A tradition at the Furnace Inn to host this 5km run around Darley Abbey and a snippet at £2 a go too. The route is flat, flatter than Parkrun and popular with both club runners and fun runners alike. For £2 you just can’t say no.
So rather than race it and talk myself into how slow I had become after a broken leg back in August given this was my first event ‘back’ I decided to try and run with Becky’s other half Paul, a bit like what we did last year. Paul was knocking out 22 minute 5km Parkruns so I knew I may struggle to keep up with him as I didn’t know really what my body would be capable of.
Run for a good cause: Yourself
Off we went, mustled mid pack initially. Paul shot off and I had a job and a half to try and keep up with him, at times loosing him in the crowd. A little bit of mud caught a lot of the runners out, avoiding the big splashy puddles and tiptoeing around the edges. FFS people go through it… like this… and overtake everyone. Well kind of, as I ploughed through the mud like a teaspoon running its way through a saucer of jam. ‘Oh its a bit muddy’ pipped up a runner, laa dee daa dee daa – run through it people, splish splash splish splash.
Towards the cricket ground we ran, through the grassy mud. I was now keeping up with Paul and feeling quite comfortable. Across the bridge and onto the road bit. Glad I wore my trail shoes and left behind those slipping about in their brand new Christmas road shoes. Give me mud and lots of it.
Embrace the mud
Back onto the traily path with more puddles, I was happy and speeding along almost forgetting I was running with Paul as I took charge and ran that little bit quicker. Feeling comfortable all the way around I was happy in my element of 5km-ness.
Me run with me
The route then does a little loop around a main wide path and then back onto some even more sloppy muddy sections, which is where I once again ploughed through and overtook a couple of guys pussyfootying around. I waited for Paul to catch me up and we ran into the finish almost together – happy and muddy.
Now that’s what I call a muddy boxing day mudfest. A perfect post Christmas Treat.
