Week 10 of our 16 week programme and the fateful 20 mile run I joked about 11 weeks ago.  Gradual incline I said.  Summer heat I said. Oh won’t that be fun?  But I am getting ahead of myself!

The plan was to incorporate this 20 mile (32.2 K) run into the Earth’s Trust 10 K race on the 06/09/15.  Rock up a few hours early and run a half marathon (and a bit more) then run the 10 K race which is described by the course organisers as “undulating and challenging”.  Totes possible.

I’ll be honest – when I signed up 2 months ago I didn’t know what the word “undulating” meant.  I got a clue when I was reading the August edition of Runner’s World – which described undulating as meaning “neither flat nor hilly, otherwise known as a lie”.  The next clue as to what kind of race the Earth’s Trust 10 K was going to be, came during one of our other training runs to Little Wittenham when I finally realised where and what the Wittenham Clumps were [see photo – but basically massive hills you can see from miles away!].  For some reason I still wasn’t worried – I figured it was just too ridiculous to run up them so the 10 K course must go around them.

A rather mundane glitch in our ‘Let’s ran a half marathon before a 10 K race’ plan was waking up on time.  As previously stated – I am not a morning person and that Sunday morning it showed.  Rather than arriving at 8 am we got there at 8:30 am… still we managed to squeeze in 10 K before circling back to race HQ to pick up our racing bibs and timing chips.  After that we could only fit in another 6 K before having to come back for the race start (6 K short of our target).  Nonetheless I was in high spirits – I wasn’t tired or aching or anything – and I have been curious to see inside the Earth’s Trust site since I signed up.

We gathered with the other racers (a few hundred maybe) on the green opposite the Earth’s Trust HQ in anticipation of the race start.  I love races, or rather, I love any kind of group running.  The cross-section of people you see at these events is really empowering and motivating.  Name me another sport where regular civilians can stand side by side at the start with elites.  No doubt some runners are nervous whilst others more confident but here we all stand old, young, slim, beefy, tall and short alike – all up for this challenge and in it together.

The race starts and we’re off down a gentle downward grassy slope.  I enjoy watching other runners spread out in a long ant-like line across the landscape.  The terrain isn’t so difficult to negotiate – recently Andreas and I have been running along the Thames Path which is similarly mixed surfaces and there are lots of CAUTION signs when things are especially tricky.  The new thing today is getting used to slopes – downhill and I feel like I am flying, uphill and I slow to a crawl.  Still – at least I am maintaining constant effort.

The weather is sunny – a little too hot in direct sunlight but cool in the shade.  The water stations are well manned and frequent enough plus there is good crowd support along the route.  The race was also open to walkers so at some points we are crossing their paths and even though they must have seen dozens of runners before us every single person smiles or nods or waves their encouragement.  I was fully enjoying this local scenic run.  I had not a care in the world… Little did I know what the 8 K marker (24 K in for us!) would bring…

Yes, you probably guessed it.  The Wittenham Clumps.  It turns out we were going to run up them after all.  Before I had chance to come up with a strategy (like perhaps walking it!) Andreas places his hand on my back and actually pushes me along.  I guess we are running it.

I don’t look up.  I don’t engage in any conversations.  I keep my head down and my feet moving.  Breathe in, breathe out.  At some point Andreas’ hand drops away but I am in my rhythm now.  It’s not easy but I am not stopping.  There are many people standing still or walking the up the Clumps, there is even a person laying down (it is a steep hill!) but I keep at it – briefly looking back only to check where Andreas is (a little behind – to be fair he pushed me for about half of it!).  Finally I make it to the top and only then do I stop.  I drink the last of my water and pause.  The views are outstanding.  With the clear weather you can see for miles all around.  I am dizzy and a touch euphoric.  Wow.  What a view.

Now just 1 kilometre to the finish and –because I am an idiot and caught up in the dramatic views and delight of it all – we floor it to the finish as fast as my legs will carry me.  Really an amazing course and well worth the challenge!  Will definitely be entering next year as well (without the 16 K before!).  Finishing time was 1:09:50 which I am quite impressed with!

Week 10: Total mileage for the week was 44.8 K (27.8 miles), total running time was 5:13.