First race of the year....

Race (noun) run where I run with a number on my front...

Night - after sunset

Hill - feature of the landscape that creates an upward protuberance

Off-road - not on smooth or flat running surface - broken cobbles, rough paths, tree routes AKA ankle eater

Cold snap - a period of time when the temperature drops.  AKA a bit parky!

Combine all of them for my first event run of the year; some runs I do for training, races I tend to do for a variety of reasons (speed, views, enjoyment, challenge) and then there are the events - night time, off road running up a hill in a cold snap is an event run...

And I enjoyed it.  My predictions were - no longer than 90 min, and I'd probably be in the last 5... I was correct on both.

I learnt a few things - two torches; one on the head and one in the hand, does help get a 3D view of the world.  The headtorch on its own is good, but a very flat view of the world.

I need to get fitter, I knew that taking a light couple of months is always going to have an effect.  However, I did feel fine for most of it, and ran well when I was confident of the surface and wasn't going up a rather large hill.

My gear works - to the point where I forgot about it most of the time.  If that sounds odd, off road running uses very different running shoes than road - it's not just the amount of grip, its the amount of flex and twist in the shoe... and whether it's designed to keep water out, or to get it out very fast...

First run done, and I'm happy...






So, job done - weekly total 35km

TTFN

P



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