Dalemain 10K Marmalade Trail Run - March 2015

Today, Sunday 1st March 2015 I ran in The Dalemain Marmalade Trail 10K Race.

I hadn't had a good week as an Acute Kidney Infection had stopped me in my tracks and rendered me useless!

Which gave me a dilemma! 

To run or not to run - THAT was the question!

I  ooooed and arrred all week about whether I would be wise to run whilst not feeling 100%  and on strong antibiotics.

Earlier in the week when I had been on deaths door the decision was easy – it was a definite NO!  

But then the antibiotics started to work their magic and I started to feel human again ... this was when the dilemma started!

My decision changed by the hour depending on my pain levels!

Yesterday I decided to do a little “test run” to see what my body actually thought of the idea!  If it objected then the decision would be final!  I only went 2 miles but it felt like I was flying and I felt great when I got back – perhaps all that had been missing was an endorphin shot!

After this the decision was made!  

Come what may I was going give it my best shot!  If I had to walk or not finish so be it!  

After all it was ONLY a 10K, how hard could it be?

This morning my alarm went off at 7am and when I got up and opened the curtains I was considering having a relapse as it was blowing a gale and raining!  However, I was travelling with a friend and I didn't want to let her down so this spurred me on to man up!

We left Kendal at 8am for the 30 mile journey to the race Head Quarters at Dalemain Mansion near Ullswater. The race was part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Dalemain Marmalade Festival!

The weather didn't improve much as we headed to the race and I was beginning to regret my decision! We arrived after an uneventful journey at around 9am and collected our race number and T Shirt before we visited the toilet facilities; then we took refuge in the car to keep warm!

We arrived at the start line at 9.20am for the safety briefing ready for the scheduled 9.30am start! The field where the start line was situated was already churned up and exceptionally muddy, but thankfully by this point the rain had stopped!

However, it was very, very cold and very, very windy and I was beginning to question my sanity! 

Why wasn't I milking my illness? I could have stayed snuggled up in bed acting all helpless!

Although the race was a chipped event we all went over the timing mat before the event started so everyone's start time was the same so not a true chip timed event in my opinion!

Once the race started I couldn't believe that we immediately went up a very steep and muddy never ending hill, although the race details say

 " The run starts with a very gentle climb that will warm you up"   

I beg to differ!

I didn't have a good start and I started to think that perhaps I shouldn't have risked it!  My energy levels were very low and I had to walk part of this first hill which didn't do my confidence any good at all!  Once I made it to the top I plastered on my “happy face” and tried to fool myself that I was having fun!

The mud continued, the wind continued and to top it all off there were numerous stiles enroute, and runners had to queue to get over them! Normally this would have really irritated me (having to stop and start all the time) but today I was actually delighted to get the chance of a breather! Altogether I think there was probably 6 stiles to wait for which equaled 6 rests!

After about 3 miles I started to warm up and had to remove my running jacket - thankfully it is a very lightweight one which I can fit into my SPI belt!

The majority of the race was through farmland and farm tracks where we scared numerous sheep witless! 

There was a short section that left behind the muddy fields and tracks whilst we ran on a road momentarily.  This felt really bizarre to my tired legs!  I had the similar “jelly legs” feeling I get in a Triathlon when I go from the bike to running!  Or perhaps it was my body telling me it had had enough!

Thankfully I was carrying my own water bottle as there was no refreshments along the way!

I have never known a 10K seem so long and I can’t ever remembering feeling so elated to actually see a finish line!

I ran through the finishing arch and stopped my Garmin which showed a time of 1:04:47. A kind man removed my timing chip from my trainer before I was presented with my medal and a jar of marmalade and a jar of jam for my efforts!

 


















In hindsight maybe I shouldn't have run but I survived and ...

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!

The Official results had me finishing in 1:04:44 and can be viewed here!  You can also view the route on my Garmin here!

The Marmalade and Jam I was rewarded with at the end!