Planned to visit the parents in Cornwall over the bank holiday, and got in a bonus race too...  Arrived in the sunshine on Thursday lunchtime, then the heavens opened that evening, just in time for my first x-country race, the Trelissick Estate Summer 10k. Anyone who's run with me knows I don't do offroad and hills make me really sick, so this one was never going to be about time, just about the experience and the views over the Carrick Roads, having spent loads of my childhood around Trelissick - just never considered running round it before!

Really good turnout for the event - 300 runners from all over Cornwall and further afield (even from Devon). Mum & Dad came to support, which made all the difference as I battled up the first of the 3 'serious' hills (ashamed to say I had to walk on the other two, with ascents of 178ft and 104ft at 7k and 9k respectively).

I was rather bemused to find the first water station fully stocked with 2-litre bottles of water and a box of plastic cups, just no marshals so runners had to stop & help themselves! (Turns out they'd been let down on the marshalling front - Dad has since offered to round up some troops for next time).

Atmosphere around the course was great, with the numbers meaning plenty of room on the woodland paths, but enough to have company and banter if desired.

PW finish time of 1:05:27, position 214 of 299 finishers (amazed that many behind me!).

Hilary Roberts

Full results here