Emma Callaghan kicked off her Bank Holiday with a multi terrain 10k! The Billy Goat Gallop, organised by Billingham Running Club, starts along an old railway line by the picturesque Station House at Wynyard Woodland. There is a parkrun at this location, and the start of this 6.5 mile (10.5km) loop was the same. After 3km along the track, a left hand turn took runners along a loop of field and farmyard tracks. Back onto the mercifully flat railway line for 1km and then onto more undulating country trails for the last half of the race. Seasoned ERRers would have found these hills a breeze, and the hill training paid off as I was able to overtake three women on this trail. Even ERRers would have been shocked by the advertised ‘steep ascent’ to get back onto the railway line, a hill like which I have ever seen – not one person ran up this hill, and it was very cruel to put it at kilometre 9. The marshal at the top of the hill was having a great time watching everyone struggle! Despite this, Emma managed a new 10km PB of 49:16 and crossed the line in 51:52. Emma declared ‘it was a great and well organised race, and a lovely way to spend a Bank Holiday Monday!’
