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Richmond Castle 10K
Sunday 19th October 2008
Alex Downie
A group of about 10 C+Cers travelled up to this very picturesque town in the Dales to run the eponymous 10k. We were royally treated at Helen and Ian MacKay's 'Westend' guesthouse, and I apologise if this sounds like an advert, but it really is a superb place to stay.
Of course, 'picturesque' translates into 'gruesomely hilly' in running language and Ian had warned us that the 10k would provide us with a few challenges. He wasn't wrong. The third major incline was probably the worst. And like all such beasts, it started innocuously enough. But you know the sort of hill that goes on after you think you're approaching the brow; the sort of hill that, as you round a bend, hoping you've finally conquered it, the wretched thing just gets steeper? Well, this was a classic of its kind. To paraphrase the Cockney Rebel song, it posed the question 'should I walk or should I run?'. Being a purist (of sorts), I felt I should...er 'keep on running', but I think the walkers were faster.....
As the name of the race hints, we finish in the grounds of the very well preserved Richmond Castle (yes, you guessed, after yet another steep climb.) But the drawbridge was down, the portcullis was up, nobody fired arrows at us, or poured boiling tar on us, so that was all very much to the good.
A scenic, challenging and generally fun course, and very good if you want another PW at 10k - oh and did I mention there's a beer festival on at the same weekend...?
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