The Grizzly

Went skiing in France on 27th until Saturday 6th March. Next day I had stupidly entered the Grizzly. A 20mile tough cross country course down in Dorset. Still, good for Jurassic training!

Start gun went at 10:30 in Seaton & we had to run 0.6m along a pebbly beach. OUCH!!! A real struggle. Couldnt believe that I actually had to start walking before I had even run a mile! Then onto the roads for a short time & up over the fields towards Branscombe & down into Bere. From there it was just plenty of ups & downs steep hills (well steep for me), through streams & copious quantities of sticky gloopy mud! YUK! Eventually back along more pebbles before the "Stairway to Heaven" steps up to the top of the cliffs, & back down onto Seaton pebbles & cross the finish line. Beautiful sunny day with stunning views but boy was it freezing cold! I was very pleased for my ear warmer & woolly gloves. Could have done with another layer on the old bones though. When you run as slowly as me, you tend to feel the cold. Some of the racing snakes were in vest & shorts! Hmmm. I took my camelbak full of water, plus my marmite sandwiches & chocolate flapjacks incase I got lost!! Everyone laughed at me, but I still ate them & enjoyed them. Took me 5 hrs 11 mins to complete.

Hips & knees a bit tender Monday morning & thighs very stiff! Bloody heck, got to do 78 miles of hilly coastal path in 3 weeks time. Eek! Better start training!!