When you are at a dentist, getting a tooth removed, do you close your eyes or keep them open?

According to my dentist, most people close their eyes, but I prefer to keep my eyes open so I can see what they are doing. I’ve paid enough money for the “experience” so I might as well get my money’s worth!

Which is why the day before the race I was looking up at a dentist as he prodded around my mouth trying to work out which tooth was causing me tooth ache.

After he wrenched the offending tooth out of my mouth I asked whether it was wise to run a race the next day? He went quiet and said “hmmmm…” which I took as ringing endorsement of my decision to run!

Last year, I wrote that due to limited parking I had to park the car one mile from the start. This year they had changed the parking: it was now a 1.5 mile walk.

Which turned the race into a 16 mile run/walk.

One thing they had improved since last year was the toilets. This time thhey had plenty of loos and plenty of loo roll.

There was a lot of rain before the start of the race but it cleared up to leave warm muggy conditions and one very large puddle on the course.

The route was the same as the previous year. The first half has a number of small hills and second half has two longer ones.

I started off well but quickly ran out of energy. I think my body was expanding all its effort on recovering from my tooth trauma. I managed to plod round in the roughly the same time as last year but if at any point there had been a way to quit and go home I’d have taken it!

It’s a well organised race on a scenic course. I’d recommend it to anyone thinking of taking the leap from road to trail racing.

After the race I put the tooth under my pillow. I’m still waiting for the tooth fairy to take it away. It’s as if she might not be real…