Greyton Mountain Marathon

My lungs were burning, I had one soggy, muddy foot which squelched each time my shoe struck the ground, and my wet clothes were stuck to me like icy clingfilm. The rain and wind poured over the mountain and whipped around me.

But I couldn’t have been happier.

I felt like I was flying. My legs were working quickly- dodging loose rocks and finding the best route along the trail. I smiled to myself as I took in the views. Panoramic mountain views were all around me. No sign of civilisation. No roads. No cars. And definitely no easy way off the mountain.

I was running day two of the Greyton Mountain Marathon in South Africa. 21km ticked off yesterday, and a further 21km to go.

I had never visited Greyton before and was struck with this little town's absolute beauty. Nestled between mountains, the quaint, tree-lined town was full of character and charm.

If I had to sum up the race in a few words, day one would be steep lung-burning climbs, but beautiful! Day two; wild weather, fun flowing trails and fantastic camaraderie.

There were so many highlights from our short weekend away. From the awesome atmosphere and high spirits of all the racers, the trails I ran, and the views I was lucky enough to encounter. I look forward to racing it again.