Sunburn Run - aka Escrick 10k

I'll explain the sunburn later but firstly, a big cheer as I have finished my final 10k from the Challenge!  Woo Hoo!

The final 10k was in the beautiful Escrick Park Estate.  It was a fab event in that it was extremely well organised (though 7 toilets for 6-700 runners plus supporters was a little interesting), had brilliant marshalling and support ALL the way round and a lovely village get together for the spectators.  It was a lovely flat course on roads, paths and bridleways which took us through the Estate grounds then into open fields and through beautiful woods. 

So, now I've finished detailing the beauty of the event and surroundings, lets get on with reality - it was HOT!  When I say hot I don't mean summer dress weather, I mean bikini weather (don't worry I didn't)!  From the minute we got there it was scorching!  We had about 45 mins before the start so set off to collect numbers and for a convenience break given the long drive.  It was manic busy (see previous comment re loo and imagine 6-700 people collecting numbers) and so we never had chance to get back to the car to apply sunscreen - big mistake.

The start was crazy with so many runners but we soon spread out and set off into the open fields.  I didn't have a great start up to 4k and was still quite a way off usual pace with the heat, so was glad to enter the woods at 4k and even happier to see the drinks station at 5k.  Maybe it was the heat but the woods were very disorientating (see map below) and I began to think I was never going to get out of them.  People were dropping like flies with the heat, plenty walking and I have to say at 7k I had to join them for a little as it was so hot I felt ill.  The last 2k was back out in the open fields in the blistering heat again and I can't even tell you how glad I was to see the car park and know I was 1/4 mile away from the end.

My time was terrible 1:20 (official results not out yet) but that said I wasn't in the least surprised.  Jonathan said that he had also had a bad race, lets put it this way he didn't finish the race with the same amount of breakfast inside!  Someone had been seen by the ambulance at the end as they passed out over the finishing line and there were so many just walking at the end because the heat was too much.  Look how happy (and Red) I am, see I promised embarrassing pictures!

After a couple of bottles of water refuel and a little something to eat (shame it was so hot as the cakes looked delish but I couldn't manage one) we set of back to the car and this happened!  I was not impressed, where was this during the previous hour?

It was still 24 degrees, though the rain had cooled it some, so who knows what temp it was in the middle of the race.  It is fair to say we were both pretty sunburned on our shoulders and both felt rotten for the rest of the day.  Oh well you live and learn!

Anyway that's the last 10k done for now - what a relief!  Next week Parkrun, then I might do a sneaky evening 5k Bank Hol week as there's one not too far from us.  On the home straight now and fundraising is up to £547 with gift aid, so going in the right direction for my £750 target.

Keri