Skip to main content

Mud Bath!

I don’t like cross country. Ive never liked cross country. And so when I arrived at Harpenden 10k this morning and realised it was a cross country course a little part of me died inside. Coupled with lots and hills and mud it wasn’t going to make for an enjoyable run. Within two minutes of starting the race I was transported back to Year 7 cross country with Miss Jacques where we were forced to run around the cliffs of Whitburn. I didn’t like it then and it wasn’t much better today. But it is all for a good cause so I pushed myself around the four laps of the course slipping and sliding in the mud on the way. It was only around the half way point that I realised that the course was short. I dont know if it wasn’t measured correctly or whether the people I were following were cutting off corners but as I got to the last lap I had a decision to make. I wanted the race to be over but also, since this challenge is based on distance, felt I was cheating myself and my sponsors if I didn’t actually complete the distance. So for the last lap I was the loony runner that ran around the absolute edge of the course to try and build up the distance and at one point doubled back on myself and ran in a circle to get me to the 10k distance. I’m pretty sure people thought I was crazy but I had come to run 10k and I was absolutely going to do it! I finished the race in 63:03 which I didn’t think was bad considering the terrain. Needless to say I will not be returning here again! 

 A massive thank you to my sponsors this week: Angela Byrne, Jean Aiston and Amanda Noble. 

 If you can donate then please visit my Virgin Money Fundraising page:
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/HelenFrancis10

KM Completed: 15km
KM To Go: 185km

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It's Been Tough!

Finishing the Great North 10K in Gateshead Stadium This is a belated entry for a number of reasons. Firstly, with my deployment on the horizon I feel like I didn’t have any time to sit down and write the blog. I was either away on courses, spending time with the family or running! And I was exhausted! Which leads me to the second reason, that I needed a break from this challenge. Whilst I was enjoying running races on both days of the weekend, I was so tired and by the time I got to the Falklands I needed a rest. So a rest is what I had. What I intended to be for about 4 days turned very quickly into 4 weeks. I did no physical exercise and ate what I wanted which seemed fun to begin with until I realised again that I love running and wanted to get back out there. I am back training now; running, swimming and cycling 5-6 times a week and am loving it. But more on that later. It is now time to catch up on the events I crammed in before I deployed. After enjoying a weeks holida...
Post a Comment
Read more

Park and Cakes

A sunny Bedford Parkrun Another Saturday meant another Parkrun for me to add another 5k to my total, and what a lovely Saturday it was too. The sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The race went well and I managed to finish in 26:42 which is another PB for me and knocked 1:10 off my previous PB. I finished very red faced and sweaty but happy that my fitness seems to be getting back to where it was in February before I had all the illness and injury. It has given me a bit more confidence going into the Sunderland Half Marathon on Sunday that I will hopefully be able to get a decent time and not get left behind by my sister who is running it with me. This week also saw me host a coffee morning at RAF Henlow where we had lots and lots of cake available and a guess the name of the teddy bear and guess the amount of sweets in the jar competition. The morning was a great success and we raised £217 for Dementia UK which will help fund Admiral Nurses to support familie...
Post a Comment
Read more

It was raining.....

I completed the first 5k of my challenge on Saturday at Bedford Parkrun. It was raining....a lot! So I managed to drag my freezing cold and wet behind around the course in 29:24 placing 233rd out of 418. Not my best time but definitely a good place to start. I am planning on doing the Parkrun every month this year and hopefully with some more training and some better weather I will look less of a mess than I do in this picture! Please visit my fundraising page and help support me in this challenge. I am still looking for that first donor to get me started. Will you be the first??   https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/HelenFrancis10
Post a Comment
Read more