Double victory - two firsts in one run.

I crested the highpoint of the run, breathless and tired I was thankful at the realisation that there were no more ups. This was my first trail run and I'd picked a whopper to start with - the first ever Great Trail Challenge and I was running the 10km, also another first for me.

As I jogged my way over the peak and down towards the water station I was met with a stunning view of the Lake District. It stretched out in front of me in hues of glorious greens with a sky brighter and bluer than I could've hoped for on this, my first trail run and my first 10km. This is why I started running - for moments like this which make the breathlessness and aching limbs seem ludicrously irrelevant when you realise where you are and what you're doing. I'm in the heart of the Lake District running alongside hundreds of others with abilities ranging from slow beginner plodders like myself up to seasoned trail marathoners. It doesn't get much better than that, honestly.

The start of the run had gone quite nicely and I soon fell into the rhythm, managing a short but steady climb and feeling inwardly chuffed to have made it, but then just before the halfway point we hit a wall. Well, not quite a wall but it was a heart-wrenchingly steep climb which - despite levelling out a half km ahead onto a grassy track - proved even too much for the hardened marathon runners who one by one seemed to slow to a walk. It was reassuring to see the hardcore slowed but it didn't make the hill any easier. Many times I thought I'd reached the top I turned a corner only to find that I was mistaken and was confronted with more up.

Eventually, when I felt sure that the ground was levelling out I quickened my pace to a jog and against the clear desire of my body I pushed on trying to regain the rhythm. It was tough trying to get back into the swing but when I crested that highpoint and looked out over the Keswick skyline it seemed inconsequential. It didn't matter that I was struggling because at least I was there, doing it.

I was overtaken by streams of runners on the way down Latrigg and gave an embarrassingly slow effort on the downhill. Perhaps something about my confidence held me back - I'm not wholely convinced that letting my legs run away with themselves on a descent like that is wise because of how unlikely they are to slow me down if the need arose. I simply don't have the power to 'put the brakes on' and so Cautious Caz minced down the hill at a pace only marginally faster than I go on the flat. I probably could've roly polied down the hill quicker but I was getting a perverse enjoyment from seeing everyone whizz past me. I'd call out to some of them; "I'll swap legs with you!", or "GO GO GO speedy Gonzales!" or the such. It raised a few comical replies and a lot of smiles which just added to the friendly and welcoming atmosphere of the event.

I crossed the finish line with a big grin on my face and the seed of a love for trail running firmly sown in my psyche. For every person I heard complain about how big the hill was I came up with another reason that I enjoyed it so much - it was worth it for the views, hills make you stronger, what else would you rather have done on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning??


Added bonus of the day - Jane got chatting to someone on her way round so we had the lovely Jo Chadwick join us for lunch where she sneakily talked us into doing the Great Manchester Run 10km next year.

Todays motivational phrase: You don't have to go fast, you just have to go.

Photo credit - walkingenglishman.com