Chatsworth 10km

Chatsworth House 10km all in aid of Helen’s Trust – nothing to do with me just something to do with a great charity and a great place to run in Derbyshire on a sunday morning, and why not?

So let the race commence, ready steady run.

This multi terrain course had a reputation for being hilly and it kept to that reputation. The first 1km was flatter than a bumpy pancake, but then onto grass and up we went, and up to the 2km mark and up again into gorgeous woods with a glance of Chatsworth house, and round and up again, and up to the 3km mark and up again, and round, and grab some water at 4km and up and up and up and further up still. And then, and then… and then…

..it flattened out to a lovely trail surrounded by gorgeous plants Prunus spintatous and dacusrunaruns, but not Roadodendruns as this was not a road race. Today I was happy the surroundings felt great, I felt comfortable and at ease with my run, at no point was I ready to fail.

Happiness is pushing your limits and watching them back down. – New Balance

At 5km we got told we were “half way there” – really? Wow, why do stewards think that runners have the intelligence of a worm sometimes? Yes we are doing a 10km and if my maths tell me right we are 50% there when we get to the 5km mark. Not nearly there.

And then they proceed to tell us that it’s downhill, yey, what goes up MUST come down so there we go down we go. Now I know I am not very good at running down hill, I couldn’t even catch up with my breath going down hill despite all the blokes that over took me down there, however I did manage to tick one off my list. Only one female passed me however looking to me like a very very strong club runner. I was not wearing my SRC running vest today so I could not count myself in that category. I was seeing red instead.

Down the trail, as slow as a snail down down down, it was one of those trails where I was so glad I had worn my trail shoes, to trail or not to trail shoe before hand had left me in doubt about a good time today but I am glad I made the trail decision as they kept me from slipping down down down and down.

Opening back out onto the plateau at around 8k I had done one of the down hill miles in about 6.20, that’s good given I can’t run down hill. And flat, not quite as flat as a pancake a few air bubbles in it meant there were a couple of little bumps here and there, however at 9km it evened out back onto tarmac path and the “not far to go” shout outs were coming in their multiples as I saw the finish line and ticked off fair few runners as I heard the clock time at 45.15 sprinting to the finish line to bring home a very respectable 45.37.

Today I ran a really good race, I had no expectations of this, of course it is no where near my PB due to the type of race it is yet I am learning that a good race may not necessary incorporate a PB, its about strength, stamina and most of all enjoyment.

We know that not all addictions require treatment, because we run. – Author Unknown

Silly statistics are elevations of 404 ft ↑ / 397 ft ↓ and altitude of 509 ft / 1010 ft.

And congratulations to everyone else who made it up the hill and back down again, that includes any worms, snails, slugs, birds, bees and wasps. My Tortoise lap was at2- 3 miles and my hare lap was at 4-5 miles, so even the hare and the tortoise had a go. Neither won.