The fourth in this series, the third I’ve run, and the second on the new course from Bath Racecourse. Also the first time I’ve run in shorts*, in February. Most of this race was the same as the January running, so just read my report of it so I don’t have to write it again.
Differences this time? I really wasn’t feeling it before the race. I even Tweeted about it, but moaning didn’t help (it never does). The waves seemed much smaller today – maybe only 50 people lined up with me for the start of wave 4 – so there was never any waiting or queuing at stiles or puddles. Once we set off, I cheered up somewhere between being told I was wearing the best socks, and getting said socks covered in mud.
![Rockin' the shorts and long socks look](https://i0.wp.com/www.blackandtabbyruns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/wpid-20150215_110333-e1424085510814-768x1024.jpg?resize=625%2C833)
The puddles were just as deep as last month, but the overall slippiness was less which made it more enjoyable -it was possible to stagger up the hills rather than crawl up. Chatting to a man in the car park afterwards, he said in the section that climbs back up through the trees it looked just like groups of zombies staggering along. I reached the top of this section, came back out onto the footpath and told the marshall “I’m a broken woman!” so I know how they were feeling.
Also on this hill, a very practical Northern lady passed me saying “I hope them socks’ll come up alright!”**
![I hope they'll come up alright as well](https://i1.wp.com/www.blackandtabbyruns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/wpid-20150215_125331-e1424085495387-768x1024.jpg?resize=625%2C833)
![I hope they'll come up alright as well](https://i1.wp.com/www.blackandtabbyruns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/wpid-20150215_125331-e1424085495387-768x1024.jpg?resize=625%2C833)
![I hope they'll come up alright as well](https://i1.wp.com/www.blackandtabbyruns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/wpid-20150215_125331-e1424085495387-768x1024.jpg?resize=625%2C833)
So another muddy hilly race done, and the final part of the interlocking medals collected.
I wasn’t sure if I’d run a series of races like this again, they have messed up my longer runs. Then I saw Relish Running have another series that goes through old railway tunnels in (under?) Bath that has a train on the interlocking medals …. I like trains!
* Showed my son the “shorts and long socks” look, and he sighed and said “at least you’re not wearing sandals as well”
** Translation for Southerners “I hope all of that mud will wash off those socks”