Cheddar 10k Downhill Road Race report!

[cheekychipmunks]

Wow what fun! Relish really do organise their races well. The email instructions couldn’t have been clearer, which was necessary in this case. 🙏🏻

Cowladyrunning and I had arranged to meet up beforehand, and it was great to see her and her spectator friend and have a good old chat.

We caught our bus which took a good 20 minutes to reach the top of the Gorge. The first 2.5k had some ups and downs on closed roads, then we turned right where I expected it to be downhill all the way. It sort of was, although the next few kms were basically flat, only starting to properly drop at around 7k.

I’ve had a hideous cold all week and have only run once, and I had total spaghetti legs! I was also hacking at times (when I made sure I was out of earshot of others!), but the fresh air felt delightful and it was amazing on the final 2.5k, where the downhill really kicked in! My kind of running. 🙏🏻👊 🏃‍♀️ Chip time was 1:18:39, so slower than Severn Bridge and no easier even with the downhill element. Great race nonetheless. 😀

I was humbled by one of the lead runners running back up quicker than I was running down! Fantastic athlete. 👊

Wonderful friendly encouraging marshals, and a fab medal - one of the Relish set. A packet of mini Cheddars was one of the snacks at the end, of course! 😅

Met up with CLR who’d finished long before me and her friend, and we walked together back to the cars. A bit of a slog, but impeccably signposted. Off to a family birthday BBQ this afternoon to eat my body weight in food. My appetite has returned after that run! 🙏🏻

[Dexy5 10 Miles]

Ooh that sounds a great run cheekychipmunks , and so lovely to meet a new VRB too.

Hopefully that cold has cleared a bit now and you can enjoy your family barbecue.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Thanks Dexy5 ! Not as downhill as advertised I don’t think, but still a ton of fun and stunning scenery, especially for the last few kms. 😍

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

Sounds like a fantastic event CC, a typically joyful post despite the hacking cough! Enjoy the BBQ 🙂

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Haha you should have heard me Beachcomber66 - I sounded like a 40 a dayer!! But I did make sure I was alone. I didn’t want to scare anyone off! 😅

[Frenc Half Marathon]

Ah brilliant cheekychipmunks ! That sounds like a fabbo run and really good fun. A big fat well done especially with spaghetti 🍝 legs - they aren’t much fun but you must have poured some special pasta sauce into the mix! Great photos. Anything with the name Cheddar in it is pretty special in my book. Enjoy the rest of your day 😊😊😊.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Frenc]

Thanks Frenc I knew they’d be spaghetti like today as I’ve felt pretty rough all week (negative LFT I hasten to add!) But the downhill promise of this race made me run it anyway. I’m glad I did. 🙏🏻😀

[Frenc Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Must be something going around, I did a test yesterday but luckily negative too. Feel better.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Frenc]

Thanks Frenc. I was relieved I tested negative as that would have definitely ruled me out of the race. That would have been terrible. 😱 Sorry you’re not feeling great either. 🥹

[David_G Metric Marathon]

That sounds like a great day to me cheekychipmunks 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️👏👏👏

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to David_G]

It was David_G , thanks! 😀

[Shake-and-run Half Marathon]

I like the sound of a downhill run, it could definitely tick a lot of boxes for me. And what a lovely location. Well done you xx

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Shake-and-run]

Thanks Shake-and-run 😀 Apart from the last 3kms it wasn’t as downhill as they’d advertised I don’t think, but it was still wonderful, and the crisp weather really helped. 🙏🏻👏

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon]

Wow what fun! That says it all a delight to see! I'm sure that you will enjoy eating to try and replenish your energy reserves 😊🏃‍♀️🏅

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

It was joyful over61andstilltrying 😍 Such a fun race! As for replenishing my food intake, well I did that very well thank you! Just got home from an all afternoon BBQ and I’m stuffed! 😅😅

[JonathanP 10 Miles]

Sounds as though you've had something similar to me Cheeky (still hacking!), but that race must have been a real tonic! I hope you didn't have to climb too far on your way back to the car?

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to JonathanP]

Oh no JonathanP , you’re still hacking? 😩😩. Mine was 100% caught from a grandson, and it knocked me for six for the last few days. Still I’m glad I ran today as it (TMI alert) cleared my tubes! 😳

No, thankfully the walk back to the car was more or less flat. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[JonathanP 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Mine was a granddaughter - dangerous things, grandchildren!😜

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to JonathanP]

They certainly are Jonathan! 😅

[Decker Ultramarathon]

Sounds like a fun one Cheeky, in spite of the hacking. Hope you are 100% very soon!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Decker]

Thanks Decker , it was such fun. The hacking didn’t put me off too much, although I’m sure others would have been if they’d heard me! 😳😅

[Hedgehogs123 Metric Marathon]

Well done, lovely happy pics, and sounds a fantastic experience. Bet youre still smiling!! 😃🏃‍♀️🏅

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Hedgehogs123]

