This is a race definitely “as advertised” – 1/3 uphill (so steep that power-walking is as good as running for us plodders), 1/3 wading through ankle-deep mud, and 1/3 overly-tempting downhill (I’ve been going down stairs sideways this week…!).

Funnily before the race started I was thinking what a pity it was that there weren’t any other VRUK-ers around (as you all know, wherever you go to race it’s still more likely than not that you won’t be the only VRUKer there) when up came new member Diane Wynne and introduced herself! Good job she did too – she finished twenty minutes ahead of me, [picture!]

so by the time I toddled over the line she’d fled back into the warm for lunch.

But I’d got a spot prize, yay! a technical t-shirt, and my Dad and sister were out cheering me on (as you can hear in the video Dad took of me poddling gently downhill – I swear it felt much faster!) so all in all a great day.

Of course I STILL haven’t got the mud out of my shoes (when I showered I found that somehow the mud was under my toenails!). And still only half-way through the weekend’s results & reports….zzzzz