A Monthly Publication

What a beautiful day it was. The sun was shining, there was a slight breeze and I was feeling quite confident with myself. The 10k at Sandringham has now been and gone for another year. There was about 1100 running this year which was a few more than last year. Dave and I were both wearing our blue t-shirts shorts and running shoes ready with everyone else. There was the usual smell of hot dogs and burgers to greet everyone as they arrived. I hate these stalls because all I had for my breakfast was a slimming banana!!! I was hungry and my mouth was watering and everywhere I looked someone was eating greasy food.

Everyone that does the run has to follow an over-enthusiastic fitness instructor doing star jumps and squats etc etc, trying to get you to follow what he does. Me and Dave were just getting the hang of the star jumps (bumping into people in the process) when he goes and changes it to another kind of jump which is 10 times more confusing. I can tell you that with doing all the jumping and trying to work out what arm to put where and what leg to fold over what; I was knackered.

After this they put you into “fitness” groups. The super fit at the front, the averages in the middle the slower ones next and the fatty’s at the back. Me and Dave went in the middle group (believe me I should of been bringing up the rear!!). After a massive count down, everyone was off and immediately I was over taking by about 500 people. Not a good start. The terrain was forest to beginning with, it was like that for about 4k. I was going well you just had to avoid the various holes there were in the ground. At about 4k I was still doing all right, I realised that I had no chance of beaten last year’s time of 1 hr 6 m, but I was plodding along singing along to my music and getting very strange looks.

Half way round the course I was starting to slow even more and getting more and more tired, but this soon changed!! In the distance, just a blur, I could see belly dancers!!! I thought I was hallucinating! Belly dancers, on a 10 k run for cancer, at Sandringham, surely not. I thought someone had spiked my drink. Anyway, I run faster and quicker to go and find the belly dancers, and sure enough, there were belly dancers!!! Happy days. I felt all right after that. The terrain also changed to tarmac and we run right past the Queen’s house. There were some people inside who I waved to.... they didn’t wave back.

At about 6/7k I was still feeling good, picked up the pace a bit, got chatting to a young lady who was struggling a bit and at about 8k the terrain changed back to forest. Before I knew it I could see the finishing line!! There were people cheering you on. I saw Dave in the crowd (who finished under an hour) along with Laura, Gaynor, Sophie, Brenda and terry, cheering me on. I decided to high five a few random people in the crowd and along with Sophie (who jumped the barrier) I sprinted across the finishing line in 1hr 13m. Then I collapsed to the floor in a big mess.

It was great fun. I loved every minute of it. I’m not too disappointed with my time, although I would have liked to of beaten last year’s time. I managed to raise about £325 and I think Dave managed to raise nearer £400 so between us we managed to raise tidy little sum. Thanks for everyone who came to cheer us on and for everyone who sponsored me and for my bosses for letting me have some time off to do the run and recover – The next day I could not walk! I have to climb some steps to get out of my basement flat and that was not easy.

On a different note and completely un-related, I was driving out of Docking towards Fakenham, behind a long line of cars. The car behind me was right up my backside all through Docking and on the straight going out of Docking; he decided to overtake everyone.......... There was a police man...... with a speed gun...... Justice!!

In the autumn time I go mad for chutneys. I love them. I always make them, to have with my cheese and biscuits. So here’s a recipe for a nice autumn chutney that should keep in the fridge for a couple of months.