Trail Running / Shuffling Last year I decided to mark a birthday that is generally considered a milestone, with a challenge I wouldn’t forget!
It all started when I was scaling the heights of Pen Y Fan, in snowy January. On our way we noticed a number of people passing us with race bibs. We soon found out what the event was, when we were applauded off the mountain along with the race contestants. It happened to be their finish line too and was the annual civilian Fan Dance. After curtsying and bowing our way across the finish line ;), I caught sight of a branded van that read Brutal Events. Now I don’t know if anyone else has ever read those words and thought SIGN ME UP, but for some reason on that day I did. A quick Google search later and my partner and I were booked on to the Midnight Mountain Marathon Brutal Bergen Race (don’t worry I did tell him before the event took place). I had only competed in two other trail events at the time, but I had loved every minute of them. I adored running through the surrounding natural beauty, testing myself against the elements, and honing the focus needed to navigate the terrain and stay on the trail. I worried less about timings and thought more about the satisfaction of making it over the finish line. This somehow led me to brave a trail half-marathon with weight. I turned up on the day with my ever-supportive parents and partner, a pack that weighed in at 12kg and the mind-set that I would 16
