Running race 24:40 [5] 3.1 mi (7:57 / mi)
shoes: Solomon XT Wings Traill Runnin
Braid Hills Cross Country Race, hosted by Edinburgh University Hare & Hounds Running Club - I fully planned on just spectating this race, but decided about...oh and hour before the race to just go a head and run it. Needless to say I wasn't particularly prepared for the race, but it was well worth it. The course starts off uphill for nearly a mile which was tough, I was actually surprised because a fair number of girls were actually walking it. Your efforts are rewarded with a fantastic, however, breif view of Edinburgh once you crest the hill. You are also smacked with a wopping wind once you crest that hill as well - for a moment I don't think I actually made any forward progress into the wind, but then down you go again on a very steep, rocky, narrow descent. It was actually quite a difficult downhill and passing was nearly impossible for a while. Once it did flatten out with a more subtle downhill slope the trail widened, but also got quite muddy which only made the going more difficult. I should also mention that by this point I was feeling quite exhausted (am I really that out of shape?!?!) The remainder of the race continued on with slight rolling hills and lots of mud and I was happy to finish. My time was pretty poor, but the course was definitely tough and conditions weren't ideal...I also realised that I haven't run a 5k race since college XC which was, ummm, 2 years ago!!!!!!!!!!! Definitely glad I ran the race, it was a fun course despite being so tough, but that just made it all the more rewarding. Plus, it really gave me something to celebrate at the ceilidh that the running club put on that night! I do need to get back to running hills again though!