set off and I was worrying that I'd be able to do it. Lately, I've put a bit of weight on, I've worked this week for the first time in six weeks, and to be honest, it took it out of me. So, worries ahoy! During the warm up, I had distinctly homicidal thoughts toward the inventor of Zumba, as there was someone trying to get us to do Burpees, squat thrusts and star jumps as a warm up! Insanity!
But when we got ready for the start, we all bunched up and got covered in orange paint! As we set off, everyone bunched up. I got asked by my son "are we going for a walk then?" But I explained that when people spaced out and formed packs, we'd be able to find one at our pace, or move up and run alone at out speed. After five minutes or so and the 'slowites' dropped to the back, we began to make headway and got to a lovely hill, the only thing was, it was full of people! Although Jake (cute one on the left, I'm the cute one on the right in glasses) was moaning about going up hills. He likes going down them!
After another colour station, we ran into snibstone park, and some unfunny liar told us 'past half way, it's all flat from now!' it wasn't. Oh, how it wasn't.
We came out of the park, and ran past the clock tower, and begun up a long hill, where Jake keeps (he'd been doing it for around 1k by now, bl**dy show off) on pulling his trick of sailing gracefully awake from his rather portly (if handsome and cheeky looking) dad! Revenge was mine however, when he... Stalled. And my bad self returned the favour, sailing past him with only a small hastily concealed smirk on my face. I did stop to let him catch up though. You know, because I'm nice.
And who decided to put zebra crossings in a colour run!?! Having to stop? Whilst running? Sacrelidge! But as we came up the home straight (after a loooong hill) we were told the finish was round the corner. Obviously we didn't slow down... We both upped the pace, practically galloping toward the last colour station and victory!
Ok, we didn't come first, and we both stopped a couple of time and walked a little. Sometimes by choice, sometimes not, but it was a good run, and for a good cause. I was inspired by some of the runners as well, and it reminded me how much I had to be thankful for. We saw a little boy running with nasal catheters and an oxygen tank and a man who inspired me enormously, running with his son, incessantly praising him and telling him how well he was doing.
His son was wearing a calliper.
It was a brilliant run, made better because at the end, I beat Jake. π