Hey there you lovely people, reporting in from the Hoohaah 10 miler (there was a HM too, did that last year, very hard...not pretty 😱, so went for the 10 miler instead) ....this is multi terrain, 3 loops around different parts of the estate, 3 big hills, 2 ‘smaller’ ones (3 if you’re on the HM)....OH and I decided to go round together and treat it as a ‘training’ run.
Anyway, my last prep before next Sunday’s HM at Peterborough, I think I’d overtrained a bit, felt shattered the end of last week, had a mild cold sore.....achy hips...etc., so stuffed myself full of healthy meals, multi vits and plenty of hydration. Had no plan really, just wanted to take it easy, get round and clock up the mileage....
After the dreary cold rain of Saturday, Sunday dawned cool crisp and sunny, got to the venue, got number and timing chip, whilst queuing for the loo 3 flocks of geese flew over. Not long until we were off, only half a mile to the first big hill, another flypast by some geese......along the edge of a field, which was a bit slippy, I saw a timing chip on the ground, I’m sure in the same place as saw one last year....someone’s going to be gutted.....through the woods, then down and back on a bit of estate road through the woods and round to the folly, lopsided hill here, you’re running on the side of a hill....down in front of the folly, dodging the rabbit holes as you go....😩 back down onto an estate road to finish the first loop, past the water station, and through to another woodland path.....then up on to another bit of estate road, and a turn down next to a field, again a bit slippy, another fly past, this time two spitfires flying together....I managed to look up briefly whilst trying to keep an eye on the field side track....(we’re near Duxford airfield, get a lot of the display planes practising around here.....✈️) then, there it was, 6 mile hill, very steep, a killer.....had to walk this bit, once my calf muscles had got back in place, got going again, although now relatively level, this but was very uneven and lumpy, struggled a bit here....my hips were starting to complain.....oh and then another flypast, this time two biplanes - again, probably from the Duxford display lot....( we do see them a lot where I live 😄)
Back down the first hill we came up to complete loop 2, now round another part of the estate road (uphill) to more fields of the estate, through a another small piece of woodland with a lake/brook, apparently some people got stung by hornets here, thankfully they didn’t go for us.....then up another hill....down the other side to the back of the Hall, round towards the front the Hall, choice to be made here.....carry on to do a HM or the last mile.....(Hoohaah like to be flexible 😂...there’s another big hill, another lopsided bit round the folly....) no, we chose to stick to the 10 miles....
Then it was across the road - crossing the path of the incoming half marathoners - interesting....🏃♀️🏃♂️..round a lumpy field....and at last the finish!
The first time I did this course I did it in 2hrs 04, this time 1hr 54....happy, happy happy...💪...
feel much more confident about the HM now....and that I’m back on an even keel, still stuffing myself with loads of healthy meals etc.,
Phew, hard work, but worth it.. 🏅 proper taper now this week....
Happy running all
Mx
Well done, that sounds very challenging. Great photo too 
18.41km run today in heavy rain! Please could I have my 10 miler badge?
Reached 10 miles target!
