How many training plans include a 10k race at the end of week one? How many training plans are written by a colossal numpty who signs up for things on a whim? I'd hope the answer is one and that one is me. If however you're also inclined to running madness, pull up a chair, it is nice to have some company.
I'm not completely crazy, this was meant to be week two! The event had been advertised a couple of months ago and being based at the Discovery Centre in Great Notley meant we would see a high number of parkrunners accustomed to touching the bird and already familiar with the hill of doom. Paul had advised it was 10km and a bit, that bit being a climb up the hill (that GPS still doesn't record!). The route didn't really concern me though, this would be another recovery run, as the groin strain continues to heal.
This would be Challenge Running's debut 10km event, they're usually creating crazy marathons and from my perspective what look to be bat shit crazy ultra runs! Paul is still hopeful one day I'll sign up for the Stort 30 and it'll lead me down that path to more ultra shenanigans. Never say never, 5 years ago I didn't even run, one year ago I'd never volunteered at a parkrun, didn't own trail shoes. Perhaps my injuries are the cause of speed work and distance is what I'm more suited to. I'm built for biscuits rather than sprinting after all.
I didn't know what to expect from the event. Other than the basics, Flitch Way, out and back, hill of doom, cool medal, start time, information was lacking. A friend due to run their first 10k had asked about a course map and the response was, why would you want one?!? Seeing a slightly narky Facebook post the night before from the organiser didn't hold out much hope, this might be one and done for Challenge and me. There hadn't been a pre race email and the website could be clearer, or at least have a mobile friendly version. I suspected it was an adjustment to dealing with a different clientele. Ultras and marathons attract a different crowd to 10k, which is often the first race for many stepping up from beginner or 5k. As I'm finding parkrun, if folks are asking for information, that suggests the information you've published is either hard to find or insufficient. It is then that you take the feedback on board & look at what can be improved. Hopefully everything would be ok on the day & this was just a case of being tired / nervous / apprehensive ahead of a debut event.
I'm not completely crazy, this was meant to be week two! The event had been advertised a couple of months ago and being based at the Discovery Centre in Great Notley meant we would see a high number of parkrunners accustomed to touching the bird and already familiar with the hill of doom. Paul had advised it was 10km and a bit, that bit being a climb up the hill (that GPS still doesn't record!). The route didn't really concern me though, this would be another recovery run, as the groin strain continues to heal.
This would be Challenge Running's debut 10km event, they're usually creating crazy marathons and from my perspective what look to be bat shit crazy ultra runs! Paul is still hopeful one day I'll sign up for the Stort 30 and it'll lead me down that path to more ultra shenanigans. Never say never, 5 years ago I didn't even run, one year ago I'd never volunteered at a parkrun, didn't own trail shoes. Perhaps my injuries are the cause of speed work and distance is what I'm more suited to. I'm built for biscuits rather than sprinting after all.
I didn't know what to expect from the event. Other than the basics, Flitch Way, out and back, hill of doom, cool medal, start time, information was lacking. A friend due to run their first 10k had asked about a course map and the response was, why would you want one?!? Seeing a slightly narky Facebook post the night before from the organiser didn't hold out much hope, this might be one and done for Challenge and me. There hadn't been a pre race email and the website could be clearer, or at least have a mobile friendly version. I suspected it was an adjustment to dealing with a different clientele. Ultras and marathons attract a different crowd to 10k, which is often the first race for many stepping up from beginner or 5k. As I'm finding parkrun, if folks are asking for information, that suggests the information you've published is either hard to find or insufficient. It is then that you take the feedback on board & look at what can be improved. Hopefully everything would be ok on the day & this was just a case of being tired / nervous / apprehensive ahead of a debut event.
I arrived at the Discovery Centre nice and early, the registration was upstairs and number pick up was easy. Vicky from Harlow parkrun was part of the registration team and the whole affair had a bit of a parkrun love in feel as our new Hatfield Forest community had descended on the event & were mixing with the large number of Great Notley runners. I also spotted some Chelmsford parkrunners. I had posted on the Hatfield Forest Facebook page that one big group photo would be cool, this didn't happen but us Um Bongo folk did manage to pose for a rather awesome photo captured by Katrina. Just as we lined up Paul suggested he'd do a catalogue pose, we all joined him. The result was what I've named the Um Bongo Avengers!
