1st Endurance Life 10km St Just

A few months back we where presented with a rare oppourtunity to enter 'real' races as part of our training. Gary Jolliffe kindly sponsored our places as part of the coastal trail series;

www.endurancelife.com/event.asp?series=1

As Darren mentioned in his last blog - all systems were go!. This was the first time the three of us where going to be running together Darren, Dan and myself. We where meant to meet up at 06.30 a.m unfortunately my mobile decided to die and I woke at gone Seven. I entered into a flat spin became quite upset as I believed that Darren would have had to set off without me. It was not until this moment that I realised how much I have invested in this emotionally. Fortunately Darren was only moments away, we arrived at the Golf course in St Just Cornwall with plenty of time to spare.

It was fantastic, we met Gary and the team from Endurance Life, they where massively accomodating the venue was perfect and it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining the cloud cover was big fluffy white clouds and a light breeze coming directly off the sea.



We started off together in a blaze of huffing, puffing calves screaming, arm's pumping the course dropped off the road onto part of the coastal path down a very steep hill. I was thinking we're going to have to run back up this in about an hour!!!

We became fragmented after the first mile or so and eventually, just after the water stop we where all running solo. I Locked my eyes on a fellow competitor several hundred meters ahead and tried to gain on him, after about two miles I managed to catch said competitor on a very large hill, I spent the remainder of the race him passing me, me then passing him, a very motivating challenge in itself. I had negelected to take a watch and was running purelyon the theory that if I kept catching people and kept pushing as hard as I could I would finish in a reasonable time.

I had to constantly keep reminding myself that I had put myself here, that I actually wanted to be here and to make the most of it. The last mile or so of the course retraced it's steps, I tried to open my stride but all I could do was to keep striding out and keep pushing the final corner came into sight, the last three hundred metres.

We all fininshed in under one hour eighteen minutes, a fantastic effort from Dan, Darren and myself.

Crazy as it is Darren & I want to now compete in a series of race called "The seven X seven X seven" check out the Endurance life site to see the future of our training and events!!

An Absolutely fantastic day.

Regards Bryn