A Ball buster indeed but not for the West Suffolk duo who, at the weekend successfully completed one of the toughest Duathlons around. The 8 mile run / 3x 8 mile bike / and 8 mile run  known as the Ballbuster took place on Saturday at box hill near Dorking in surrey.
380 of the registered competitors turned up to start the race and 347 of them completed it with some extremely fine athletes posting some amazing times.

Paul and Myself were just hoping to finish the gruelling course and if all went well then a time between 3.30 hrs and 3.45hrs would be good.
The plan to run a steady first 8 miles averaging 7.40's went by the way side with race excitement taking hold and the miles averaged out around 7.18 min/miles - whoops!
Good though if we could keep going... The first lap over and the one and a half mile climb to the top of box hill completed successfully lap two on the bike began. Paul overtook me here about two miles in and I thought that would be the last I would see of him -  until the end of the race that is!   Three more climbs up to the top of the Hill and then off the bike and back onto the trusty legs again for one last 8 mile loop!!

Numb toes and balls of feet I thought i must look like an 85 year old shuffling along with a frame - but i still managed to catch up and overtake some tall slim men so this kept me positive. Eventually the feeling to my lower limbs returned and with three miles completed I was joined by Mike - no not that one - this was another Mike from Seven Oaks tri club - who was even more talkative than me in a race and told me a lot about his life, his running, his club, his family - i knew him quite well by the end of the race. It turned out to be a great distraction because we kept a good pace and 3 more miles were completed. Just ahead I spotted Paul looking a bit uncomfortable and then stopping to stretch out the dreaded cramp... sympathetically I asked if he was ok - and then carried on running - it was a race...
 Mike and I turned for the last time to climb up Box hill and by then it was only him talking. We passed a few more suffering folk on the final assent and then in true gentlemanly style Mike dropped me and I was on my own with only my Mums words in my head  " keep on running" and the knowledge that the end was near.

What a fabulous feeling to eventually cross the line and it was instantly followed by a marshall asking for my name as I was first lady vet ( 40+) - well that was a surprise.
I quickly jogged back down the road to see Paul just coming around the final turn muttering something that I cant spell !!**?*!  But  we had made it and in very respectable times.

A great challenge , a good hoody top as a race momento and I've got a voucher to cash in towards my next race - looks like I cant give up yet then!! It's also put Bala to rest and finishes off the season on a positive.

Results;-  Julia Jepson 125th finisher  1st Female vet   3.26.54hrs

               Paul Horsley 146th finisher  3.30.17hrs.