The weather forecast was not good - dark clouds threatened and we wondered what we were letting ourselves in for! However, we needn't have worried, the sky cleared and the sun peeped through. It was warm enough to wear shorts and vest.
The scenery on the way to East Carlton was terrific - we passed through some lovely quaint villages and the landscape was breath-taking. I didn't know that there were so many BIG hills within an hour's drive of Peterborough!The race start was at East Carlton Countryside Park which is
situated on the edge of the beautiful Welland Valley. The park offers splendid views over the Welland Valley, and is a haven for wildlife, with its variety of habitats. The open parkland has a children's play area, a picnic area, a garden for the visually impaired, and an Alpine garden.
There are three nature trails around the park, which pass through woods and meadows, and by the water gardens and ponds. Britain's largest Boled Lime Tree can be found in the park.
Contained within a former coach house is the Heritage Centre, containing a permanent exhibition covering the history of steelmaking in Corby, craft workshops, and a cafe which provides hot and cold snacks throughout the year.When we arrived we tried not to feel intimidated by all the other runners there - they seemed to be very keen and looked so very fit. We registered and collected our numbers and set off for the start. Laura's dad was also running and we met Matt and Hailey from our running club at the start line, as well.
The gun went and that was the last we saw of Laura's dad, Sheila, Matt and Hailey until the finish. Laura and I set off at a more comfortable pace and managed to keep it going, even up and down the hills. The hills were very hard work and took their toll on the legs but the views more than made up for it - it really was one of the loveliest runs I have done. A superb hilly 5 mile race, one I will definitely be marking it down in my calender for next year!
Time: 48:56
Distance 5 miles
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