Driving straight from work I arrived about 45 mins before the race start, got changed and chatted to other members of the running team. Even at 7pm it was still very hot in the sun, with everyone hovering around the registration tent, and the http://www.derbyrunner.com/ stall, poaching every available shaded area. I wondered off to warm up stretch and 'water' one of the park's impressive oak trees, before gulping a gel and chatting to more of the team and a surprise attendance of a mate from hockey.
The pre race jostling started as I wondered over to join the melee, I rather embarrassingly though the course went in completely the opposite direction and also join the front line facing the wrong way, but I luckily spotted 300 people facing the opposite direction. I bowed the rule of majority, and grudgingly admitted I was wrong and they where right and wondered around to join the actual back of the pack. I sneaked through a third of the gaggle and chatted to a couple of team mates, and started sledging other team runners, and bigging up our predicted times and speeds. This is a great way to disperse those pre race jitters, and fears of untied shoe laces and your short's draw strings.
The pre race jostling started as I wondered over to join the melee, I rather embarrassingly though the course went in completely the opposite direction and also join the front line facing the wrong way, but I luckily spotted 300 people facing the opposite direction. I bowed the rule of majority, and grudgingly admitted I was wrong and they where right and wondered around to join the actual back of the pack. I sneaked through a third of the gaggle and chatted to a couple of team mates, and started sledging other team runners, and bigging up our predicted times and speeds. This is a great way to disperse those pre race jitters, and fears of untied shoe laces and your short's draw strings.
The gun went and the throng of runners moved off at a steady pace. the path wasn't narrow but too narrow for 400+ runners of varying speeds. I always manage to take the bait and want to overtake people in the steady starting pace. The path was widely flanked with trees and nettles. Bingo! With runners avoiding nettles like they were a mixture or saturated fatty acid, and highly refined, processed carbohydrates. I took the opportunity to overtake a few big groups and test to see if I have built up a tolerance to nettle stings. Yes, I overtook people, No, I'm still not impervious to nettles. A few sneaky 'off path' spurts through nettles and the long way round trees pushed me into open paths and a pace I felt comfortable running at.
It wasn't the heat that was the biggest problem it was the dust being kicked up from the compacted sandstone trail that was coating my mouth and drying it out, and this was only after the first kilometre. I steadily continued to pick off other runners until I was running a steady pace just beyond my comfort zone. The first lap, of three, was great with huge amount of support from marshals and people watching. I managed it in about 15 minutes, took some water on the move and and pressed on to the second lap.
As I started the second lap a couple of guys passed me, one in white and the other in black, I managed to stay on the shoulder of the guy in black but the guy in white was just too strong and he peeled away and out of sight. Me and the guy in black then slowly pushed each other harder and we picked off more runners and with a short burst I passed him also on a narrow part of the course. Once in front of the man in black either i was pushing harder or he tired but I didn't see him again, and i had to work on my own to catch up with a group of three runners towards the end of the third lap. In the final kilometre of the second lap I was looking for markers / trees/ corners that would be about 300 meters from the line to start a sprint finish. Spotted a flat topped yew tree at the end of the main avenue to castle.
Another lap down and more water and my energy levels were slowly dropping and my breathing was becoming heavier. Some bloke in very bright trainers and Little Eaton Hornets vest passed me so again I pushed to keep on his shoulder and we made our way though 2 or three other runners, but he once again slowly pulled away from me and my tired legs. I was now running in a group of three guys and trying to stay in the lead. I could still see that pesky hornet ahead and saw him pass a guy in a maroon running vest. Maroon boy was now my target, upping my pace I started to close the gap, and spurred on by the encouragement of lapping my sister who was still on lap 2 and the sight of the flat topped yew tree. I pushed hard and passed mister maroon, and encouraged by the crowds near the finish line, and Team Derby Runner's head honcho, Rob, I didn't quite sprint to the finish, but ran as strong as could over the finish line.
I couldn't have been far behind the hornet as he was still catching his breath at the water station, I thanked him for his pace setting and also the guys that pushed me hard in the final lap too. I grabbed some water and then went back to the course to clap through other runners, team mates and my sister,
In summary:
You know its well organised great race when you don't notice the organisation. Marshals and sign-age so well placed, avoiding any ambiguity. Water and race timing in obvious and accessible area. Shame it was three laps rather than 2 or ideally 1.
Scores (out of 10)
Course: 6 - beautiful (loses points for 3 laps)
Terrain: 5 - flat paths and tarmac (well maintained but dull)
Difficulty: 5 - standard 10km
Return factor: 10 - beautiful, fun, friendly and local
Overall: 8
It wasn't the heat that was the biggest problem it was the dust being kicked up from the compacted sandstone trail that was coating my mouth and drying it out, and this was only after the first kilometre. I steadily continued to pick off other runners until I was running a steady pace just beyond my comfort zone. The first lap, of three, was great with huge amount of support from marshals and people watching. I managed it in about 15 minutes, took some water on the move and and pressed on to the second lap.
As I started the second lap a couple of guys passed me, one in white and the other in black, I managed to stay on the shoulder of the guy in black but the guy in white was just too strong and he peeled away and out of sight. Me and the guy in black then slowly pushed each other harder and we picked off more runners and with a short burst I passed him also on a narrow part of the course. Once in front of the man in black either i was pushing harder or he tired but I didn't see him again, and i had to work on my own to catch up with a group of three runners towards the end of the third lap. In the final kilometre of the second lap I was looking for markers / trees/ corners that would be about 300 meters from the line to start a sprint finish. Spotted a flat topped yew tree at the end of the main avenue to castle.
Another lap down and more water and my energy levels were slowly dropping and my breathing was becoming heavier. Some bloke in very bright trainers and Little Eaton Hornets vest passed me so again I pushed to keep on his shoulder and we made our way though 2 or three other runners, but he once again slowly pulled away from me and my tired legs. I was now running in a group of three guys and trying to stay in the lead. I could still see that pesky hornet ahead and saw him pass a guy in a maroon running vest. Maroon boy was now my target, upping my pace I started to close the gap, and spurred on by the encouragement of lapping my sister who was still on lap 2 and the sight of the flat topped yew tree. I pushed hard and passed mister maroon, and encouraged by the crowds near the finish line, and Team Derby Runner's head honcho, Rob, I didn't quite sprint to the finish, but ran as strong as could over the finish line.
I couldn't have been far behind the hornet as he was still catching his breath at the water station, I thanked him for his pace setting and also the guys that pushed me hard in the final lap too. I grabbed some water and then went back to the course to clap through other runners, team mates and my sister,
In summary:
You know its well organised great race when you don't notice the organisation. Marshals and sign-age so well placed, avoiding any ambiguity. Water and race timing in obvious and accessible area. Shame it was three laps rather than 2 or ideally 1.
Scores (out of 10)
Course: 6 - beautiful (loses points for 3 laps)
Terrain: 5 - flat paths and tarmac (well maintained but dull)
Difficulty: 5 - standard 10km
Return factor: 10 - beautiful, fun, friendly and local
Overall: 8
No comments:
Post a Comment