Printemps at last

[stillwaddler]

My worst ever 10k time. 1.04.34 on the Garmin,1.05.12 on the gun time.
This was potentially a really good opportunity to gt a PB, but instead I mananged a PW.

Kit prepared the night before. Up at 7ish to munch on a little porridge and glug a steaming mug of tea. Similar mug of tea delivered to a still slumbering MrSW. All Bathroom duties done and out into the car at 8.30 for the 20 minutes or so to the City of Manchester stadium where this previously city-centred run now has to be held since Brenden "Line my Pockets" Foster elbowed out the YMCA with his "Great" Run behemoth.

Easy free parking at the stadium, wandered over to the athletics track by the side of what is to become Sven's empire - wrong colour, wrong club for me!!

Masses of fully flushing loos, good commentator, what more could you ask for at the start of a race? Dumped my regulation bin liner and sauntered to the start, no pushing or shoving, most people seemed relaxed and out to have good time, approx. 1200 lined up.

It was a really fast start, and I felt myself being whisked along, first mile in 9.22, no chance of keeping that up. Got stitch, had to ease back, back was aching, still not entirely happy with Asics, even after a 100 miles or so in them. Worse was to come, since the fluey thing I started with a month or so ago I haven't run very much and have had a rather persistant cough, upshot of this was I just couldn't get enough oxygen, legs felt fine, but breathing was really laboured, I must have stopped to walk four times at least. Course was supposed to be flat, but I would have described it as undulating, but maybe that is just another indication of how rubbishy I was feeling.

Race was really well organised. I didn't like the course much, after the sart we went three times round the stadium and then finished back on the track, rather rough around the back of the stadium, no spectators to speak of but nice friendly marshalls. I'm surprised the risk assessment didn't demand that all runners wear hard hats running underneatht the "B of the Bang" sculpture what with bits dropping off now and again

One funny incident was just before the finish I was overtaken by two work colleagues who were too engrossed to notice me. I got them to start running a couple of years ago. Well, they have recently become a bit of an item. As they are both married/cohabiting with other people they think nobody knows about this;-)They looked appalled when I appeared at the finish straight after them. What a shame, I obviously spoilt their congratualtory finish embrace - ahhhh. Incidentaly neither of them are at work today

Felt fairly depressed after the run, but at least I finished it. My cough is worse but the old legs feel fine. I wasn't last and finished 7th in my class - but it could have been so much better

Oh and the Garmin stopped showing me speed and time towards the end of the race, was only showing me distance covered...Don't know why i bother with it really.

Somewhere I have to find a way of running faster. Any ideas anyone?