"Running For Your Supper!"

The second race of the week was the annual "Wincle Trout Race", held as part of the annual Rose Queen Fete. A tough, hilly 6 mile course including river crossing, this is only the second time I have run this race in over twelve years due to previously breaking my collar bone and collecting nine stitches over my eye whilst descending off the highest part of the course! This is an increasingly popular race with a limit of 300 runners being reached well before the day and the prize is also rather different, namely a fresh trout from the local trout farm!

A fast start took the race through the grounds of the trout farm and down into the Dane Valley where the river crossing came far to early to cool off the field, who for once had temperatures rising to the mid twenties. An undulating river valley is followed by a long slow ascent out past Lud's Church and onto the open moorland.

A rapid descent over Hanging Stone (scene of my former collision with a dry stone wall!) and a long hands on knees climb to the finish in a time of 55.13 and 120th place. All in all a tough but great race and one I hope to run again next year.

The only downside is that following a slow eleven mile hill run earlier in the week, pain appeared in my right kneecap & whilst there was no problem during the race, the following day gave way to a very painful "runner's knee". Two days later the pain is still present so it's a trip to the physio at the track tomorrow and possibly a lay off whilst it settles down and is rehabilitated. Never mind, it's been a great month of running and racing. so whilst painful (literally!) a short recovery period isn't a problem and I'm sure there will be plenty more good running before the summer is out.

Weekly mileage 23.
Annual mileage 542