Race 2

RACE 2 - BRUTAL 10K - 3 January

From their website they said - "Be warned: this event is going to be gruesome. It has steep hills, energy-sapping climbs and mud by the truckload. If pounding through the forests dripping with sweat and nursing aching limbs is your game, then this event is perfect for you. It will require mental toughness and and raw grit.

The route has now been finalised and the race director is rubbing his hands with glee. This gruelling event will be muddy, gritty and downright knackering. So, a word of warning: this ultimate run should only be attempted by serious runners who love a bit of hard work!"

So what was it like? Well it was BRUTAL and it was 10K - pretty much says it all really. Bank Holiday Monday was just above freezing, some small flurries of snow over the Longmoor army barracks in Hampshire. Looking on the website before the race (one of those teckie Garmin thingies that show elevation, speed, distance, the colour of your eyes ....and everything) I did realise that it was mainly uphill or downhill - there seemed to be an absence of FLAT! Well that notion was put to rest after about 1.5k because we came upon some flat. So flat - that we queued to get across - that's because it was a lake - with ICE on it!. So soaking wet we ran/staggered up the next hill - then repeated, repeated etc. until we climbed (well it was hardly running by this point) up the largest "incline" to be welcomed with panoramic views over Hampshire probably best not appreciated when you feel you might be breathing your last! There was some new terrain within the last 1k - sand dunes! Running on sand at the best of times is hard work but cold, wet and knackered? Anyway the event lived up to its name!

Result - 69 out of 210, time 59.39