Wallington 10K On A Very Warm Night

Race no. 74

Last year's prize

The Finish

 Isn't British weather always a talking point? We complain of a lack of summer, then late in July we are hit by the hottest day of the year and we all complain of the heat!

I always say that I enjoy running in the sunshine and when abroad, on holiday, I run most days. But and it is a big but, running on holiday is a pleasure, running a race in high temperatures is anything but pleasure. So it was that my preparation for the Wallington 10K was not the best. Firstly,I had just come back from a waist bursting cruise, looked at the diary and realised that I was facing the Wiggle Hell of Hexham Cycle ride in less than two weeks. Secondly, I had done damn all training. Thirdly it was the hottest day of the year - Tuesday 19 July 2016. My answer, a marathon on the bike. Not only that, but I decided that my cycling would be more efficient if I raised the seat and then to compound it all, I dug out some toe clips and added them to my pedals.

Returning from my cycle tour of Northumberland I felt ok, took on board lots of water and thought nothing of it. A good night's sleep would be enough for the next day's 10K. Sleep? It was impossible in the heat. Then Maisie, my elderly basset hound, panted all night, really suffering.

The next morning feeling hungover, I wondered what the pain in my ankles was and in this fragile state relaxed through the day before heading north to Wallington and the race.

Now, last year I had set off at a stupid pace in the downhill dash from the start, recording a stupid 4.20 / 4.30 mile pace in the first half mile. This cost me 10 weeks out with an achilles injury and I resolved to be more sensible this year.

So it was that I set off at a good pace and held back through that steep descent, taking 6.57 for mile one. Mile two continues downhill and I settled in at 7.18 pace. At this point in the race you have descended approx. 350 feet, The next four miles are undulating, but all 350 feet has to be ascended as the last mile takes you back to the start.  In last year's race after the fast start and subsequent achilles pain, I felt as if half the field had passed me before the finish. Looking at the results,I see that it was actually in the order of forty runners. This year with that steadier start, only four runners overtook me and so it was that I finished in 48.36 for 34th place. Now the interesting bit, this was actually nearly three minutes slower than last year's time of 45.57 and can only mean that everyone was affected by the very warm night. Infact, as I drove away from the event there were many runners still finishing.

As 1st V65 and 2nd V60 finisher I hope that I will receive some reward from my efforts, but am not holding my breath. In recent races I have generally been either first, or second in category (3rd in the Newburn Riverside). Second V60 in a large field at the Sunderland 10K brought nothing, 2nd in a 5,000 field in the Blaydon Race (68 in category) produced the same nil result. I actually won the category in the Great North 10K , but ran under a young runner's number, so no complaints. Am I complaining? Well, maybe a little.

My painful ankles? Yes, it was obviously those toe clips on the bike and maybe also, the seat height. Within an hour of finishing the race I was hobbling, however over the next couple of days the pain receded and I am up for race no. 75, probably a Parkrun as  should take it easy, shouldn't I?

Maisie

Tynedale 10K 2016 - My Home Race

Race no. 73
https://youtu.be/6oWwpF-SDeg

Though Wylam

My club race, through my home village and running with my son, Chris, what more could a guy want from a race?

This race, number 73 in my current challenge, actually took place on 6 July, but a nice holiday intervened a couple of days later and with number 74, Wallington 10K coming up tomorrow , 20 July, I thought that I better get this blog out.

I actually wanted to wait for some photos of this race to appear, but haven't found any, so last years showing me going through Wylam will have to do. Also, I actually did the same time as 2015 to the second, so that will do for me.

There was some doubt as to whether I should be running this race, for, I had given my hamstring a good old tweak the previous weekend in the Great North 10K. A visit to my chiropractor confirmed that there was no damage and with the advice to take it easy I was up for it.

I assured Chris that I wouldn't blast off down that steep hill from the start in Ovington and that was my intent. Well, I was actually holding back, but still the pace for that first mile was 6.25. As Chris passed me in mile 2, I had to admit that the hamstring was a bit sore at the bottom of the hill, but no pain and all that. The second mile was 7.16 pace, before averaging 7.30 through 3, 4 and 5. A push in the last mile and a bit took me through the line in 45.15 which is Ok.

