whizzer wrote:Like to echo what everyone has said re the race organisation and atmosphere. Once again Tom and everyone connected with the race have delivered a truly spectacular and memorable race. Thanks very much to all.
I am going to commit myself to the half marathon next year (as long as hale and hearty!) as I found the 10K so tough, but am completely in awe of everyone who completes the 1/2M particularly running into the wind.
The 10K is a fantastic course, flat fast and I love the turn points, giving you a chance to wave and cheer on friends and family. Great big thanks to all the town folk who were out and encouraging and clapping the runners on.
The melee on the front line at the start of the race however is something you get sucked into, thinking these old legs surely still have some fast twitch fibres left in them. Rabidcabbage fell about laughing at me as he saw me sidle up to the front row! Folks were off so quick that the race car was in danger of being overtaken and had to respond like Lewis Hamilton on the front row!
However, by the first turn settled down into a fast pace and was watching in disbelief as Calum M and a host of other runners disappeared into the distance. However, my own race tactic of slowly catching the runners in front meant by the turn managed to catch up with the group with Mr Turner first lady and 4th gen Suthen' . In some ways this was a mistake as then Mr Turner surged off and as we were then into the wind, I had to follow and slowly reeled him back. The rest of the run out to the second turn was so tough with MR T repeating his tactic, then on my shoulder appeared the first lady having a fantastic run leg.
What a relief at the second turn - the piper playing was tremendous, but then with the wind behind you really noticed the heat - and looking back, so many other racers in close order - brilliant effort from everyone. Mr T continued his running pattern back surge, coast - how does he do that. I thought I might have broken him on the turn up the lane as I really dug in there, but no as soon as I reached the top he surged ahead!
Then disaster struck for MR T at the next road junction he turned to early me and the Marshalling yelling at him and he finally heard, but by which time he was 50+m behind. Well what a fantastic effort he put in then. I had the old lance Armstrong Mantra in my mind -"pain is only temporary - giving up is for ever" and threw everything into holding my place, turning up main street into the wind and then approaching the finish line - 50m, who appears on my shoulder MR T, tried a sprint finish....but could not sustain. Superlative response and effort by Mr Turner to remedy his mistake and pip me at the post. We were then Shortly followed by the rest of our second group of top 10 runners including the first lady, 4th gen Suthen' etc.
Never thought I would get under 40mins today, but what a race, fantastic performance by everyone, thanks for pulling me and pushing me along. I am sure I am never as tired as this after a sprint Triathlon!!! (For the anoraks out there my Garmin had my HR at the top of Zone 5 all race)
Then to cap it all my good lady wife Hazel, put in fantastic run to smash her PB from last year with a 54.30 and she showed me how to really do a sprint finish, with an amazing burst of speed to overhaul the guy in front!
Fantastic race, weather, notwithstanding the wind was just perfect, as the pictures show and the sandwiches, pastries, goody bag, burgers ….hit the spot. Brilliant many thanks – Just realised how much I have written – hope it does not bore you too much. I would certainly be interested in reading other folks race stories.
Cheers and see you next year.