Jaffa Cake rescue

Two races in seven days! If I'd done any training as well it would have been a good week. Actually, I did one session in the week - a 50 minute, six lap run around the very muddy fields behind our house. I felt the same (very bad) on the last lap as I did on the first, so I saw it as progress. I decided to run at Bradda.

It took me a long time to get over the 10km walk I did last weekend. I felt pretty rough on Tuesday (it's always the day after the day after isn't it?) and didn't do the field run until Thursday. Now it's Tuesday again and I'm feeling worse than last week. The Bradda race went pretty well. Despite a steady start, I predictably struggled over the final few miles. Three emergency Jaffa Cakes at the top of Fleshwick (on the way back!) meant I was able to maintain a jog to the finish. I did feel a bit guilty stuffing them in with two miles to go - what if I stumbled over the cliff, landing on a ledge out of sight with a broken leg and I'd eaten my emergency rations? The prospect of the pot of tea and a cream scone waiting at the Bradda Glen cafe also helped. The cafe was closed and I had to make do with water and the other nine Jaffa Cakes I hadn't packed as emergency food.

I love fell running. It is as hard as you make it. You run until you have to walk then you walk until you can run again. Lloyd Taggart broke the course record and, like all athletes at the top of their game, made it look easy. I heard that he ran up Fleshwick. Wow.