This wasn’t a marathon I had planned to do this year. A few late places became available just before the event and Denzil teased me by advertising the fact on Facebook, I couldn’t resist, got permission from Mrs C and with only 2 days to go entered. There was definitely no way I was going to “train” for this event, all I could do was just a couple of easy runs before race day. The previous week I had hurt my chest trying to remove a ramp at my work’s office, it has been hurting all week and I was concerned how it would affect my ability to running a marathon.
The Holly Challenge is put on by Denzil, Lucy & their dog Meg. It starts and finishes from their house, south of Telford. They have a lovely cottage on a quite lane set in some very picturesque woods. The course is 31 and a half small laps. Each lap has 2 small hills which at the beginning don’t seem much of a challenge but after ten laps they seem to get bigger, steeper and more of them. It is quite a tough course and according to my Garmin there was 1164 ft of climb.
Albeit a small gathering for this running the event, it was nice to see a lot of familiar faces who run regularly on the marathon circuit.
As my chest wasn’t 100 percent and I recognised that the hilly nature of the course would take its toll as the race progressed, I decided to take this one a bit easier than the last few. By half way I knew my approach had been the right one as the hills started to have an effect. My sore chest was also having an affect, it hurt more when I had to breathe harder to go up the hills and also with the jolting when coming down. I needed to run carefully it minimise the pain in my chest. It is always nice to meet Gary at a race and I ran most of the way round with him. Thanks also to his wife Sandra for her support and excellent pictures! I came in third place with 3 hours 44 minutes. Not a great time by my standards but I can’t complain with a podium finish!
All the finishers got a good quality medal and a glass with the race logo on it, which I thought was a nice touch.
I would like to thank Denzil & Lucy for turning their home into a race HQ, with their Kitchen being the registration, a marquee in the garden as a changing tent and the start/finish and drinks station being at the front under a gazebo. It really was a very lovely, friendly event and I’m looking forward to coming back in December for their sunrise to sunset challenge.
The Cheeky Boys!
