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The Nosey Parker 8
Jun27201112:43 a.m.
Having finally cooled down, at 10.30pm, I feel able to provide a race report for the Dorridge Walk, Run, Cycle Fun Run, hereafter known as The Nosey Parker 8.
I have run this event about four times, my sister and co live in Dorridge so it is nice to have some family support. The 'fun run' is completely and utterly all inclusive, the organisers positively encourage everyone to enter and have a go. I don't think I have ever lined up at a start line with such a wonderfully diverse set of people (and pets!). From club runners, to Mums and Dads with pushchairs.
'Open to all, there is a choice of 3 or 8 mile distances through beautiful Warwickshire countryside where you can run, walk or cycle. In fact, any form of non motorised transport is allowed – and actively encouraged'
Being absolutely hopeless in the morning, I arrived with about 10 minutes to spare before the 10.30 claxon claxed. The cycling competitors had already set off 15 minutes earlier... a change, in the right direction, from previous years... much safer.
It was already clear it was going to be a hot one. SPF 50 was obligatory!
So we were off. I was quickly overtaken by a whippet... as in the four legged variety... but within minutes a dachshund was eating my dust! A mother and son then whizzed past me on their leg propelled scooters... I didn't have a hope of catching them up. But it made me smile. I'm sure their right legs will be feeling stiff tonight.
The first mile felt really good, unusual for me as it normally takes a couple of miles for my little legs to get into the swing. It felt hot, but I thought it was manageable... how wrong can a girl be! At the 2 mile marker the course splits... right for the comforting thought of another mile and then home... or straight on for another hot, humid, hellish, nausea inducing 6 miles!
Who goes? You decide.
I was SO tempted!
However... having run this race before, I know that once you get beyond the 2 mile mark the scenery is rather nice, the dogs and scooters disappear and it is just you, other 'endurance athletes' and some flipping big houses to sneaky peek at! I was footballer spotting from mile 3!
But it was hot... too hot and too humid. At 4 miles I felt a bit sick and, to be quite honest, I wasn't sure if my legs would get me to the end. They felt like jelly. My goal turned to get to the end... without throwing up at the finish line (especially as my darling niece was going to waving me in... a 3 year old seeing Auntie Lou Lou puke would hardly inspire her to run in the future!).
Just beyond 4 miles a householder provided a very welcome shower with a hose (I did ask if she was on a water metre!) and a few doors down I was shot at by water pistols... bang bang, you're wet.
.Mile 5, 6, and 7 were just a sweaty blur... literally. The copious amounts of SPF50 I had applied to my forehead was seeping down into my eyes! In fact, I can't be sure I followed the route so I may in fact be reporting on an entirely different race!
Then it was the last mile... Alleluia! When was it going to end? Well obviously not at 8 miles! The 8 mile marker came and went... did they know how hot I was? No time for jokes! To top it all off they put a hill in the last 0.11 mile bit. How the hell do you do the Dooley Dash™ up a hill??!
This is how...
pooped.com
8.11 miles in 1:23:32. I am delighted with that. Especially as I wasn't sick in front of my niece!
One of the reasons I love this race so much is the fact that you can go from running 8 miles to sauntering, smelling awful, around the church fete. Sore feet and tight hamstrings make their way over to the queue for hot dogs, tea, coffee or squash... then 3 tickets for a pound... must end in a 0 or a 5, Hook a Duck and Splat the Rat.
I came away hot, sweaty and exhausted... but with a shiny new medal, some notelets, two lupin plants and tomato ketchup on my chin.
A great event, superbly marshalled and with plenty of water. Hurrah to the Dorridge Fun Run The Nosey Parker 8!
Happy snooping
Lou xxxx
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Comments (8)
Jenny1961 'I giggled away at this .....I just love the idea of doing a race with dogs and Ladies Who Scooter! Brilliant! I sympathise re the nausea. I was monitoring myself very closely for signs of nausea and fortunately I didn't get it but I did get it in the last 8 miles of the Gloucester Marathon in Jan. Horrible- I think it was due to not drinking enough. I remember running through puddles in the country lane and just fantasising about lying down and drinking my fill of the puddle water! Good job your son didn't come with you though- I genuinely believe it would have been too far even on a cool day! A great achievement. I hope you wore your tomato ketchup on the chin with great pride! ;0 ' added 27th Jun 2011
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Firefly123 'Definitely sounds like my kind of race, Lou. If I still lived up in that neck of the woods, I'd run that one. Great work for getting to the end (and not throwing up) in the temperatures we had yesterday x' added 27th Jun 2011
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Johnf 'I hope you're not praying for snow to come back. How long since anybody has mentioned Dooley dashes? Sounds a fun event Lou, good running.' added 27th Jun 2011
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onthefloor04 'Ooh a Dooley Dash! - I haven't heard of one of those for aaaages! Good work sweaty betty, give those rats a sound thrashing for me!' added 27th Jun 2011
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Shaun 'What a great day! Boiling hot for a race, don't envy you that one at all.' added 27th Jun 2011
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crooxi 'Fantastic race report - very enjoyable reading. (Maybe more enjoyable to read than to run?!) So glad you didn't throw up in front of your niece! (or at all.) Very hot here too.' added 27th Jun 2011
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Rach_Rach 'Ha ha, brilliant race report as always! Its been a while since i have read one (due to my absence on here!) so it reminded me how much fun we have had on here over the years! Well done on that hot one! And for not throwing up on the little lady! xx ' added 28th Jun 2011
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Suziewee 'Brilliant Lou, that sounded like great fun. Another race to put on my list of ones I want to do! ' added 2nd Jul 2011
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