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| The Um Bongo Avengers - rescuing people through the medium of sugary fruit juice |
My pre event fears subsided when Lindley the Race Director delivered a humourous and informative pre run brief, leaving plenty of time to get everyone to the start line which was a bit of a wander. I made a dash for a last minute toilet break at the Discovery Centre so was walking through the field of runners, trying to catch Emily who had my water bottle. On the way I was approached by a parkrunner who shared her runs at the Forest in rotation with her husband. They hadn't been aware of parkrun before and were enjoying their new Saturday morning routine. This was a new experience for me, one that Len and Gerry had mentioned. Len had even theorised that being a volunteer was more enjoyable than running and that being an Event Director was the cherry on top of the cake. I'm still learning faces and names, certainly those that have volunteered I'm starting to recognise. During the run it was great to hand out encouragement to anyone I knew and also nice to receive kind words as I hauled myself around the course. I've been warned by Emily in her debut race blog that I might need to be less enthusiastic with my high fiving!
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| And stretch......... |
Onto the race itself and I lined up with Emily and Karl, though it was unlikely I'd be running alongside them for long. My goal was that beating the hour would be nice, though not overly necessary as how my groin recovered was more important. The course itself was simple, out and back on the Flitch Way, the former railway line between Braintree & Stortford, finishing with a return to the Discovery Centre and a climb of the hill of doom in order to claim a medal.
The Flitch is bizarre, straight for miles, yet always gives the impression of being uphill no matter which way you tackle it! My only other experience of running it was during the Takeley 10k in August. Back then I found the arrow straight nature quite crushing as I was having a progressively bad day and seeing 2km ahead of you to where I perhaps should have been was not much fun. I started off gently, easing into a 6:00/km pace, focusing on the 10km rather than the extra 300m uphill at the end. At around 3km I felt a twinge, but it didn't last and I was able to maintain pace without any further pain, sometimes the muscles just take time to settle down.
Soon the front runners were approaching on their return and I gave encouragement to anyone I recognised. Paul was looking in excellent shape, I'm intrigued to see just how fast he could be around a flat 10k such as Pride. I think the order in which I then saw everyone else was Alec, Emily, Jim and Len before I made it to the turn myself. The aid station wasn't ideally placed, being past the natural running line, though as I wasn't there to record a time I stopped to say hello to Nicki & The Sandfords and take some jelly babies on board.
Seeing everyone was a nice motivator and I continued to say hello and high five as I headed back to Great Notley. My legs were feeling decent so I allowed myself to start picking the pace up gradually as we went through 5km. With no alarm bells going off physically I was in a good place mentally, ticking off every landmark (the burned out car a particular highlight) and kilometre, feeling stronger as the finish neared. Having no injury concerns meant I could concentrate on the race aspect and if my legs and cardio would allow me to continue to improve the pace.
By 9km we were leaving the Flitch behind and I could see Jim a couple of hundred metres ahead of me. The athlete / competitor / idiot in me wondered if I could reel him in as my pace continued to increase. I passed a parkrunner who gave me encouragement and soon we were in the field where the race started. At the final bypass bridge crossing I was level with Jim, though he was now walking & I encouraged him to run with me to the end, Hatfield Forest comrades and all. He told me to carry on, he was done so I returned my focus to the trail that would be leading to the Hill of Doom.
Just ahead of me, starting his climb was my parkrun mentor, Len. This time I was the one giving some encouragement, shouting Len's way.
For some reason unknown I decided to push myself up the hill, all notion of this being a recovery run was thrown out the window with the finish line in sight. Despite this being home ground for Len he was struggling up the Hill of Doom so I implored him to speed up or I'd slap his arse on the way past. Perhaps I have no future as a motivator as he didn't speed up, either before or after the slap on his arse! Instead I carried on up the hill, forcing myself to eek out every bit of energy I still had in my legs. I'm well aware that some of my expressions are at times a bit scary or hilarious when running. Katrina captured this perfectly with what could easily be called my Crimewatch face.
The finish line was actually just before the bird, but we'd been implored to touch the bird to claim the medal so runners and supporters were treated to me saying "I've got to touch the bird!!!" before I joined the queue for a medal.
