Raquel's 40 Race Challenge

My first event outside of the UK and boy this one was spectacular! I’m currently in Australia to visit my niece and nephew (with a cheeky detour to the Great Barrier Reef to fulfil a lifelong ambition and it didn’t disappoint - stunning, awesome, inspiring. I feel so lucky to have had the chance to experience and see the GBR, I definitely left wanting more!) I’m now in Sydney and following the terrible fires and then torrential rain and floods, I’ve been pretty lucky with the weather. It’s not as warm and sunny as it usually is this time of year but it’s perfect conditions for running.  I wanted to do some Parkrun touring so found the nearest Parkrun to where I was staying in Clontarf and lucky for me the route to get to Mosman Parkrun on Spit Bridge is along the Manly Scenic Walkway. What luck! So I combined Parkrun with the journey there and back and voila! Event 34 of Raquels 40 Race Challenge was born. Beautiful rocks, stone steps, waterfalls and beaches along the route. Thi...

On a very cold January 2020 morning, Britri members and junior tristars gathered in Stanmer Park for the seventh stamina event. Seb and I really enjoyed last years event so it was a no brainier we’d turn up to this one. This is a two hour endurance event with a bit of map reading thrown in, and some strategy. Hill running is the order of the day - not everyone’s cup of tea but for me it’s a great way to get you up and down hills as you don’t want to let your team down!  Seb had a virus that lasted since mid December, I’ve been very worried about him. He was desperate to do this event with me as he had serious cabin fever!! So I relented and let him take part. He did a super job and really enjoyed himself. He needed to rest after this event though, it does take it out of you if you are not 100% The other bonus today was receiving my limited edition Britri Woody hat - gotta love a bobble hat lol it’s got the most giant bobble I’ve ever seen!  Sadly mine and Seb’s team did...

Much has been happening since my last blog post! It’s fair to say that the food poisoning episode in September knocked me for six and despite carrying on and completing Event 30 Hever Castle Gaunlet/ Half Iron, I didn’t fully recover for a very long time.  The Great South Run (October 20th) was a fantastic event for me. I went back to my uni town, Portsmouth, to take part in the same race I’d completed 18 years earlier and on a beautiful day, no rain this time. There were no restrictions on running through the docks - no bomb scare today! I started out quite fast and felt great so just carried that on the whole 10 miles. Although I felt tired towards the end I knew I was close to a PB so that kept me motivated and I went over the finish line in 1hr 29 mins 47 seconds - hugely pleased to get under an hour and a half. The weight loss from being ill definitely helped! (Sadly said weight loss has piled back on now - never mind!) December 8th - Event 32 Mince Pie Run Havi...