Mud, Sweat and... erm... Curry: The Malvern 10km

We have now also run the Malvern 10km. It was pretty difficult. After some pretty heavy rain and, for me, a pretty heavy cold we had the pleasure of running off-road around the Malvern area.

With no training completed in over a week due to the debilitating effects of a solid Summer cold, and still feeling pretty rough all 'round, I was not holding out much hope as regards a decent time. Both Rach and I had decided that I probably shouldn't run, knowing full-well that I would anyway. Also, the ground was really quite boggy in places (I saw one person lose a trainer right near the end), and in others particularly steep and frightening. As usual, any ground I made up on the uphills I lost emphatically when it was time to go downhill. And there were a lot of hills. But that's the Malverns for you. We also got to run diagonally across two wheat fields in necessarily single-file, with the plants brushing the outside of both legs; it required a huge amount of concentration and you couldn't stop, or overtake, and it was vaguely uphill.

Still, it was a lovely evening for it, and the hills provided some spectacular views of the Worcestershire/Gloucestershire area. The run itself was very well marshalled by friendly and particularly vocal individuals, and at the end everyone got a free curry, which is exactly what I didn't want. It was surprisingly spicy. Also, rather than the usual medal we each received a (potentially) practical snood.

Rach was her standard quick self finishing in 81st place (out of 252) with a time of 51:25. She does hate off-road running though, almost as much as my joints. I think she was the 8th Female runner too, but may be wrong. I still managed to creep into the top half of the table, despite impromptu coughing fits, in 108th, with a time of 53:51. So, all things considered, not bad at all.

We are only putting ourselves through each of these trials by mud, sun, pain and curry for two reasons: the first is for the charities here and the second is to prepare ourselves for the 24 hour run in September which we are doing for the charities here (exactly the same place). Please sponsor us.

Hopefully we'll be back to proper training soon. That'd be good.