WEll done, Trin Harsh that your leg kicked in in the last darned mile But heck, you ran a fast race and met a target, pretty darned good.

Pre-congrats on the series prize

Good report Trin . . as ever difficult to follow . . a bit like in the race actually!

This was not a happy day for me either, because this was the day when it dawned on me that if I want to keep running at the standard I aspire to I need to make some changes in my life.

My running has steadily gone downhill (I wish – it would’ve been easier if it had) since the Duchy Marathon in March 2006, when I thought I’d set myself up for a good long summer of marathon running. In the months since then I’ve had to give more and more of myself to my job, and there’s been less and less of me to give to running, and all the other things and people that matter.

I’ve enjoyed this race in the past (1.44 in 2004, 1.50 in 2005 – can you see a trend?) and I’d been looking forward to it once again, oblivious to the fact that my training was wholly inadequate.

So as has become my custom in recent months I was fine for 6 miles (50 mins or so) and then died a few times. 7 miles is a long way to hang on, as I know from bitter experience!

Anyway, I finished in 1.58.34, 203rd out of 279 finishers. The last couple of miles were a real struggle and for the 3rd race in a row I just wanted to stop and go to sleep.

My disappointment was made worse when I found out what had happened to Trin, who incidentally finished 77th overall whilst wearing number 77.

The cakes were good, and on the way home we enjoyed Gingerbread Lattés (very good for tummies after suffering from upchuck apparently).

Now I’m looking for the positives – and I might have found one!! I’m beginning to think I did quite well to run 13.1 miles on the limited amount of training I’ve done . . it’s something to build on!!

It's easily done, Rich The work-life balance swings too far towards work sometimes for me too. I think the thing to do is focus on doing what you enjoy, even if you run less, but get more fun out of it that way. Focus on what you want out of life, and think of ways to get there.

Anyway, I'm jealous of the gingerbread lattes

Thanks Katten . . you're right . . it's all about finding a balance. At the moment I've not got it right but I've started to try to do something about it . . can't say much more at the moment . .

We've had several Gingerbread Lattés since then btw . . I'm tempted to try an Eggnog Latté for a change, but as Trin put it, I'm not sure if it's going to taste Eggy or Noggy

I got a free sample eggnogg latte the other day, it was really really nice. It tasted smooth and warm with a hint of ginger, no idea what actual eggnogg is supposed to taste like, but I will try the latte version again someday

Rich and I drove away from Brent Knoll yesterday feeling a little sad... for that was the last race in Somerset Series 2007 and my last race for a while, due to the surgery in 8 days time

But what a race it was!!! As we drove into Somerset on Sunday morning in lovely weather, we looked to the right to see the Knoll looming and, quite literally, putting everything into shade.

We arrived at the start venue in good time and I don't know about Rich but my stomach was churning at the very thought of what we were about to attempt.

The start time came all too quickly, and I kept trying to settle myself by saying that it's only 5 and half miles, but it didn't work because I kept getting flashes of what we had to climb.

I couldn't settle my breathing at all in the first mile, even though it was a 7.15 min/mile. Then we hit the first big climb, during which I had to get on my hands and knees couple of times and literally climb up the grass! When I got to the top I looked up and expected to see that I was somewhere near the top of Brent Knoll, only to find that I hadn't even started on the main climb yet :eek:

But I soon found myself on the way to the very top, (and yes...it is about a 1 in 4) just as the lead runners were on the way down at an incredible speed, partly due to their natural ability and partly due to gravity.

The view at the top was so worth it though... it was almost as breathtaking as it was climbing up there. There was a couple of marshals at the top who, on this fantastically clear bright day, had the best marshalling post ever!

We had to then run round the very top of Brent Knoll before going back down the way we came up, which was both treacherous, and very scary for the likes of me who have never been able to master the knack of running down almost vertical muddy, slippery, wet grassy mini-mountains. I wibbled a couple of times and slipped a couple of times but thankfully didn't fall.

The ladies that had flown past me on the steep downs weren't so good on the flat and ups so I got in front of them again. The last mile seemed to go for ever and I wasn't feeling too good but I got to the finish in 52.05, 10th lady overall and 5th in my category.

Rich was not far behind me but I'll let him report on his race.

Because it was the last race in the series a short while later it was the presentation of awards for the Somerset Series, and this was the bit I was looking forward to

All that hard work and hard running paid off as my name was called out to pick up the prize for 2nd Lady Overall. I got a Lead Crystal glass which was engraved plus a bottle of something very nice, which I can't remember the name of (and probably nor will I after I've drunk some!) but Rich will because it's at his place right now until the festive season

So I guess that's it, with just Rich to add the final report...

Here's to Somerset Series 2008

Sounds like a doddle Trin!!

Thanks for reports...been entertaining throughout!

Rest up now and get fighting fit again asap post op.

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I need a break!

Thanks Steve... It's been quite a trip this year

Hasn't it just....you and me both.

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I need a break!

Well done to the both of you for seeing the series through.

Especially well done to you Trin for your efforts in winning a prize in a year that hasn`t been without its problems.