#FitB4Fifty Brathay 5k

I was lucky to win two entries to the inaugural 5 km race at the Brathay Marathon this month. We had to be there very early due to parking. It did mean that we got to watch the 10 in 10 marathoners set off on their 10th marathon in 10 days - can't imagine how they do it! Then they started walking the marathoners to the start and we followed in a long colourful crocodile:

Whilst the marathoners started off on their 26.2 mile journey around Windermere we were corralled next to the road. It meant that we could just about cheer them on:

Then it was our turn to hear the gun and head off up the road towards Hawkshead. It was a good mix of runners of all ages and abilities that ran up the lane. Unlike the marathoners we were turned off the main road and into Skelwith Fold Caravan Park. This turned out to be a twisty, turny part of the route with a lot of uphill... luckily lots of the residents were lining the roads to cheer us on. It was a relief to reach the halfway mark at the end of the park which meant that it would be down hill for much of the rest of the run.

It was a lovely descent through the village of Skelwith Fold and then out into the countryside. I took some chances to capture the views as I had my walking intervals:

For much of the way I was with the same people (despite me run/walking) and we were all encouraging each other. It was lovely to get back to the grounds although I remembered how hard it was to run up the drive from doing the half marathon in 2016. Luckily my legs were a lot less tired but I did walk much of it just to save myself for the finish straight:

As you turn the final corner the commentator is notified of your details so you get a big shout out. Then the support along the finish is such a boost I managed a proper sprint finish in a respectable 36 minutes (pleased with that on a tough course):

The reward for the effort? A lovely slate medal made to match the original full marathon medals:

I recorded parts of my run and some of the other action to put on to YouTube:

I loved seeing people's reactions such as these ladies hugging after getting each other around the race:

My son also had a chance to race with a trail route set up by Jogging Pals. He was in the U12/U15 race and it was a very fast start:

He came in second in his age category and I love his official finish photo: 

We watched some of the marathon finishers before driving off home, cheering folks on the way! A great event and I've said I will do the full marathon next time if I don't get into London *gulp*.