Stockport 10, 11/12/05

[stillwaddler]

Oh What a Beautiful morning…porridge and tea in bed – guilt on Mr SW’s part because he had cried off accompanying me on this one. The weather was little short of perfect, warm, about 8-10 degrees, lovely winter sunshine, a sparkling day.

Got dropped off at the park for the race start, availed myself of the extra portaloos brought in for the occasion, walked the next 100 metres and queued up for the ladies in the clubhouse – well you can’t be too careful and I knew that there were no convenient hedge stops on the course for a quick Paula.

You can always tell the real runners can’t you, they are the ones busily running around warming up, not me, I banked on reserving all my energy for the run itself, I mean it isn’t as if I’ve got any to waste.

About 500 people lined up for the start, I was strategically at the back, knowing full well that in this field that is where I would stay, I wasn’t disappointed, we started with 2 circuits of the athletics track – isn’t it lovely running on that red rubbery stuff – but by the time I had started my 2nd circuit I was already being lapped! Do I give up now I asked myself? Nah, in for a penny and all that.

Nice steady jog through the park, resisting the temptation to chase after the pack, I knew I would have to take the tortoise approach. Started looping back through the suburban roads around the park, good job there were marshals on every corner, it was a fiendish route. First hill encountered at about the mile and ¾ stage, according to my Garmin I was running a tad under 10 miles an hour(oops 10 minute miles :-)) , but I felt slow and stiff and quite disgruntled, but this was down hill – I love running down hill so I creamed past a couple on the downward slope, of course what goes down eventually goes up again, so it was a short pull up to the left turn into Bongs Road – amazing name!!! Delightful little meander down a rough muddy track, over a short cobbled section, yep FLM may have got rid of theirs but Stockport have kept their section, though a farmyard and down into the valley to run alongside the river for a while. Delightful midsection with a water station at the end about halfway now and the legs were holding out and the mild stitch I had got at about 3 miles had lessened. Walked through the drinks station so that I could suck out the contents of my Go Gel sachet, fiendishly sticky, but I knew I’d be needing the energy soon.

Back on to the road, dodge customers loading up their Christmas trees from the vendors in the lay-by and then a sharp left and right turn onto Otterspool Road – I suppose there was a pool around there originally that housed these delightful creatures, but it’s just fields and a country park now. Otterspool is approx ¾ of a mile long and is uphill all of the way, trouble is, because I have done this race before I knew what was coming around the next sharp left, a killer hill, short, but as steep as a flight of steps, think steps up to Monmartre and you’ve got an idea. Steady girl, better to walk this bit rather than get completely knackered with 4 miles still to go…

Twisting and undulating around the next suburban bit at the top, still absolutely no idea of where I am, then – oops, stubbed my toe on a pavement edge and I so very nearly went flying, hands were about 6 inches from stopping me doing a face plant when I recovered my balance, the physio exercises must be paying off. Very relieved to find myself at the top of the next hill, had been passed by a few on the way up, but swept down and passed them all again. The extra weight I’m carrying must help with the gravity effect, good job there wasn’t anything coming at the road junctions ‘though, I don’t think I could have stopped if I’d tried.

Back to the valley floor, oh help, the only way is up, after nearly getting mangled by some mad cyclist who decided to heave his bicycle on to the pavement right in front of me – think I said something mildly derogatory and admonishing. This is the worst bit, New Zealand Road, .6 of a mile of hell, I sometime run it in training but never after 8 and a half miles of other difficult stuff, so I did a run/walk effort. It’s another fiendish one where it gets steeper as you turn the corner at the top, at last the gates of the park are ahead, early finishers are already streaming away, nice people though, most of them beaming and saying “Well Done”, “Keep Going” “Keep smiling” the last probably in response to the rictus grin of effort fixed on my face. At last, the track is in sight and as I come through the gates, the tannoy announces my number and name and says well done, felt like an Olympic finisher. Although I had felt sluggish on the uphill sections and felt I had been slower than when I did it 2 years ago my Garmin reported a time of 1 hour 42 something – as usual I forgot to switch it off at the finish – der! About the same as last time which I’m more than satisfied with.

Great goody bag, usual eats and drinks, but also a wooden golf tea, a zip fastener and the Piece d’Résistance an individually packaged meal worm!!!!!!
According to the banter on Runners World Forum it’s to feed the birds?? Still don’t know what the zip is for ‘though, but someone has a sense of humour.

Most of the people competing in this race are runners – I mean real ones, there were only a few people who came in after me but the organisation is really good and I was made to feel very welcome. I’ll hopefully do it again next year.

Bacon sandwiches and brown sauce for lunch and then off to the pub to watch the football, shame we only managed a draw but the beer was lovely.

A great day, but on the way round I kept thinking that a marathon is almost 3 itmes as far, it scares me. On a good note, my knees and foot were fine and I love my new shoes. This week is going to be lazy before I start Hal H’s Marathon schedule next Monday.