Wednesday 4 July 2012

Torches and Tired Feet - Second 5 & 10k Race Update

I thought I'd leave the next 100k update until I had another couple of runs under my belt so here it is.

Saturday was looking decidedly sunny so another hot run was the order of the day at the Huddersfield Parkrun. My friend Caroline joined me for this 5k which had a 'The Best of British Huddersfield' theme with a couple of local torchbearers turning up to run with their torches and kindly let people have photographs with them.  This is us at the end of the race with Rob Morris who carried the torch into Huddersfield.

I'd been determined to take it sensible for this run given that I had a 10k planned for just 3 days later but somehow I came in 7 seconds faster than the first run! This felt great given that on the Thursday night I'd done a hard 5 mile training session including quite a few hills (I've been trying to avoid them but realised that it was unavoidable).


Next up, after a couple of days rest was Rochdale 10k.  This was my second 10k, was classed as undulating and it definitely was!  It was also my first (and last if I have a choice) evening race.  The evening race starting at 7:15pm meant that tea was at 9:30pm and between that and the exercise it's fair to say I suffered through the night so will be trying to stick to daytime races if possible.

The race was populated mainly by club runners and seemed to be quite a big field, 200ish I'd guess.  The first mile soon passed and led way to a long straight section of road which felt like it went on forever.  This was not helped by the absence of a 2 mile sign so I was feeling very defeated when at 25 minutes in I felt that I'd still not reached 2 miles.  All was not lost though as all of a sudden I happened upon the half way point (with a marshall that was the double of Bobby Ball) so I pressed on.  Aside of the undulating hills aka '1/2 mile long slogs' the race was mainly flat with a few downhills, though the drags slightly uphill at 4.5 and 5.5 miles were cruel.

This race had a finish that seemed to never come.  You could see the park and finish from about 1/2 mile out but then had to do a massive loop around the park before you were done.  I was really glad to reach the finish line and get my souvenir socks and a well earned drink of tea before the drive home!
 
As I write this results aren't yet out and it was too busy for them to give results on the night unless you were in the top 100 (here's news......I wasn't, ha ha)!  I'll post them as soon as I have them along with the link to pictures as there was a photographer present. I tried my best to do a 'happy that I've just run up a hill at the 2/3 mile stage' face - that should be funny!

Worth a mention that I had a lovely moment just before the race where a lady stopped me and said that in the 24 years since her own ectopic pregancy she has never, ever seen anyone fundraising for them at a race and that she'd be cheering for me.  It just goes to show how little is known about the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust and so I wore my vest proudly, thinking that at least tonight another 200+ people had seen the logo, so another little step towards helping raise awareness.  Thanks to all those who have sponsored me so far, the total raised currently stands at £355 (including gift aid) and with £150 finishing bonus I've also been promised from people that takes me to just over £500 so far - amazing!

Onwards and upwards, I'm going to have a couple of days to rest my tired feet after 15 miles this past week then will be doing some more hilly training runs, another 5k and hopefully two more 10k races in July too so keep popping back for more updates.

Keri

NOTE:  Provisional results for Rochdale 10k are now out, though still waiting on pics but here's what they currently say - 1:05:30!  So about 3 minutes faster than the first one!


The results are apparently being reviewed and corrected over the next couple of days.  I knew on the night there was some issue with the top 100 but figured that by the last few runners they'd have been able to catch us accurately.  I think (hope) the time felt right according to my watch but the order is wrong as I came in just after a man who looked about 35/40 but there it shows me coming in after a woman (he did have long hair)?!  If the results stay correct though then it seems my placing is 8 from the end!  I've done 2 10ks now and I was 8 from the end in both races!  Oh well no shame in propping the back up, I'm improving slowly, I'm running all the way (there were plenty that walked a bit) and most importantly I'm raising much needed funds for the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust.

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