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| Some of the PWR's |
I'm not so sure about todays title really, it should have been Mad Dogs And Englishmen!, but I had this title in mind for quite some time! Well ever since Big Son accepted my challenge to a race over a 10k hilly course! My son hasn't done an awful lot of training, well not that I have seen. The only training he has done is to abuse the rest days! Sleeping, eating, and playing playstation games!
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| Big Son! |
The event was the Orpington Runners 10k annual race, and this is my first time entering it. It is also the first event of our PWR Grand Prix for 2013/14. It was a lovely morning! The sun was up and bright and shining at 6 o'clock this morning! Already it felt warm. I couldn't sleep much after I woke up, and just laid quietly waiting for the alarm to go, or for the Dude to wake me up, my grandson! I had him over night, and to 'nobble' the opposition I had him sleeping with his uncle in his big bed, Dude is not one for sleeping by himself, he likes cuddles, and talking, and fidgeting, and generally keeping everyone else awake except himself!
At 6:45 the dude came into our bed, climbed up between me and the Old Boy and promptly fell asleep! I laid there for the last 15 minutes and the alarm went off. It's no good, time to get up, into the shower and get some porridge inside and a cuppa.
Eventually everyone else was awake and ready, except the Dude, he was still sleeping, I gently woke him up and then took him over to his great nanny, Nanny Jean Bean! Then me and Big Son made our way to Darrick Wood school, for the start of the event.
The sun was really heating up the morning, it must be in the early 20's and it was only 8:30! I just hope they can keep that water chilled half way around! We got our numbers and timing chips and attached them to our shirts and shoes. The other PWR's all made their way, and we set up the PWR flag!
9:25! Time to get to the start! I placed my self in the 1 finish start, alongside Big Son. "See you by the car then" said Big Son with a smirk on his face. He has been ribbing me all week about how he is going to totally thrash me in this race. Bless him, he still hasn't quite grasped the idea of who is the 'actual' winner. Him because he will, probably, cross the finishing mats first, or me, because I have managed to get my son out of his pit, away from the computers and playstations, early on a Sunday morning, doing something more healthier?
9:30 and we're off! Big Son showed no mercy as he sped off around the field, I just smiled and plodded along. This is going to be a very warm race indeed. Experience has showed me that it's no good tearing off as fast as you can, even if it is not as hot as it is! I looked at my Garmin, even then I was going slightly faster that I wanted to. There were people behind, as long as I keep some of them behind me I will be happy. Coming in last, is not an option!
The route took us around the edge of the field and then off into the woods, where I was greeted with "Yeah Go Old Girl" and I realised this wasn't merely because I had my name on my shirt, but that she did know me, it was Ali from ORR, (from the time we got slightly miss-routed on a mob match day) We then popped out on to a field . The sun was beating down, and there was no shade! Any other day we would be praying for days like this! to be sitting out in our gardens, maybe with a BBQ in mind for the afternoon, but running around in the sun, would not even enter our mind plus it is incredibly hard. My mind went back to the marathon, (he he he, erm, did I tell you I did the marathon?) and how the sun was really warm them, but not as warm as it is now. At least I only have 6 miles to do.
We crossed over the A21, the police and marshals holding up the traffic for us. I wonder if they will still be about for the return later! Then it was the first bit of the road section. There is not a lot of road running in this 10k, its mainly fields and woods, which I love doing. Or should I say it's mainly fields! I am glad I put sun cream on today, and I even asked one of the other PWR ladies if I could use hers to reapply some more! Running along the roads, looking at the drivers patiently waiting for us runners to pass by, all sweating and hot, and wondering "Why?" Again, the phrase Mad dogs and Englishmen, came to mind.
The road section went quickly and we were back into the fields. I hadn't passed anybody, and nobody had passed me, I looked behind to see if I could still see some people, and I was pleased to say they were there, although closing in! I picked up the pace tiny tad, as much as I dare, and just put in a little bit more distance.