In that last quarter mile my pal and Tynedale Chairman,  Ian Brown , was pacing me from the side lines. He then revealed that he had been forced to drop out with a calf problem. Ian, what a sensible chap you are.

Any hopes  I had that I might have taken my age category were dashed as I crossed Ovingham Bridge, for there was Mark McNally, a proper runner and a fellow V65. Mark had finished in 41.22. So it was that he was first and I was second V65. He finished in 88th position., I was 160th. Chris was 112th in 43.29. 379 ran which looks well down on previous years when this race was generally fully subscribed. Come on you runners next year, it is excellent and there is a pie and pea supper.

Now for tomorrow's Wallington and a reminder not to dash away down that particular hill at the start. Last year I damaged my achilles with my 4.30 (!!) starting pace. Ouch, it is painful even thinking about it and the 11 week injury absence. Will I learn to be sensible?

Great North 10K 2016

Race no. 72     ....and the winner was, unofficially....Me!

Away they go, with me on their heels.

Sprint finish with a Gurka chasing me!

On the way back

 Sorry about the blurred photos, it's what happens when you don't pay for a £19.99 download.


My lad, Chris, had asked if I would like him to get me a race number, from a pal who couldn't do the Great North 10K. "Yes", I replied, " I love the atmosphere of these big events".

So it was that we used the Metro to travel from his Gosforth home, down to Gateshead International Stadium, for the start. £2.80 for a Day Saver ticket, that's value.

My race number was actually for the second wave runners,  8 minutes after the 10am start. Not for me, thought I, to make it the third minor misdemeanor of the day - no passing on of numbers, no starting in the wrong wave, no unpaid downloads. Hiding my 'wrong' number under a tee shirt I joined the first wave runners on my own, having lost Chris in the crowd. As I got into race mode I realised that I was actually with the so called 'elite'  runners, rather than Chris's Orange wave. No problem, have you seen me start a race?

Away we went at a comfortably fast pace. A slight downhill was followed by an uphill stretch, before plunging down to the quayside. Sudden pain in my upper leg told me that something had pulled, but, after  twenty years of hamstring problems, I made the quick decision that I could run it off.

The first mile passed in 6.40, then it was an average of 7.00/7.30 pace before the climb back up from the riverside to the Stadium. For the first time I was over 8 minute miling, 8.06 actually, on a very steep hill. Then we turned onto the track and headed for the line as I summoned up something like a finishing sprint.

46.55 said my watch as I took on board a sports drink. Ow! That is painful, as I tried to walk away from the finish.  Oh dear, I am in trouble. After six months of freedom from injury, I may be in trouble and with my favourite race, the Tynedale 10K , coming up on Wednesday.

Looking at the results, I see that I was 514th out of 5,000 runners. Chris was 308th in 44.32. I also notice that I was actually 1st V65 - the official winner was Sid Astbury, South Shields Harriers, who finished in 47.40. No point in looking to see if there was a prize, never mind, a moral victory, but at what cost?

It is ice, rest, massage and hopefully, recovery for me.

Gibside Parkrun Race No. 71

The Graham boys are in green

Dad holds back at the start (green Macmillan Nurse vest)

Having just ran a tough fell race at Haydon Bridge a couple of days before, I was not really keen to join Chris at Gibside early on Saturday morning - "if I wake early, I will see you there" , was my immediate response.

Of course, I was up early, but not so bright the next morning to join Chris for his first visit to Gibside. At the start I told him just to go, as I intended to jog around. I even let the guy with the toddler in a buggy) pictured above) start ahead of me.

What felt like an easy pace for the first mile was actually 7.09, but I eased off for the climb up through the woods to record 9.21 for mile 2. As the climb became less steep, I started to edge the pace up, before turning for home and a fast downhill finish.

When I first came to Gibside, a year or two ago, for the Great Run Local, a weekly Sunday 5K , I was told that you can add two minutes to your usual Parkrun time at Gibside to take account of the 300+ feet climb. Well, this was confirmed again, last Saturday, as I finished in 24.20 for 19th position. Chris finished in 15th for 23.31.

A comfortable run in lovely surroundings on a Saturday morning (or Sunday for the Great Run Local) these are free runs, check them out online. What better way to start the weekend?