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Stinger Revenge

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BY: Donna Morris

Published: 23rd February, 2015


Stinger Revenge

Having taken part in the classic original stinger for the past three years, we were a bit gutted to have not been able to take part this year, however the Horton's decided to put together another revenge stinger which we signed up for. We started off on our nearly four hour journey at 6.30 in the morning, mad I know!! We were, well I was excited but a little apprehensive as I have been nursing a foot injury over the past few weeks and have been able to do any practice runs and with the revenge being more suited to runners as the run was longer and the bike laps less, I was very doubtful that we would be able to get the top spot on the podium.

On arrival to Newnham we were greeted by foul weather, pouring rain and it was pretty damm nippy too. We quickly signed on and it was evident that we had some strong competition. There were some very good runners, many who do far more than me!! And their bike partners were also no slouches, so this wasn't going to be a walk in the park. We huddled in the car and got ready with about 30 minutes to the start. Then phil nipped out for a quick practice loop and I stayed in the warm. Then I had to de-cloth and brave the elements before me. 

Up to the start banners I went and lined up near the front with Lisa Andrews, who was in the female pairs cat, we huddled with our coats until the last few seconds. Then as Maddie got the whistle in her mouth, I whipped it off. We were off, straight up cliff climb!!!! I had a good start and was near the front with a couple women just in front, the first part of the course was all uphill and really quite tough going. I was running with Lucy Allan and we were playing cat and mouse for a few minutes until I decided I had to step up my gear if I was to finish close to the leading women who I thought would be a good few minutes ahead of me by the end. 

I pushed on and to my surprise caught up with the two leading women, one of them in my cat,this spurred me on , maybe a bit too much as I passed them both and took the lead on the technical descent, but at the bottom after crossing the road I took a tumble and face planted, cut my knee but hastily got up and limped on!! The one lady got by me and all I wanted to do was maintain my pace. I came into the transition before heading out to do the stinger 3k to complete the first run, pretty much neck and neck with Amy Sole a seasoned runner our main opposition I thought! ( little did I know that we were actually in second as the leading messed pair had put their male gazelle out to run- and the female Natalie newtown is pretty quick on the bike too)

Out of transition it was straight into a monster climb, which pretty much everyone ahead were all pretty much walking, it was a beast especially after the first killer run loop( by far the hardest run first loop of all the stingers I have done). I reached the top with Amy still in my sights,combining a mix of running, jogging and walking. Then the Marshall at the top spurred me on when he said it's pretty much all down now!! He obviously hadn't done it himself!!!! There was a long downhill but then this all went horribly wrong and it can only be described as the most un-imaginable run up a grassy, muddy steep embankment up through a wood, where you need to pull on branches and tree stumps to get to the top, hop over a few fallen trees then a mix of sliding on ya backside down a mud slide then followed by another monster climb, which brought you to a flat section, but big puddles and ruts. Then it was onto the bogs and massive huge track puddles, up to your thighs in stinking stagnant water, trainer hugging bogs, then more scrambling up hills. Finally you reached the road then thankfully it was pretty much flat back to the finish.( I was a little hesitant when I got to the road, that jay had put in another sneaky hill, just as we thought we were homeward bound!!)

During the stinger run I was stronger on the technical running and passed Amy and made a good gap and I was literally about 20 seconds back on the leading lady, I couldn't quite get to her. Pretty pleased with that considering I ran nearly all of the stinger lap with my lace un,done. I had to squeeze my foot like crazy to keep it in and nearly left it in the bog!!! Also much to Phil's surprise I was back a little sooner than he had anticipated so it was a quick tag and he was off. He had to chase down Natalie on the bike, I had no idea how far in front on the run Liam was(Natalie's team 
mate) I tried to keep warm, huddled by the fan heater and jay actually though he could smell a fire burning! I was shaking like a leaf! Not good as I still had another half an hour or so and then I had to some how get myself around the stinger killer run again! Phil came through and just into the second lap he caught Natalie up he then put a good few minutes gap between them, this was doubled in the third and final lap for phil. However, Liam I knew was quick and all I hoped was that I had enough of a lead to maintain it! Phil came in and I was waiting perished to the bone, thankfully Lucy Allan's dad! Sorry I can't remember your name!, had a spare coat to slip over me whose I waited and held a brolly over me. Cheers!

Then phil came and I had to quickly chuck the coat off, tag him and go for it! My aim was to run as much of it as I could especially the first climb which I failed the first on the first run. Thankfully I managed it and only walked the last few meters of the steep top of the last climb to the top before you dropped back down again. Throughout the last. Run, it was much quieter as I was one of the first ones out on it. I ran with the winner of the solo male for a while, until I slipped and skidded and let him by. I pushed on hard and tried to keep an eye on anyone behind. I heard splashing in the background, o no he's caught me!! Thankfully not, I carried on pushing hard,it was the second place and third place solo men! Only the one went past, just on the end straight. 

Heaven, the shooting shed! One last push to the end, determined not to let anyone else passed.

Yes!!!! I did it! We did it!! I thought it was impossible but my inner strength revealed and again to Phil's surprise I'm getting stronger at running, and actually I'm really enjoying it! Although today I'm aching like hell, not my legs but shoulders, neck, ankles and forearms!! battered and bruised and feel like I've been in a tumble drier!!

Will we return??? Hell yes!!! Fantastic!! The weather was vile and I shook uncontrollably most of the way home, but that was helped by our fantastic little prizes which were very welcomed by two little kiddies who enjoyed having their breakfast out of the stinger bowls this morning!!

A little stinger collection now, plates next year???

Possibly the hardest overall stinger but I feel the this was because the first run was miles harder than usually, even without the stinger added on to it! I felt the actual stinger run was easier than over years, the first ever stinger run was the hardest!!


Well done to all taking part and thank you once agin to Maddie and Jay and the fullysussd's team.

Donna Morris Running today!, for XCracer.com/scimitar

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Donna Morris

Mum of 2 cherubs, keen to get better mountain biker, wife of Phil and mini manager of XCracer.com team

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