Week 14, race 15: Hitchin Hard Half Marathon

Louise and I at the end

This week's race was the very challenging Hitchin Hard Half Marathon. I feel I really should do this race, mainly because I live about a 5 minute walk from the start plus it was one of the first local races I did when I moved down here (over 15 years ago now!). Also, the route takes in a lot of the roads I train on so I know exactly what is to come...
This race is called the hard half for a reason, it is full of hills and really is hard going. I train on these roads but crucially I know how to avoid the worst hills. Sadly in a race that can't be done!
I set off with Louise and we ran more or less together until about 8 miles. It was a struggle for both of us in the final few miles, especially the last never ending uphill one so I was pretty pleased to finish in 2:28:48, pretty slow really but within the 2 and a half hour race limit and given my ongoing lack of sleep and not quite as much training I was happy.

Week 13, race 14: Letchworth Festival 5km

And she's off!

Races coming thick and fast at the moment, today it was one of my regular events, the First Saturday in the Month 5km. But it's not the first Saturday in the month I hear you say? Correct, it was a special Letchworth Festival version of the event.
It was a warm humid morning and I was still a bit tired from Thursday but I was pleased with my time of 31:45. Icould blame the fact I was running with Hannah for the last bit of the race (she's desperate to take part in races!) but she didn't slow me down at all...

Week 12, race 13: Royston (Therfield) Midweek League

Looooooong week due to ear infection (Matthew) and then the added bonus of James being sick all over the place the afternoon before the race and a bad case of trampoline toe (me, serves me right for tidying up) so not the ideal preparation for the second Midweek Leage race of the season.
This 10km course is based in Therfield near Royston and is a lovely one lap around the country lanes and up and down some undulations. It was a lovely evening for it and despite the poor preparations I was pleased with my time of 1:02:29, a bit slower than the last MWL 10km but only by a few seconds.
I seem to be getting though the races nice and quickly at the moment, good to have a few extra races in the bank for when I hit the miserable winter months...

Week 12, race 12: Pretty Muddy Race for Life 5km, Bedford

This weeks 40/40 challenge race was the Pretty Muddy Race for Life 5km in Bedford. Pretty Muddy is a new Race for Life event and it involves running, obstacles and mud.
It was a damp day too but that didn't really matter given we were planning on getting wet and muddy. The obstacles started off OK, climbing over some inflatables, getting squirted at by a large pistol, crawling through a tunnel and jumping through some tyres. Later on there was a cargo net with some mud to crawl in, a climbing frame (not done one of those since I was at school) and an inflatable slide into a pool of mud. That's what caused most of the muddy mess (you should see my shower!), maybe we should have gone for a swim in the lake like some of the other competitors?
All in all it was a fun experience (although it took me 33 minutes o it wasn't a full 5km)

Week 11, race 11: Hitchin Relays

Race 11 in my 40/40 challenge was a new one, the Hitchin Relay Race organised by Hitchin Running Club. The race was 12 1 km laps in a team of 2-4 people around a field at Hitchin Rugby Club.

Team Cook consisted of me, Gary and fellow NHRR Christine and we ran 4 laps each. Christine and I are on the...er...slower side which gave speedy Gary plenty of people to aim at when it was his turn.

No idea of my times but I  know we didn't finish last! And the post race food was yummy. And Gary and I did an extra lap running with Hannah and James in the children's 1km fun run.

It was glorious weather and a lovely time was had by all!

Week 11, race 10: First Saturday in the Month 5km

Post race relaxing

Back to the First Saturday in the Month 5km for race 10 in my 40/40 challenge. I love this race, especially on days like today. It's 2 laps around Norton Common in Letchworth which, especially on a sunny day like today, is very pretty indeed.
After running on Thursday, I was very pleased to finish in 30:34, my fastest time at this race this year and a minute and a half faster than 2 months ago. And after the race, we relaxed in the sun (and cool wind!) at the nearby paddling pool.
So I have done 10 races and I am a quarter of the way through my daft challenge, so far so good I think!

Week 10, race 9: St Albans Midweek League

After having the weekend off (due to holidays and children's party), this week's race was the St Albans Midweek League Division 1 fixture, 10km starting at Highfield Park in St Albans. The first km was round a playing field, followed by around 4kms along the Alban Way cycle plath, a loop around the top and then back the way we came.
It was a warm evening and the course was lovely and shady but as a lot of the route was in a straight line it was a tad boring at times. But the course was fairly flat and pretty fast if you like that kind of thing. I was very pleased with my run and my official time of 1:02:02 (although by my watch I was around 30 seconds faster).