Hi
Lisa,
Just a quick note to say that the 10k run at Clumber Park on
the 9th June was successfully completed!
The weather wasn't very kind - very grey with some fairly heavy
showers, but at least it wasn't too hot! I was supported by
my "crew" of Mum Sue and husband Jason. We were organised
into "waves" based on our expected finish times, so
I was in the last wave of the day. We began with a warm up just
to get the blood pumping and legs stretched. I was pretty puffed
out by the end of the warm up to be honest!
Then we lined up at the start and we were off. There was a little
bit of congestion at the first corner but the field started
to spread out pretty quickly. I was determined to take it steady
so I would have something in reserve for later on in the run,
so I was content to trot along at the back, passing the first
of many folks sitting down to get stones and gravel out of their
shoes!
We then ran down to Clumber Lake and over a bridge and then
we turned up hill to tackle the first incline of the day. I
discovered to my surprise that I was quite good at hills; I
even overtook a few people! At the top of the hill was the first
water station - where I found out that's quite difficult to
drink water out of a plastic up at a run (most of it went all
over my face!). The field had spread out very much by this point
- I was in a group with some folks who were using the "run
for a little bit, walk for a little bit" tactic, so every
time I got near them to try and overtake, they started running!
I eventually passed them and then I was running pretty much
on my own. Luckily the course was clearly marked with lots of
friendly marshals so I didn't get lost.
The km markers were passing and by my watch I was going pretty
well, but then I came across the hilliest part of the course
- about two kms of trail which as it stretched into the distance
went up, and down, and up, and down and then up, and up! This
was the hardest part of the course as it sapped the energy out
of your legs, but it was very motivating when you got to the
top and the marshal said "it's all downhill from here!".
He was almost telling the truth! There was a water station (where
my trusty supporters had turned out to cheer me on, even at
the furthest point away from home!) and a lovely downhill stretch
back down to the lake, but then a very nasty little hill just
before the finish. I made it across the line in 1 hour 16 minutes,
in 827th place out of 868 runners, which isn't too bad at all
for my first go.
