Finding out incredibly late that I was going to be running for Great Britain and Northern Island became the first challenge of the week! With only a day to book flights and trains, pack kit and prepare myself for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Canfranc, Spain, this was only made possible with support from the Jack Bloor Fund helping cover costs.
It all began on Thursday the 25th September at 4am driving to the airport ready for a long day of travel.
On the Friday we had the opportunity to walk the course, a fast start and finish, with lots of switchbacks in the middle-my favourite! On Saturday we relaxed and had a pre race meeting. Sunday was the big day. We had an early start (an even earlier start for the U20 Women!) to get to the race in time for warming up and then it was race time. Our race was over a 7.8km course with 400m of ascent.
It was an incredibly fast and aggressive start which left me entering the uphill switchbacks quite far back in the field. As the pace dropped I started to work my way through the field pushing with my teammates to keep going. At the top I was in 12th and now for my favourite part! Back and forth through the woods I managed to catch two more places and finished 10th overall! I was over the moon with my result but wanted to see how my team had done. Were we in with a chance of a medal? Uganda took first team clearing up all the medals individually too! But with my teammates Jack Sanderson in 6th, Ewan Busfield in 13th and Rowan Taylor in 28th we got second team!
I had such a great trip made better with such amazing people.
Thanks so much to the Jack Bloor Fund for supporting me I am incredibly grateful.
Jack Bloor Race & Fund 