The route now has us all running around in circles! I saw people coming in one direction as I was heading in the other direction. I could see people way off in front of me, slightly to my left, running one way, yet there were still more heading in a different way when I looked to my left behind me! I couldn't figure out how it all worked. I will just have to really listen to the marshals, I don't want to be getting lost, or heading in the wrong direction, or taking short cuts!
Just then I heard my name being called enthusiastically again, and I saw Janet up ahead. There she was waving, with her camera ready to snap away, I hoped I was smiling! In this heat and sunshine it was probably squinty eyes and a grimace! The route took a right turn to run around yet another field. We ran around there and then headed back up to the path we came down on. See what I mean about it being round and round in circles.
Big Son was nowhere to be seen, I presumed he was just breezing through this, wishing that he hadn't challenged his mother, because then he could still be sleeping! I saw a couple of young ladies ahead of me, and both me and a chap that I had been 'pacing', both over took them. That is the first time that I have done any over taking so far, apart from 'pacing man'. I passed by a marshal who called out after me "Go on Old Girl" He knew me! Facebook is indeed a very social site! So many Internet friends and even some of my blog readers where here marshaling!
The water stop was a very welcome sight! I took a cup of water as the water marshall very kindly filled my water bottle for me, I then carried on. I was just about to go through the gate and I stopped for some reason just to check, when I head a voice from the water marshal, "Ooops, sorry not that way, around the field" I knew that, I knew that! I knew I had to go around the field, you can see all the cups leading that way, I just must be delirious from heat! Again, the phrase Mad dogs and Englishmen came to mind. I over took my pacing buddy on this bit of field, and decided that this chap is going to be my race. He needs to stay behind me!
It was while running along this bit of field just up ahead I saw my son! He had his tee shirt off and was walking! "Ha, ha!" I thought to my self. I caught him up and chatted a while, I let him use my water to pour over his head. For a moment it seemed as if was going to be quite happy to 'tag' along with me, until, that is, I reminded him that this is a race! "Well, ok, if you you're ok" and then he went off! But from then on wards, he was hardly ever out of my sight! Now the title of todays blog comes in play. No son, it is not going to be a total breeze to beat this Old Girl, this little old tortoise easily in a 10k race, especially when you have done no training whatsoever!
I had my 'pacing buddy' behind me. I think I can keep him behind me, as long as he don't speed up, and as long as there is no more hills to run up! But, I knew that there is a least one more hill to do! I heard them all talking about it before the race, it's at the last 1km! Just when you need it! NOT! We crossed over the road together, and then started on the second bit of road running. The marshals were still all very enthusiastic, I was really pleased to see them all cheering us on. In this heat, just standing around can take it out of you! One of the marshals on this bit of road recognised me, from my ramblings in my blogs! "I'm looking forward to your blog later" she called out to me. This is where pacing buddy got in front of me! I was dying with the heat! My bottle of water being poured over me as well as in me! I kept saying to myself, "It's not long to go now"
I caught up to him, and again we crossed over the main road, the A21. Just a little further now, but at least its through the woods, hopefully some shade. We did stay in the shade, running through the trees, it was just perfect. But pacing buddy was still in front of me. Big Son was not in sight any more, but I know that I am not last as I did manage to pass those two young ladies at the water station.
This is where the 'little' hill is! And really it is a little hill, but after doing all those miles it feels like mount Everest! My pacing buddy seem to fly up it. "That's done it, that's my race finished!" I thought to myself. I kept plodding along, I took one more swig of my water and then handed the rest to the marshal, I wanted to be able to push that little bit harder once on the field.
As I emerged from the woods I saw my racing pacing buddy ahead of me. If I pushed it, I could over take him, I could beat him to the finish! I ran and ran, I got a little bit faster, I was sweating, I was hot, and I wanted an ice cream! But there he was, I started to gain on him, and I was absolutely thrilled when I over took him on the field! Yes, blooming yes! I did it! My Garmin told me it was in 1:20:14, the gun time was 1:20:40 but the chip time was spot on with my Garmin!
Oh and Big son he came in at 1:18:16! not quite the total annihilation that he had planned! But, seriously, who is the winner here?
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