Bugger me with a fishfork, that was cold !
Having been Sidney Smug yesterday, prancing around like Sir Rodney Effing (with 2 F's) and turning up at Fletcher Moss parkrun with my shorts and t-shirt, proclaiming 'ooh Matron, it's Spring, look at me , the horrible weather has gone', it was only fitting that Poseidon, wouldn't take too kindly to that and piddle over my racing chips.
I entered this race realising that I had ran it many years ago, it stood out as it was an unusual distance, 6 miles not 10k, but I could not, for the life of me, remember the course or anything about the race. (It was only when I was writing this paragraph and I looked on my Power of 10 did I realise that the reason I could not remember the course was because I hadn't actually done it before, goodness knows what race 'stood out' then, as sure as beans, it wasn't this one)
A couple of days before the race, the excellent organisers sent out an email (and put the same on facebook) with everything you need to know about the race, including, really importantly, a 'what3words' link to the race car parks. I'm a bit of a luddite and haven't used that before, but with one quick question on facebook they gave me the postcode too. Just the first example of what a fantastically organised race this is. (I did use the what3words app and it took me right to the carpark which was opposite the race registration.)
I got to the registration about 40 minutes or so before the start and picked up my number and timing chip ( a tie on your shoe jobby). As I was so early I was able to use to toilet without any queue but there were also urinals around the back which will have helped with any delays later (they did build up, so a few more next year may help, though I understand all this adds to the expenses).
Most race marshals are, by the very fact that they are volunteers are good people, but one of them today went out of their way to help me. Won't go into what she did, but one of the ladies at registration who was giving out the hats at the end...thank you.
Today's weather as alluded to at the start was not the best. It was a bit blowy and every so slightly moist, to the extent that when the, very nice Mayor of Bolton gave his speech at the start saying 'just think, you could be at home doing the ironing' I, and perhaps a few others, thought 'that sounds a good idea : )
Warm up lady gave a very enthusiastic performance trying to help everyone stay warm. She did a great job, especially when her music stopped playing through the loudspeakers, though as you can see below, I was a wuss and hid under the tent.
Thankfully after a short stint of British tutting, we made our way to the start and bang on 10am we were off.
My plan before the race was to try to slip under 45 minutes but after running hard at parkrun yesterday and the weather today, I wasn't sure if that was on, but as it always my tactic in things like this I'd worry about that if I and when I blew.
Now I need to be honest, if your idea of racing is fluffy bunnies, stunning scenery and 'go go Gadget' pom pom waving supporters, this may not be your kettle of fish, but if you want to do a proper road race, with some naughty hills, lovely downhills and opportunities to race people who have the audacity to try to get past you, then this will be very much up your street.
It is the perfect race for someone who does parkrun, has done the Couch to 5k, but may feel that a 10k is a bit too far or may be a bit intimidated by a big City Centre 10k. Those races are crazily expensive, thousands of people take part and it may feel a bit overwhelming. This race (and a lot of the local ones) are so friendly, have a great local feel about them, they are run for and by runners, they've been doing it for a long time and they know what runners want. (plus it is slightly less than 10k)
It's not pretty but it is road racing at it's finest. Roads aren't closed, sometimes you may get stuck behind other runners, and have to jump off the pavement to get past them (only to see them drop you 50 metres later) when the weather is bad like today, you're exposed to the elements, but despite all of that, I loved it.
Just after the start you turn left and almost immediately are on the the first the first hill which takes you over a bridge. At this point, the rain was coming down hard and you were still cold from the weather. There's a 30 metre climb in the first mile which has a double benefit of warming you up and stringing out the field a bit. (also has a descent of 21 metres)
By the time you see the first mile marker, you start to get into a rhythm, there is still 10 metres of climb in the second mile and 12 metres downhill so you are always either going up or down. Despite the unpleasant weather, the marshals were very happy (far more than they should have been) and pointed you around the extremely well signposted course.
By the time I got to mile 5 (27 metre climb) I knew I needed around a 7 minute mile to get under 45. Good thing is the last mile has a nice down hill so gave me a chance to see if I could sneak under. I did manage to put in a 7.07 last mile but crossed the line in 45.32. Not great but not bad
Men's course record stood at 29.04 by Harry Wakefield. Unsurprisingly, given the conditions that was never going to be challenged but the top three men were : -
Daniel Bird -Swinton Running Club - 33.06
Ryan Snee -Horwich RMI Running Club -33.25
Chris Benjamin - Leigh Harriers - 34.01
Meanwhile on the Female side
Course Record remains at Sophie Wood - Sale Harriers 33.17
and top three were
Dee Allen (16th overall) - Leigh Harriers - 36.46
Carolyn Capsey (32nd) - Swinton Running Club - 39.05
Heather Tomlinson (34th) - Bolton United Harriers - 39.14
I've ran so many races over the years that my t-shirts end up in the drawer (friend of mine made a load of them into a blanket) so it was good to see, something different in this one. A race memento baseball cap. I've not the the head (or more truthfully the ears) for baseball caps, but for non-Dumbo heads, they work well.
At the end of the race, I got nice and warm with some a lovely sausage and egg butty and a cup of coffee from the glorious local business, The Pendle Grill. Exactly what was needed
Thank you for a great race and another training race down for Wilmslow Half end the end of March.
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