Katy's Champagne adventure

When the club started to discuss Champagne League, I thought “Champagne? This sounds like my kind of running!” Now I’m a few races into the League and the only bubbles which I have seen are those in the puddles when splashing about on Beverley Westwood.

Having only joined the club in October 2023, I had never completed Champagne League before. In fact, I didn’t know anything about it other than it is a series of races that happened on a Tuesday evening throughout Summer. I had seen the club encouraging new members to try it out and thought “Why not?” I thought it would be a good opportunity to challenge myself. I have run multiple 10k and half marathon events in the past, but I have never really ‘raced’. I have always thought that I’m not a ‘good enough’ runner to be racing but something about this was tempting me. From the moment I joined the club, I felt welcomed and inspired. I have had constant support and encouragement from other members, and I knew that I would be in good company if I signed up to Champagne League.

Blissfully unaware and excited for a new opportunity, I signed myself up! At the hill training session that evening I mentioned that I was going to be doing Champagne League and Keith (an experienced Champagner) took a sharp inhale and gave me a look which screamed “You have no idea what you’ve got yourself in for… Enjoy!”

 

The first race of the series saw us eased in with a nice circular route from the back of North Cave through the park to Hotham, over some fields and through the village before heading back across the park to where we started. Arriving at the start with plenty of time to collect my number, the nerves started to kick in. I was looking around and thinking “What have I signed myself up to?” I still didn’t really know what to expect but there were a lot of people looking ready to race and then there was me… who had to borrow a club top as I hadn’t yet bought my own – thanks Fynn!

I tried to set my imposter syndrome aside and remind myself that I hadn’t gone there to challenge all these other people, I had gone to challenge myself. The race started with us all packed like sardines in the park, but then I started to settle into the run and remembered why I had entered in the first place. Chasing some runners from City of Hull and East Hull Harriers, I finished the 3.98 miles in 36:45. Greeting me at the finish line were the KUHACs who had finished before me, all waiting to cheer on the runners finishing after them. I was really happy with how the first race had gone and was excited for the rest of the series!

Race number two was at Beverley Westwood and to say I was unprepared for the conditions is an understatement. In the days leading up to the second race I had seen various Facebook posts about the route, with the words ‘wet’ and ‘muddy’ grabbing my attention. It wasn’t until a few hours before the race that I spotted ‘Grippy trail shoes are needed’. I didn’t have ANY trail shoes, never mind grippy ones!

Straight on the phone to my mum, I asked if she had any old ones which I could borrow and thankfully she has a problem parting with her old trainers, so I borrowed her old old old old trail shoes. I can’t describe what I did on the Westwood as ‘running’, maybe more ‘trudging’ but I absolutely loved it! With the old worn-down trainers providing hardly any grip, I was slipping and sliding my way across the Westwood. Imagine Bambi on ice… well that was me trying to run up any slight incline! Splashing through puddles with water up to our knees and stomping through woods with our feet disappearing into mud, I was once again reminded of why I love running!

It was time to invest in some trail shoes! I used the knowledge gained from a recent gait analysis to settle on some Mizuno Wave Daichi trainers and what better opportunity to test them out than a Thursday night recce of the third race route, Elloughton Dale. Gathering at the bottom of Peggy Farrow in the pouring rain, we questioned our sanity; but thankfully, the rain eased as we navigated our way through the woods, leaping over the many fallen branches and trees which made it feel like a steeplechase!

Out of the woods onto the top of Spout Hill, Paul said that I looked like Madonna out for a run… no not because I looked glamorous, but because I had three men running in front of me and three men running behind me like bodyguards forming a circle around me! The weather was thankfully much nicer for the third race than it was for the recce, and once again I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

 

 

As the series has continued, we have taken on the dreaded Spout Hill, unintentionally eaten many flies in Nut Wood, and ran like we were in a game of Lemmings along to Welton Waters. Despite it being a race series, I have been supported and encouraged by other runners in every single race – fellow KUHACS and from other clubs (Paul from Beverley AC, I’m looking at you).

I have realised just how challenging running on trails can be and how I actually don’t know how to ‘race’. I have never followed a training plan and my running training has always been about building up distance, but I’m now thinking that I would maybe like to learn how to run fast (for me) and how to get more comfortable with feeling uncomfortable.

 

I would encourage anyone to give Champagne League a go! There isn’t a drop of champagne in sight, but you will have a great time challenging yourself, running amongst lovely scenery, and spending time with a wonderful bunch of people!

 

And here I am with my team - The MudClarks 💙💛