Beauty of Britain has no contest…

Ever since I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, I’ve used running big races as an escape from my future reality.

But as with so many things, Covid has stopped all my big events this year. So I’ve had a choice – give up, or create my own events that I’ll both enjoy and be challenged by.

This week, I decided to do a two-day “fastpack” along the Norfolk Coast Path.

Fastpacking is where you carry your tent, sleeping bag, food and kit – as light as you can – then run/walk fast to cover a greater distance.

The Norfolk Coast Path is beautiful. The endless skies you hear about are just that. I can’t think of anywhere in the UK I’ve seen bigger horizons.

Over the course of two days, I ran 50 miles through picturesque villages like Stiffkey and

Cley, saw seals at Blakeney, ran past the guns and pillboxes along the beach at the Muckleburgh

Military Collection and then experienced the bigger resorts of Cromer and Sheringham among others. It was such a mind-clearing experience.

I slept at a small campsite at Galley Hill Farm, where the lovely Sal welcomed me warmly, even though I was only there a night.

I certainly enjoyed the chance of a hot shower to clear off the dust of the day!

Sitting in my tent eating dehydrated food was, in many ways, just like some of the races I’ve run, waking up for Day Two with aching limbs (and a few bruises and grazes from where I tripped over), excited for what was ahead.

And it reminded me that we don’t need to go abroad for such beauty and warm hospitality.

I hope you too get a chance to enjoy what this great country has to offer this summer.

Until next week,

Kev

I woke up aching and bruised, but excited for what still lay ahead