Sometimes opportunities present themselves. When 50 shirt parkrunner Sean mentioned he was due in Cambridge on a Saturday morning, it presented a chance to travel north and take on a parkrun.
The original plan was Cambridge, an event I've not run in over 2 years. We'd also discussed Wimpole, me talking up the much fabled hill of doom. By Saturday morning Huntingdon was also an option, a new parkrun for us both. We decided on Cambridge and headed north on the m11. Traffic was good though and I felt we should take on doom hill, so I diverted us to Wimpole.
The Run
A glorious day presented itself, dry weather meant the Wimpole course would be at it's best. From past experience of the course I knew I'd be nowhere near a lifetime PB. I'd run a 28:50 back in February the week after the Barcelona half, at a time that my running form was at its worst. A course PB was a given today, I'd set a target in my mind of sub 26, feeling the course profile made it at least a minute and a half slower than most.
With that in mind my pacing was bizarre! I passed the 1 kilometre marker at 4:27/km, which I think is my fastest ever kilometre!! I continued to push as the course started to incline just before 2km. As soon as you hit 2k, Wimpole provided its highlight, the hill of doom. In my previous visit I managed to stay running the whole hill, a short but sharp at 30m climb. This time I got halfway and realised to conserve energy and walk up. Even at the peak of the hill it took time to recover, a 3rd km at 5:34 the proof! At this point I had adjusted my expectations to a low 26.
Soon the course provided some downhill, I was greeted with the best marshal advise ever "Mind the cow pat"! Cow crap avoided I started to recover my pace, although a return to uphill just before 4km was fun! Soon the grass was replaced by tarmac underfoot & I focused on the last km, back under the 26 mark. The last 250m was back on the grass and the timing lady was great in offering everyone encouragement to cross the line. I even tried to smile as Paula was on photo duty. To my surprise I finished in 25:16. This meant the last km was covered in 4:52. Overall splits of 4:27, 5:06, 5:34, 5:17, 4:52 and a course PB smashed by 3:34!!!!! This is more a mark of how bad I was earlier in the year. Given how tough the Wimpole course is, I think today's time is my best 5k since my PB. Even if it included a slight walk!!!
The Eat
On the recommendation of the Race Director we headed to the cafe and gorged on a selection of excellent cakes. With Wimpole the hill might take, but the cafe? gives back.
The Conclusion
Very happy with today's run. I'm no fan of off road running, yet there is something special about this parkrun. The hill is short, sharp & cruel, but if you can conquer it you'll be a better runner. Small matter of the Saffron Walden 10k in the morning, another off road race.....
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