Yes I am Hedgehogs123 , it was brilliant, despite my lack of performance. Hope it runs again next year. 🤞😀

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles]

Cheddar is a beautiful place, shame about the cold, the one doing the rounds is hideous, we’ve got it here too, I love downhills, well done running anyway even though not quite better from that cold

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to SueAppleRun]

Arghh you too Sola. It’s been a vicious cold, but I felt ok enough to run today even though I wasn’t on top form. Couldn’t miss a bling opportunity could I? 🏅😅

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

You certainly couldn’t, I would have ran if i’d booked a race too 😀

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to SueAppleRun]

😅😅

[RunWillie Marathon]

Well done cheekychipmunks Glad you’re feeling better and you got to run. What fun. 😍

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

Thanks RunWillie , I’d have been devastated to have missed it. 🤧🙏🏻

[TailChaser Marathon]

Glad your cold didn’t hinder you too much cheeky, sounds a lovely day and a BBQ is the perfect way to end it! 👏👏👏

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to TailChaser]

Yes, I’m relieved too TC. I had visions of having to pull out, and even though there was a virtual option to do any time, that wouldn’t have been the same at all! 🙏🏻

[Cowladyrunning Marathon]

That's a great report Cheeky! Ill add my version when I get home but for now I'm still in Cheddar!!!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Cowladyrunning]

Hope Bridget gets her cheese Cowladyrunning 🧀 Enjoy the rest of your stay and hopefully see you on the Severn Bridge some day! 😍

[Week7 Half Marathon]

Sounds like a brilliant race! Hope you are feeling better.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Week7]

Thanks W7, it was. 😀 Having a very lazy day today though!

[Week7 Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Perfect lazy day weather!

[Sandie1961 Half Marathon]

Sounds lovely and glad your stinky cold didn’t spoil it for you. Cheddar Gorge is fantastic isn’t it? (We’ve only driven it though 😂)

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Sandie1961]

Thanks Sandie, it was fun running down the steep part at the end whilst hikers were making their way up. My experience was infinitely more fun than theirs judging by their faces! 😅

[Tabbles Half Marathon]

I have been waiting to hear this race report since you posted that you were doing it.

Sounds fun, hope you get over the cold soon. I think a warm brandy may be in order!

Was the medal one of their wooden ones, if so only three more to make the set.

Medals

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Tabbles]

Thanks Tabbles, it was a wonderful experience running down the gorge. I’ll be back next year if they repeat it. 😀 The cold is still lingering, but I am starting to feel much better. 🙏

Yes, a wooden medal. Very cool. I’d like to do the Two Tunnels in Bath next year if possible too. 😀

[StringsandKeys Half Marathon]

I love the sound of this race and congratulations on completing it when you’re not 100%. What’s this about the Severn Bridge? Must look more into that one. Every time I cross that bridge I marvel at the engineering would love to run across it!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to StringsandKeys]

Hi S&K, yes it was such fun on Saturday. A really unique experience and I hope they run it next year. 🤞😀

Severn Bridge is an iconic place to run. The old (best!) one, not the ‘new’ Prince of Wales Bridge. They hold weekly parkruns there if you didn’t know, plus at the end of August there’s a combined 10k/HM race which I’ve done 4 years in a row now. It’s my absolute favourite place to run and I fully recommend it! 😀

[StringsandKeys Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

So glad you enjoyed it despite not being well. I love the new Severn bridge but I guess it’s not practical to close it for a run! Well must put the old Severn Bridge in the calendar for next year.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to StringsandKeys]

I love the new bridge too of course, it’s incredible. It’s just that I have fond memories of the old one, even though it would close regularly in storms (still does!) and it had the tolls to negotiate which were often chaotic! Happy days. ❤️😅

[aliboo70 Half Marathon]

That looks a great race, glad it went so well xxx

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to aliboo70]

Thanks aliboo, it was great. So well organised and a fabulous location! 😍

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Ooh, mini cheddars ... one of my fave runnning snacks 😍 Well done on a brilliant run when you were so under the weather 👏👏👏

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Mine too Linda! I especially love the Red Leicester ones. 😋😅

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon]

Missed this report. Well done Cheeky! You managed a great run even though you were under the weather. 👍👏👏👏

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

Ahh no worries, thanks Brian! We’ve been informed it was such a success they’ll be running it again next year. 😀😀

[misswobble Marathon]

that looks a great place to run! 😀. Flying down a ruddy gret ‘ill. Wheeee🏃‍♀️🏅😁

I hope you’re quite well after your exertions 😀👍💪

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

It was such fun MW. Relish’s first time running this particular race and they’ve had such rave reviews they’re definitely holding it again next year. I’m in! 👏👏👏

[misswobble Marathon]

good for you 😀👍

I was just reading about the Wye tunnel one 🤓. I’ve just come back from the banks of the Wye. Gutted not to have been fit enough to run. I’d planned all sorts 🙄