So, the first of my relatively physical challenges, the Pretty Muddy 5k is done and dusted! I'm seriously chuffed with this one. 5k course with 8 muddy obstacles and I completed in 40 minutes. I haven't yet even completed couch potato to 5k, so to go out one chilly Saturday and complete a muddy obstacle course is quite satisfying. To be honest, the Race for Life challenges are not competitive and not meant to be taken too seriously so there is absolutely no pressure on any of us other than to just get round the courses. For those outside the UK, Race for Life challenges are meant for women, united in wanting to raise money to combat cancer and in the meantime encourage you to get moving - whether that is running the courses, walking or strolling, it doesn't matter.
But, as I've been trying to complete the couch potato to 5k challenge at the same time I was pretty much intending to see how much of this I could run. And I think I ran most of it - tho aint going to lie, I did walk as well. So, yesterday morning, up and out early, and this is me all eager at the start line.
We got set off at 15 minute intervals and had to complete a 'warm up' in groups before gathering at the start line, after a couple of Mexican waves, we were off.
There are no photos for the majority of course - my extra special personal photographer, Stewart, is doing a grand job but even I wouldn't expect him to be able to follow every moment of every challenge. My main memories of the majority of the course are these:
Obstacle one was climbing through and walking through a mud pit. Immediately after there was a fire engine stationed with some seriously fit firemen - I swear I don't want to be one of those ladies or sexist or anything but I'm being honest, for the first time in my life I really did think god I wish I was 30 years younger. They were lovely. But - they had a fire hose directed straight at me - and it was cold - so I didn't like them quite as much afterwards. I was soaked already.
I did manage to keep running for most of the course with a bit of walking - but from what I can remember - and with no photo evidence, after the initial mud pit, there was a climbing frame, a few tunnels to crawl through with nets immediately afterwards and volunteers constantly chucking buckets of mud through to make it slippier, a hill to do 'roly poly's down, long plastic tubes you had to jump over - I couldn't, I went backwards somehow over them, a running the gauntlet thing through huge plastic beach ball kind of thing, then the 'ballerina' balance beams, the obstacle I did give up on and walk round which was the space hopper round - I did try but went flying off backwards and could easily have injured other ladies so that one I was happy to give up on and then finally close to the end another net obstacle.
When I reached this obstacle, there was a small group of 8 year olds (?) all sitting crossed legged at the side. Think you can see them in the top photo. Well, I got absolutely sledged and judged by this wee group. As I'm going under the net - remembering I'm 49, unfit, still smoking and with a frozen freaking shoulder, and doing this as a solo runner - all I could hear was this wee group having a discussion 'I don't think this lady is doing this right, she's cheating, surely she's crawling across the grass and not the mud, no, this is not right, she's a FAILURE, she's not going through the muddiest part'. Well, I felt judged I tell you, but I same time I was inwardly peeing my pants cos this was one of the funniest moments of my entire life. They were SO funny. I felt knackered and cold and wet and quite proud of myself actually and this really sweet wee group were DESTROYING me. Still, I got the medal and they don't!
Anyways, onwards and upwards, was very close to the finish by now with only the mud slide to conquer. Wasn't particularly bothered by this - the only niggle throughout this whole experience is how having a frozen shoulder would impact. I haven't yet really written about what a frozen shoulder is and how it has affected my life, will do at some point, but it's a constant negative but I'm chuffed that so far it hasn't stopped me doing anything. As you will see from the next few photies:
So, Pretty Muddy 5k completed. It was fun and I'm happy to have done this. This was a charity event, a sponsored race but I haven't really pushed it. However, if after reading this, and if you do have a personal reason for doing so, I won't say no to accepting sponsorship. Particularly now I know I was actually capable of doing this, my 19th complete challenge. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lesley-edge2
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