Lauftreff Unterkirnach

Shilpa, Angela and I turned up for the weekly running club Tuesday evening run. It hadn't stopped raining all day but we weren't going to miss this for all the tea in China.

Not much English was spoken but enough to get by and the people we met were absolutely delightful - which I must say hs been my experience of Germans throughout my life.

Angela briefed me that the group would split into two groups after an initial warm up - a fast group and slower group - she assured Shilpa and I that we could chose which to go with. However, as we were being introduced I heard the word "Ironman" escape from her lips, there were a few eyebrows raised and then she turned to me and said you'll be in the fast group!!! It didn't appear that there was a choice any longer.

We were soon jogging along and then we were off road and then off off road, running over roots, through mud and up and down tiny tracks - it was wonderful (if not a little wet). We then split off and headed up what I thought was a mountain (little did I know this was just warm up for the real uphill time trial). Shilpa and Angela went with the more sensible group.

I got to the top in third place but then it got scarey, they headed down hill at break neck speed - so of course I followed - somehow I survived but was then told that we would soon be going up a very very steep hill but not to worry it was only 600 metres - being told not to worry nade me worry ALOT. We headed vertically and caught the slower group. Angela later remarked on the contorted look on my face - she wasn't exagerating. Fortunately I'd invited Mr. Ego to run with me so I managed to ignore the fact that my lungs were exploding, my legs were ready to fall off but when the lactic migrated to my arms - my arms for goodness sake, then I started asking myself whether the Germans measured 600 metres the same as the rest of the world.

At last it came to an end and I managed a third place again which satisfied Mr. Ego - clearly the worst (or the best, whichever way you looked at it) was over. We then had a 20 minutes run with both groups together to the end. This has to go down as one of the most exilerating and enjoyable runs I've ever done or ver likely to do - AWESOME. Thanks to Angela and the running club.