A week before our race season took its unscheduled sabbatical, I managed to squeeze in one of the last events to take place in the picturesque North Yorkshire town of Thirsk.

Well, whilst everyone was seemingly at Snake Lane, I was rocking the Red Vest 275 miles further down south, me and the wife merged the Brighton half into our little staycation.

Ok before I start, yes I’ts an LDWA event, so it’s not a race and not even strictly a running event. As a new member of the LDWA (Long Distance Walkers Association) I was apprehensive what I was entering but happy to give it a go and see the lay of the land. After all Rudolf romp is a LDWA event and many people run that.
I am a member of the LDWA as I worked out late last year that if I did 2 events the saving as a member is about equal to paying the non-member rates for their events, so why not. This was my first LDWA event of the year, the next being Springtime in the Lakes 50 in April. Both of these events are training event for my A race of the year Lakeland 50. These events are being used to test equipment, nutrition and harden my body again to ultra running.

What a cracking course this is, a good old fashioned x country race, mud, hills, wind and rain. Whats not to like.

This was my second race of the year and my 4th time taking part in this race, I always get very nervous on the morning before any race. But this race I was extremely nervous as in January and I had taken part in the Ferriby 10 mile and it was a disaster so I didnt know how this race would turn out. My dad came along as always my no1 supporter who always has too much faith in me when I take part in races, as I headed to the start line I was excited and nervous and had in my head that I wanted to beat last years time of 1:27 and then if I could beat my 2017 time of 1:18 I would be even happier but I try not to get my hopes up too much as it puts to much pressure on myself and then I dont enjoy the race and feel like I have let myself down at the finish.