First training session...

I really should have blogged last night, but I was knackered, so you'll get a 'Saturday' and 'Sunday' approach instead...

Saturday

8am and we're all ready to go. Eeek (again). I've been up since 7 trying not to be so nervous, Ice Cream Sian has been up since, ooh, about 7.55 because she was still working at 2am and overslept, and Fit Mark has had a bowl of Cheerios, something to do with chocolate and 3 cups of coffee... At least one of us is prepared then...

Fit Mark looks bright eyed and raring to go. He says he did consider turning up in jeans and a big coat with a loud hailer to just walk in front of us and shout a lot, but changed his mind. Phew. So here we are - me in my lycra showing all the bulgy bits, Fit Mark looking like he knows what he's doing (because he does) and Ice Cream Sian a little sleepy and not in lycra.

Fit Mark says he's worked out a 'nice 5.6k route'. That'll be .6k further than I've EVER run before then. And in mud. Hmmm. We set off. The first mile is fairly flat - but within the first half mile we find a seriously boggy bit and I run round it. Fit Mark notices and points out (fairly reasonably) that if we're going to be doing a Mud Run it might actually be an idea to get one's feet wet... fair enoughski. After the first mile, the second mile is ALL uphill. Ice Cream Sian and I plod up the hill, while Fit Mark pretty much walks in front of us. We do climb over a fallen tree at one stage, which we're Pretty Damned Impressed with. It almost counts as an obstacle! There's another bit where you can go left down a steep slope or right through a polite gate - I choose left and slither a lot, Ice Cream Sian goes right and stays on her feet, and Fit Mark chooses an option which I didn't know existed - straight on over a four foot drop. BLIMEY!

Fit Mark nips nimbly up the hill, stopping to encourage us and point out the way to go, and Ice Cream Sian and I slide and slip up the hill considerably more slowly. But it is FUN! It is incredibly muddy and once your feet have got wet the first time, it's really fun.

Then we're up to the highest point, and we begin to run towards home... across fields, through puddles, over slippery bits. Fit Mark is doing just fine, but Ice Cream Sian and I are really slipping badly. We need better shoes... We get within sight of home and I suggest an Alternative Route. This is further, and Fit Mark is at pains to point out that it is Entirely My Idea And Not His Fault At All. However, I do have reasons for my alternative route - it goes right past Sian's house (yes, a bit mean as she's left her car at mine, so has to run past her cosy home) and it also involves a good ditch and running across a river. It's a good alternative route, if a bit further.

Total run - 6.45km. Yay! That's 1.45 km further than I've ever run before, and I really enjoyed it! We have photos once we get home.

Fit Mark looks no different to when we started. In fact, he says he's cold. Yeah, right...

Ice Cream Sian and I, on the other hand, are Utterly Knackered. And splendidly filthy. Ice Cream Sian's trousers are wet and heavy with mud, and I'm hot and sweaty. We look lovely.

But it was HUGE fun - we really enjoyed ourselves. Fit Mark says he's busy next weekend (hah, wimping out already!) but Ice Cream Sian and I have plans to practise on our own. If we can get better shoes...

Sunday

On the hunt for Better Shoes, I drag Guy off to Bath. But first I swim half a mile to try and unstiffen the bits wot are stiff from yesterday - mostly my calves, weirdly. That's a whole new bit that hasn't ached before! Anyway, we head to Bath to visit Running Bath, a specialist, er, running shop (fab name or what?) that happens to be run by old friends of mine from my Daisy days when we all had other jobs. Anyway, Neil, Jo and Malcolm run this shop (and new online shop - fab) and I know they'll give me good advice... And Fit Mark has told me which shoes to aim at. They're called Inov8. Clever name, huh?

I try them on. They have slim toes and normal heels. I have feet shaped like a duck - narrow heels and wide toes. The Inov8 shoe is hopeless. I get really good advice and endless patience from the shop who bring out countless others for me to try and I and even run up and down the pavement outside the shop... Eventually I whittle it down to two - a really snazzy lime green, white and pink pair, and a stunningly ugly black pair. I am forced to admit that the black ones are better. Bummer! Still, it won't matter once they're covered in mud...

See - ugly. Even when arranged like Jimmy Choos, still ugly.

From a girly point of view, I'm gutted that I've bought shoes that are so, well, functional. However, when we get near home we bump into Fit Mark and I show him my shoes (how old am I now - 6??).

He says they're 'awesome'.

I'm a happy mud bunny...