'˜I took on Cancer Research's Pretty Muddy Race for Life'

The charity brought its Pretty Muddy Race for Life event to Thornes Park Wakefield for the first time on Saturday.

And nearly 1,000 people signed up to take part. Our reporter Laura Drysdale took on the challenge as part of our #sistersport campaign. Here’s how she got on:

I still cringe at the dread I felt each time I swung a rounders bat only to pitifully miss the ball in front of my PE classmates, writes Laura Drysdale.

It did put me off sport, for a long time. But last January, increasingly worried about my sedentary lifestyle and spurred on with the New Year fitness hype, I signed up to a gym.

I didn’t think 18 months on, I would be outside running once a week and taking part in exercise classes with new friends - let alone actually enjoying it.

And on Saturday, I put my new found enthusiasm to the test, by taking part in Cancer Research’s Pretty Muddy charity event at Thornes Park in Wakefield.

I can count on one hand the number of times I have run 5km. And I certainly had no idea about what to expect from the muddy obstacles that lined the route. But I needn’t have been nervous. Women of all ages and abilities came together for a morning full of laughter, love and lots of mud.

We had our first glimpse of what was to come as we crossed the start line and clambered over pink inflatables whilst being sprayed with muddy water.

We supported each other as we crawled through mud pits, scaled a climbing frame and found out just how difficult bouncing on a space-hopper is when you’re no longer ten-years-old.

After a solid effort, walking, running and dancing our way around the course, we joined hands in teams of six to tackle the final obstacle - a giant bouncy slide, plunging us straight into a pool of sludge.

Caked, but smiling, we then took our last steps to the finish line, with an overwhelming feeling of pride.

Proud not only of our achievements completing the race, but more so proud to join thousands of women up and down the country getting active and coming together to support all those who continue to be affected by cancer. What a supportive atmosphere and a truly moving experience.