Massey Ferguson Tractor 10k Monday 18th April 2022 Race Number 333 Finishing Time 52:01 Finishing position 215 / 354 Age Position 10 / 19  | Full results can be found HERE Sunday 15th March 2020, 764 days since my last race (not including parkruns) and I donned the sunburst vest of
Northbrook AC once again. It's been a long time coming. The last
couple of days had been warm for this time of year, but today’s temperatures
had dropped a few degrees, but still pretty good conditions for “racing” I lined up
on the start, feeling apprehensive, as I had run 6 miles 12 days prior to today, and ended up with a sore knee, I hoped that it
wouldn’t happen again. The course
had changed slightly since the race was last held in 2019 , thanks to the
ongoing decimation of the Warwickshire countryside by HS2. After contracting Covid in February, my running has been on a downhill trajectory. Today's race plan
was to take it easy for the first 5 miles, and then try to push myself over the last
1.21 miles. It wasn’t easy when runners came past me, who I knew I would have
been well ahead of a 12 months ago, but I resisted the temptation to keep up
with them, and let them fade into the distance. Nice bespoke
(2020) tractor medals at the finish, with plenty of bottled water. Oh.. the talk after the race was that the course was long, I measured it at 6.3 miles. Also very happy to say my knee was fine afterwards. Part of the Warwickshire Road Race
League |
Silverstone 10k Monday 9th May 2022 Race Number 264 Finishing Time 51:40 Finishing position 363 / 621 Age Position 15 / 21 | Full results can be found HERE This would be my third time of running this race. Nice easy journey down the M1 to Silverstone from Coventry, arriviing at 6.30pm so plenty of time to collect race numbers and warm up. Silverstone is fairly flat, but sections are a bit exposed to the wind, so that can make it a bit tough. After doing just over 52 minutes at the Massey Ferguson 10k I was hoping to get under that, and maybe closer to 51 minutes. I didn't go out silly, but adaopted the same stategy as before, 5.21 miles easy and push the last mile. It was a bit windy and i tried tucking in behind runners in front, but when they are going slower than you, you have to be brave and push on. My timings were good going into the long home straight, and I pushed hard for the finish. 51 minutes was not going to happen but I was pleased to finish 21 seconds quicker than at the MF10k. Eco friendly wooden medal for all finishers. Post run note: Allthough I was fine during and afterwards, on my 5 mile Wednesday run I had to stop nearing the end to stretch my right calf. I have been icing and massaging it since and it's now Sunday. Part of the East Midlands Grand Prix Series |
Spa Striders Ryton 5 Mile Thursday 19th May 2022 Race Number DID NOT START WITHDRAWN | Allthough I was fine during and after the Silverstone 10k towards the end of my 5 mile run two days later on Wednesday I had to stop nearing the end to stretch my right calf. I have been icing and massaging it since and it's now Sunday, and, I have decided to do the sensible thing and withdraw from the Ryton 5 With two races coming up in June, I feel that it would be foolish to run Ryton, perhaps causing further injury, and then not being able to run in June. It doesn't feel like it is anything major, so hopefully a week or two rest will see it heal OK..... Part of the Warwickshire Road Race League |
Sphinx Summer 5 Mile Wednesday 8th June 2022 Race Number 239 Finishing Time 42:24 Finishing position 262 / 375 Age Position 9 / 15 | .........Two and a half weeks rest followed before the calf felt right enough to run on. I went out and did a few short 15/20 minute runs with no adverse reactions. 5 days before the Sphinx 5 I completed a parkrun and two days prior did a steady 4.5 mile run, which went well so I felt confident going into this "race", despite having had a heavy cold for the last week, which has elevated my heart rate over the last couple of runs. It is more a case of getting round in one piece at the moment, there is no way I can race. As with my previous races I have taken it steady but tried to push it a bit over the last mile. As usual, for some reason it is always a fast start at this race, maybe its not a particularly wide course, and this was reflected in a 7:50min first mile, before settling in at 8:47, 8:45 and 8:56 before the final push of 8:08. Thinking of the environment, another race who have given wooden medals, but thankfully there is still cake and water at the finish. Part of the Warwickshire Road Race League |
Two Castles 10k Sunday 12th June 2022 Race Number 55 Finishing Time 55:39 Finishing position 724 / 2834 | The Warwickshire Road Race League Races come pretty quick, and only 4 days after the Sphinx race it'sthe Two Castles 10k run between Warwick Castle and Kenilworth Castle. I still have this heavy cold (which I am pleased IS a cold and not Covid), so again its going to be a steady 5.21 mile followed by a last mile push. An early
start, up at 6.15am and out of the house at 7.10am. All due to the
logistics of starting in Warwick and finishing in Kenilworth, with many local
roads being closed at 8.15am, plus you have to be in Warwick Castle grounds by 8.45am
or you are not allowed to race. This was my
second race within a few days so it wasn’t going to be easy over the undulating
course. It’s a fastish downhill start before going into the first climb, and it
continues up and down all the way. I adopted the
same strategy as my previous races and ran steady, before pushing the pace over
the last mile. My
finishing time of 53.39 was a bit disappointing, as it was the slowest of my 3
10k’s this year, although the course measured long at 6.27 miles. Despite my
strategy, the first mile was the fastest at 8.17 minutes with the final mile at
8.21. Unfortunately,
the event came in for a lot of criticism afterwards as the three water stations
all ran out of water, on what was a warm day. I didn’t have any issues, getting
water at all three, but slower runners had none. Some runners were so in need
of water that they took to picking up partially used discarded bottles from the road side. The
organisers made a sincere apology,
admitting that in attempting to cut down on waste they had got it all wrong,
and lessons would be learnt. In my
opinion they should have realised from the recent warm weather that water
supplies would not be sufficient, and have purchased more supplies. Buying
bottles of water is always wasteful and you tend to have a few mouthfuls
and then toss the bottle to the side of the road surely paper cups would be more economical. Three
cups out of one bottle of water. Part of the Warwickshire Road Race League |
