There should be a whole category on this website of BvHers-running-when-on-holiday. What is wrong with us? Can’t we ever just take a break?
Needless to say my own Easter break in the North Yorkshire Moors was punctuated by a local town race. Helmsley is on the southern edge of the Moors area and makes for a nicely undulating place to run a 10k race.
This was a well-organised affair with kids races taking place and lots of homemade cakes for sale. The 10k itself had a field of about 350 and starts at the edge of the town and heads immediately uphill. In fact it carries on uphill for more or less half of the race distance.
Just before halfway the route veers off from public roads onto a forest track which marks the beginning of a long downhill towards the finish. After a sharp descent across a field you are back into the town and heading towards the finish at the local sports field.
Despite a winter of turning out for the cross-country my training has been a bit inconsistent and I feel way off the times I used to be capable of just a few years ago. In fact I’d been avoiding 10k road races for fear of the stark reminder they would have of how far I am away from hitting the sub-40 minute mark I used to achieve so consistently.
I was surprised then to find myself running at what felt like a good pace for the first half of the race (I didn’t run with a watch) despite it being uphill. I didn’t quite have the energy to push hard in the second half but as I finished I was really pleased to find the timekeeper shouting out 42:29 as I passed him. I was 45th overall.
Finishers received an Easter Egg and a mug.
Once finished I thought I spotted another BvH vest and sure enough the results reveal Elizabeth Bryans to have finished 12th lady in a time of 46:10. Presumably Elizabeth is another BvHer who can’t have a break without running a race….
Race results: http://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2014/helmsley.htm
Report by Dave Harte.
I try to keep my eyes open for teal vests on my travels but hadn’t spotted another BvHer on this occasion. I would definitely second your positive comments – a great course, beautiful surrounds and a friendly atmosphere (and the happy thought of an Easter egg to spur me on). Glad to hear that you enjoyed it too.
Well done to both of you – what is a holiday if not the chance to run in new and different places?
Congrats to you all 🙂 Well done!
Congratulations to David Harte and Elizabeth Bryans on successfully completing the Helmsley 10k Multi Terrain Challenge in N Yorkshire. They proved,once again,that `what goes up must come down!`
A good training run to build up strength and stamina! Glad to learn that it was well organised and provided opportunities across a wide age spectrum. ie.it was inclusive.