Wellingborough Multi-terrain
28th February 2010

Race Report:
 
This morning even before the start of the race I was wet, cold and muddy so I am sure that everyone could tell that I was really looking forward to Wellingborough today! Fortunately for us (the 5K, 10K and some 15K runners) the rain stayed away for the duration of the race but the ground was already nice and soggy and the grass, particularly the hill, very muddy.

There were more participants for the last race in the series with the majority running in the 15K race, the mad lot! The start again was a scramble to find the least amount of mud to run on for the decline down the grassy hill but the more runners that ran on it, the worse it became. The hill I was dreading climbing up was not as bad as I had anticipated but luckily for me I was only doing the 5K and so I would only encounter it once on the course. It was still quite an effort to get up it though as it was difficult to pass the walkers without sinking into the muddiest and soggiest areas. I think that Rich and I actually climbed up quicker this time than in the last race and I certainly did not spot a photographer up at the top of it this time.

Away from the mud in the wooded areas it was a comfortable run and we were sheltered from the wind. Rich and I were more than able to hold a conversation but neither of us were exerting ourselves, Rich more so as he was doing the 15k race.

Once out of the wood and back onto the grass it was the dreaded boggy area with a couple of huge puddles that I could have tested my doggie paddle in. It was very difficult to estimate where it would be safer to run, but each footstep resulted in a wet and soggy foot and a bit more splashing of mud up the leg and elsewhere. It seemed like all of the runners in front were avoiding the large puddles and slightly diverted around the edge into the undergrowth. As I did not want to be any different (I would have in different circumstances) I followed suit. 

Once we ran around the marshal sitting on the bench it was off to the downhill muddy finish. By then I was not bothered about where I should place my feet as the end was in sight and it would not make much difference now to my finishing time. However, I was glad to have fully tightened my shoe laces as I could have lost my trainer at that moment. As I turned into the finishing area I wished Rich well and then sprinted to the finishing line.
 
Katarina
 

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