Last time I did parkrun, my ankle gave up after 1 mile and I dragged it to the finish. You know you have achieved an awful time when the time keeper sees you coming and checks his stopwatch twice! I am not convinced it is the Achilles anymore, more something inside the ankle but have yet to seek professional advice preferring the rest and ignore technique. Resting has helped and as it was beginning to feel normal and less crunchy I decided a Saturday 5k was doable. I wanted to do a new one, where I could plod. I opted for Montacute.
Montacute is a National Trust property in Somerset 45 minutes away. Is an hour and a half total driving for a 5k too far? Still not sure on the answer to this. Montacute is a fantastic setting though, as I drove in to the car park I had a deja vu feeling and then realised that yes I had been there before, last time I was dressed a giraffe participating in the Yeovil Half Marathon, it was nice to return as me.
Not a bad back drop to the start is it?

Taken from parkrun FB
The course itself is butterfly shape!
Ok so maybe close one eye and it will come to you! It was all off road but the ground was so hard and bumpy bit like running on the surface of the moon if it was made of concrete. It had its fair share of undulations also but I must admit I enjoyed the route and will return next time with hubby to drag him round the house and gardens.
The run director told us at the start to right three things in the visitor book
- Our Name
- Our Local parkun
- The fact the their parkrun is the best
If there hadn’t been a queue to write I would have written
- Shaz
- Killerton/Exeter/Seaton/Exmouth
- Montacute has more sheep poo than anywhere I have run before