The rain mostly held off for today’s ramble around the Bath STV and golf course, in a course that started in a different place than last year and took in many of the same sights but backwards. Hills that we went down last year, this time we went up and vice versa. It was a bit muddy, but not as bad as it has been before. I don’t think anyone even lost a shoe. Congestion at the start meant that I completed the first couple of km at what felt like walking pace. I was about a quarter of the way into the pack at the start, so shall have to push even further forwards next time as there are no passing places until you cross the footbridge.

The men started 10 minutes before the ladies and 5km racers, so it was satisfying to pass male 10km racers en route, even though it meant the ground was extra churned up in the woods by the time we got there (take a peek at the elevation graphs, my heart was racing as much from the exciting descents as the physical effort). Unfortunately this meant that most of the men were already home by the time I finished and joined the back of a 20 minute queue to collect my medal. People finishing behind me will have waited longer, standing around in the cold in sweaty clothes. Not good. Hopefully they’ll sort that out for the next race.

I ran in a knee brace to help protect my knee which is having to do extra work while my hamstring continues to heal. I walked some of the ascents to help protect the hamstring, and others because they were vertical scrambles. I feel like I could have come in closer to the hour if I hadn’t been held up at the start. I shall try and improve the time next time around.

UPDATE: Provisionally results are out and have be placed 48th lady out of 285, 30th in my age group.