The day started with the 7:07 am train from Ely to Norwich, as I planned to run to Great Yarmouth. What was meant to be a cold day, -4 °C, so I carried extra layers. All my fuel and hydration from the start meant a bigger-than-normal vest.
The route is a good mix of trail and path, given how wet it was underfoot. I navigated using the map on my watch, which was super useful given how winding the route was. If you make it to the reeds, you've gone the wrong way, however! This mistake cost me ~20 minutes.
The sun came out, and I ran out of fuel with half a marathon to go, just as the pain kicked in. The only tap I could find had a note saying the water needed boiling for 3 minutes; I didn’t take the risk.
It was truly a race against the clock towards the end, and only in the final 2k did I know I'd be sub-7.
I was happy to find a McDonald's at the end, as I had a long wait for the train and a resulting 5-hour journey home!