First run on first day of year

Sue managed to capture me as I passed our house.

A healthy start to the New Year. I decided some weeks ago to attempt my first fell run on the Morning After event. Having originally mis-read the instructions I became a bit concerned when I realised it was 5 miles, not 5km, so had to extend the training regime to get the distance up to that level.

Thanks to Jim's blog, one of the Mercia runners, I knew the route and managed to complete in the previous week and was aiming to get round in under an hour on the day.

I did have two brief running partners for the training, but neither were very keen on the cold and the mud so I ended up working solo.

The start of the run was a bit chaotic with a huge crowd gathered outside the police station in the town. I didn't actually hear the start whistle and neither did anyone around me but we saw people moving and followed quickly. On the way up Sandford Avenue there were strange noises coming up behind me and I was then passed by a dog dragging a runner behind him, one of many canine competitors in the race. There was also a penguin just ahead of me and a couple of very young boys who I didn't imagine would complete the course.

The route goes up through Rectory Woods with a couple of climbs and then on the track along to cross the Burway. Once on the level here, I took a quick drink on the go and was feeling pretty good although still a long way to go. A nice fast descent into the valley and then along to the track up past Stanyeld. I had run up this slope when training but there was a bit of congestion here so ended up walking with everyone else until we got near the golf clubhouse. back running we crossed the second hole and down into Cwm Dale.
passing some neighbours at the bottom who were marshalling we then had the steepest climb up to Novers. I had not done this before, even on a walk, and although it is tough going, once on the top there is a good run down into Batch Valley.

A stream at the bottom meant a quick leap and then another short climb onto the track out of the valley to get to Cwm Dale a second time. I passed the photographer just before the final drop down into the valley and managed not to grimace too much. The penguin was still ahead of me - and the two boys, although on reaching Madeira Walk I upped the pace and managed to get ahead of the youngsters and their mums. As I passed home, Sue popped out of the car and somehow managed to get a good photo of me in full flight. 

Nearly there now and the thought spurred me on to finish strongly in the cricket field. Just under the hour with a 57.25 finish! The first 5-miler under my belt and keen for more.