I went to visit my friend this weekend who lives in the Cumbrian countryside and decided to look and see if there were any local races and I came across the Carlisle 10K. I think this is quite a new race which has only been running a few years and I was able to enter on the day. And so I pinned number 288 on to my HPH vest and joined a small friendly crowd on the track at Sheepmount Stadium. Five minutes before the start we were lead into Bitts Park and with a couple of wheelchair competitors at the front of the field we were sent on our way with a loud and cheery "Ready-Steady-Go!"We followed the river (something or other) before leaving Bitts Park via an underpass and within half a mile were heading up a hill and I began to wonder why I was doing this but almost as soon as we had reached the top we were off down hill again into Rickerby Park. From here we joined a country road, which although open to traffic was almost traffic free, at half way we turned and headed back along a main road but by this time the field had opened up enough for us to run along the pavement and before I knew it I was enjoying running down the hill we had had to run up at the beginning and came back into Bitts Park and into Sheepmount Stadium for a lap of the track to the finish line. The course I would describe as mildly undulating, the weather was lovely warm sun but with a very keen cross wind that more than once actually blow me sideways a little. Great course, lovely scenery, well marshalled, t-shirt, medal and small goody bag! Not sure i would travel specifically for it but if your in the area and its on, give it a go.
My Garmin Time was 1.02.02 official times are not up yet.
Well done Kay!
