Running this event has become an annual tradition for me as much as the MK marathon. I think this is the sixth year I’ve done this, and with it being basically on my doorstep it feels rude not to take part!
This year I’m running this again with Lorna. She really enjoyed the event last year and was keen to have another go! Over the last year she’s been doing a fair bit of running, Rushmere parkrun every weekend and a few longer training runs with me in preparation for this.
On the day we met up with a lot of Lorna’s work friends, all looking the part in their matching Chiltern Learning Trust running gear. Once again, the plan was to stick together with Lorna and enjoy the course. Last year was Lorna’s first half marathon and a big step into the unknown for her and she did amazingly well, and this year seems even better prepared.
It’s great to be out running with Lorna, both in our training runs and on the day of the event. I usually run on my own so it makes a nice change to run on some of my favourite local trails with Lorna. Running has mostly been “my” thing over the years, so it’s nice to share some of it with Lorna.
The course was pretty good this year – the canal bit at the start was a bit congested as usual but this year some parts of the towpath had been repaired which really helped. Lorna walked the steep hill into Great Brickhill (sensible), and was offered a much needed jelly baby at the top from some of the spectators.
Rushmere is as great as always. This leg of the run is very close to home so we’ve been seeing a lot of training runs here. And once again Lorna insisted on getting taking some selfies in the especially nice looking trail just after Rushmere where the leaves had just fallen (I was reluctant).
The next bit was a cut across some fields which can be a bit of a gamble, some years it’s thick, slippery mud (hence the name of the event), other years can be up to your ankles in water. This time round it was perfectly manageable, but we did have wet feet for the last bit down the canal.
Lorna found the very last stretch was as difficult as before. Once you leave the canal there’s some up hill trails around the edge of Tiddenfoot Lake which can be hard work, but we came in at 2h 15, so a good 5 or so minutes quicker than last year! Well done Lorna!
