The rest of the year was a blur!!!

After Joe's performance at the London Marathon I went on to do two more events without him.

First was the NorthFace 10k http://www.blackstrailrun.co.uk/ . My first trail run event over the Downs in Dunstable. All of a sudden the running made sense, I was faster than a lot of people and it was off road and muddy and cold. Trail running was the way forward for me.

 Supported by friends and family, the route (below) covered 10 k of hills, descents, mud and track.

I was proud to put in a time of:

(at last, a half decent running picture!!)

The actual time was ten seconds faster as measured by my tag. I came in the top 20 per cent and loved every minute.

Trail running lead onto an off road half marathon in November.

The Leighton Buzzard half marathon http://www.dirtrunning.co.uk/ trail run took me 1hour 48 minutes and 1 second. It was gruelling. Hills that went on forever, across fields that were waterlogged and laong five miles of canal towpath either end of the dirty stuff.

As I reached the end, legs burning, lungs aching and massively dehydrated, I realised two things.

One, I am mad.

Two, running makes me insanely happy.

(and Three, I like shiny medals.)