Race for Life 2007, Western Park, Leicester

Last year’s Race for Life was at Holme Pierrepont. This year’s event scheduled for 29 July was postponed due to flooding, so we transferred to the event at Leicester. Big mistake. Holme Pierrepont is flat, Western Park is hilly. I don’t do hills. Never has 5 km seemed so long.

We set off with the runners (the walkers set off from a different point) and within 15 seconds my team mates had hared off like whippets. Not me, I settled down into my steady pace – didn’t know what this course had in store. Glad I did as it turned out. Overtaken by dozens of women for first 15 minutes, then it was my turn to overtake all those who were now walking. Tortoise and Hare. This was a grass course, and trailed all round the park. It wasn’t too hot, and despite HUGE black thunder clouds, stayed dry.

My time last year was 39 minutes (on the flat) and I was desperate to beat that, and all looked good until the final 500 metre sign, when ahead of me I saw a steep hill. Did I mentioned I don’t do hills? I finished in 39 minutes and 16 seconds, extremely out of breath and red in the face, but I’d run all the way. Tortoise and Hare. The winner did it in 21 minutes but I wasn’t there to race, I was there to do it – and raised nearly £100 in the process.