Hills and Dales Marathon

Again perfect weather for this race. This summer has been truly fantastic for running with most of Derbyshire baked solid and minimal grip needed for shoes. Today was no exception. It was hot with great views over unfamiliar parts of Western Derbyshire. Start was a relaxed affair and the initial 2k was a bit tricky to locate the route. After this the middle 1/2 of the race was great with undulating routes. The return leg was brutal mainly due to the profile but also that the paths became unrunnable with the deep divots from farm animals. One to do again? Jury is still out as the first 3/4 was marred by the last 1/4. It was no where near full so maybe if the weather forecast was great then a quick email the night before if nothing else was on. The saving grace for this race is the fantastic cause that it raises money for! As for walking it I would definitely recommend it, its just tough to run, and yes it is meant to be 'tough'. I don't mind 'tough' and runnable but I expect to be able to run without constant fear of fracturing my ankle!