Well it’s a bit later than I’d hoped but I thought it was about time that I wrote about the Cotswold Challenge. I know memory can be selective (why else would I have two children!) but was really only about a year ago that my other half and I walked this section of the Cotswold Way over four days. I had remembered the terrible rain on one of the days last year but had somehow forgotten the hills! Having completed the two days I have no idea how I managed to forget the HILLS!
The upside was having climbed the hills the views were amazing, just so beautiful as were the iron age forts and various burial chambers that we passed along the way.
But going back to the start we all met in the lovely Cotswold village of Chipping Camden and following the collection of numbers and sharing hugs and hello’s with old friends set off to make some new ones!
As soon as we left the village we hit the hills and I was amazed to see the snow still nestling in the corners and lea’s of the dry stone walls. The paths were pretty well marked and the route weaved up and down through some of the prettiest parts of the county. We were greeted at each checkpoint by friendly faces and encouragement and really the only downside of day one was managing to miss the path in the last mile or so to the school and add a mile or two and about 20 minutes to my total for the day.
Fortunately my map reading skills (ok it was google maps!) helped me find the school although I came from the completely wrong direction! I cup of coffee, hot shower and massage soon left me feeling much better and I set up my cosy corner and sleeping bag. It was also a chance to talk to some of the other competitors and compare notes on how well we managed (or not the hills!).
I felt a little guilty about having arranged to meet friends for the evening but got over it enough to be whisked off for a pub supper (in one of the villages we had run through earlier on in the day) and a very lovely glass or two of local cider.
A good night’s sleep (minimal snorers and no phone/text messages over night) and we woke to another lovely dry day and got sorted out for day two. Day two started with a two miles trek back up to the top of the hill and allowed me to see exactly where I missed my turning the day before. It also meant I started the day by walking the first four miles or so.
The first two check points were tough being at 9 miles and almost 10 miles but did include pass the steep (almost vertical) hill that locals chase a rolling cheese down! I was saved by the lovely Bob who gave me a wonderful cup of tea!
The last few (well ten or so) miles I ran in with one of the other guys and we managed to keep each other going till the marvellous view of the flags and Pauline with the stopwatch and clipboard! The day was slower than I had hoped but the main thing was finishing. At the start of day one a ran for a long while with a newbie Ben and we chatted about this and that but I remember saying this isn’t about racing it’s about getting to the end and I DID!
annettelovestorun 