One hour, four minutes and 13 seconds, 10km and a very happy lady!
On a glorious day in the heart of Yorkshire, I finally (see earlier blog) overtook little old ladies (I think the correct term is veterans) and this F40 category lady even managed to finish before the road re-opened!
What a fantastic experience to be part of a 9,000-strong throng of running folk, all there for a gazzillion different reasons; to raise money for good causes (I raised £316 for Age UK), to keep fit and healthy, for the sheer joy of running, to remember loved ones or just to run as fast as they could and try and be in the winnings (darn them and their 10km sprint!). It was a low moment when the front-running podium-bound gents and ladies legged it past us on the other side of the route on their homeward stretch, when we were barely off the starting line!
I think the secret is not chatting so much, the winners certainly weren't bemoaning the price of butter on their way round!
With just the sound of panting breath and Adidas rubber pounding the pavement all around us, we ran chatting past a lady who rasped at us: "I can't believe you're still managing to talk!"
But actually, I think the secret is chatting so much. I would have been bored and turned around at about 3km if we weren't putting the world to rights as we pootled along.
It's such a buzz to pass the finishing line with my eye already on the next race and trying to beat my time!
Looks like I've got the bug!
