Hestercombe humdinger

Hestercombe humdinger!!! 9 and half miles of hills!!
I talked half of the corporate challenge team into running this race!!! I mean if you can run that you can run anything!!!
Started off really fast 7.30 minute miles but I soon slowed down on first hill!! You could actually walk up that steep hill faster than you could run so walked I did!! First race I have ever walked!! I caught up with Barry who was having some tendon problems and then abandoned him..... Seems harsh but I had to just keep on going!!
There was a few down hills afterall what goes up must come down!!!
I got to the last hill wasn't as steep as the first but when you have already ran a hilly 8 miles it was s nightmare!!! I walked again only to start running again when I saw the photography perched on the brow of the hill!! The final mile came and boy was it all downhill!! The hill was so steep that I had to flap my arms like a rabid swan to help me keep my balance!! " it's all downhill from here" shout the marshals to which I gave a resounding cheer and I ran down the hill with the marshals laughter ringing in my ears!!!!
I have to say running downhill can really hurt your knees!!!
It was the final straight 400 m to go.... There was a runner beside me and my competitive ego kicked in and I sprinted to the finish!! I crossed the line and immediatly felt really sick but managed to keep it down!!
I collected my groovy shirt and goodie bag and scoffed my face full of chocolate!! 1.30.47 well happy with that seeing my 10 mile runs normally take a lot longer!!

18 miles

I woke up with no motivation to run, no energy!! But I got ready, had my route all planned and off I went!!
It was a bitterly cold day even with hat, buff and gloves and 3 layers I still felt the cold!! I choose a route with areas I hadn't run before hoping it would help keep me focused on the way!
I hit 7 miles and even then it felt hard work!! I kept going fighting that mental battle and somehow I got to 12 miles!! I was on the homeward straight!! All I had to do was 10 k home.......
I can see what they mean when they say that when you hit the 20 mile mark you feel your only halfwAy! That 10 k home such a small distance really seemed like a massive feat!!
I kept running, I couldn't stop, I was far too cold and had to keep moving!
John had phoned me and I felt like crying!!!
At last I was a mile from home, I had missed a little detour but I didn't care I'd had enough! I got near the house at 17.35 miles and I stopped!! That wad such hard work! I felt like I couldn't walk for quite a few hours!!
I initally felt disappointed that I hadn't hit 18 but bugger me I had ran 17.35, the furthest I have ever ran !!!!! And in 3 hours 8 mins with quite a few hills chucked in for good measure!! I then realised I had won that mental battle I had kept going when all I wAnted to do was stop!! I made that last 10k against the odds and I know I will use that winning attitude in the last miles of the marathon!!
Pat in the back!!! Also the fact it was sooo cold and the elements were against me!! If it had been warmer and I hadn't felt so much discomfort through the cold I recon I could hAve achieved a further distance!! How hardcore am I running that far in the cold!!??