Race For Life (Trentham) – 7th June, 2016
Every June Trentham Gardens plays host to Cancer Research’s Race For Life, a 5k race around the Italian gardens and lake that brings together the very finest of racers, enthusiastic runners and relaxed walkers. Open to all, the Bats put together an elite team of RFL athletes and hit the starting line with gusto.
If you’ve never tackled a RFL before, the atmosphere can be both inspirational and somber reading messages of love and support written onto people back plaques; I must admit, I’ve become a little misty eyed on more than one occasion lining up for this race over the years, tonight being no exception as Michelle Miles was running in memory of her Nana, Pauline.
Our strategy was clear from the outset with the majority of the ladies staying as a group apart from a couple of notable (for fab reasons) exceptions: Ann, Jayne Ford and Kirsty Stephenson. The course took in a couple of km around the beautiful Italian Gardens before circling the lake. I’m pleased to report they’ve ditched the last brutal climb at 4km so the mostly flat course is a much friendlier prospect!
The Bat colony swooped steadily around the course, making easy work of the course and chatting to other runners on the women-only run: the atmosphere was bright and positive and the whole gang enjoyed their run. Nearing the finish line we all linked hands and crossed the line together, huge smiles and big congratulations all round! We even heard a few of our fellow Bats (Clare Irving and Carrie Stockley) cheering us on as they’d put in fab performances with workmates and friends!
It was only as we regrouped towards the end we realised the reasons for notable absences; Jayne and Ann had decided to push on in what was Ann’s first ever race! She completed in , a fantastic achievement! And we must all allow Kirsty to take a bow; the tutu’d torpedo not only ran it solo but only went and WON it in an amazing time of 20:30! Superb running all round!
If you’ve got ideas for charity runs the Bats can support, drop us a line. RFL proved if you want to enjoy the camaraderie of running as a team, tackle a personal goal or take on the field, there’s something for everyone!