And what a medal it was, a custom medal designed like an old school style train ticket. A nice touch that added something to the event that a generic medal wouldn't do. I caught up with Alec, Emily & Paul, remembering it might be worth stopping my Garmin. Karl had also finished just beyond me & all were happy with the medals. As I made my way down the hill I stopped to cheer on any Hatfield Forest parkrunners I recognised, another new habit for this race, but knowing how much support can help me in a race, one that is well worth doing.
The Eat
Great Notley parkrun is the place that knows me as Mr Sausage Roll. There is an expectation that every time I visit I should bring a box of sausage rolls, ready for runners & volunteers to consume. The only downside to this is that it excludes Emily & Paul, who despite hearing how good the sausage rolls are, won't abandon being vegetarians to try them. On this occasion I decided to try something different, My creation, non sausage rolls included roasted peppers, mushrooms, onions & asparagus. The vegetables were combined with goats cheese & chilli jam for a pastry snack equal to the normal sausage rolls. They were well received by all, even if it at first took some persuasion that a vegetarian pastry was worthwhile to our carnivorous friends.
Just ahead of me, starting his climb was my parkrun mentor, Len. This time I was the one giving some encouragement, shouting Len's way.
For some reason unknown I decided to push myself up the hill, all notion of this being a recovery run was thrown out the window with the finish line in sight. Despite this being home ground for Len he was struggling up the Hill of Doom so I implored him to speed up or I'd slap his arse on the way past. Perhaps I have no future as a motivator as he didn't speed up, either before or after the slap on his arse! Instead I carried on up the hill, forcing myself to eek out every bit of energy I still had in my legs. I'm well aware that some of my expressions are at times a bit scary or hilarious when running. Katrina captured this perfectly with what could easily be called my Crimewatch face.
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| It would be appropriate to photoshop an axe into one hand here! |
And what a medal it was, a custom medal designed like an old school style train ticket. A nice touch that added something to the event that a generic medal wouldn't do. I caught up with Alec, Emily & Paul, remembering it might be worth stopping my Garmin. Karl had also finished just beyond me & all were happy with the medals. As I made my way down the hill I stopped to cheer on any Hatfield Forest parkrunners I recognised, another new habit for this race, but knowing how much support can help me in a race, one that is well worth doing.
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| Post race smiles |
The Eat
Great Notley parkrun is the place that knows me as Mr Sausage Roll. There is an expectation that every time I visit I should bring a box of sausage rolls, ready for runners & volunteers to consume. The only downside to this is that it excludes Emily & Paul, who despite hearing how good the sausage rolls are, won't abandon being vegetarians to try them. On this occasion I decided to try something different, My creation, non sausage rolls included roasted peppers, mushrooms, onions & asparagus. The vegetables were combined with goats cheese & chilli jam for a pastry snack equal to the normal sausage rolls. They were well received by all, even if it at first took some persuasion that a vegetarian pastry was worthwhile to our carnivorous friends.
The Conclusion
As an event, on the whole very positive. Save for the slightly stressed post the night before the event & the need for a bit more information beforehand, everything else ran nicely. The distance would have ideally been 10k, being an out and back might make it possible to adjust in the future. The medal was an excellent addition to the event, good run bling is always appreciated and something that is really not hard to achieve now. A repeat event has been announced for September, 2 weeks ahead of Berlin. I'm tempted to sign up as it would be a nice book end, the same route at the start and end of my marathon training.
In terms of my running form, I was very pleased with my performance. The fact it was a negative split was largely irrelevant as I purposefully started slowly in order to ease my various ailments into the race. Being able to progressively increase my pace as the run continued was good & lets me know that my cardio isn't as far away as it has felt in recent times. The groin strain settled down quickly & didn't give any further issues as both the pace & distance increased. A 5:17 last kilometre is far faster than I was intending to run, going to show what being an idiot & race conditions can do for you!
Even my hill of doom climb did not go to plan. I appeared to adopt the quicker you get up there the quicker it all ends strategy. The ascend was my fastest ever, 40 seconds, though my heart rate did go up to 180bpm.
An enjoyable event & performance, a nice end to week one of the marathon training. It isn't a performance I'll remember in years to come, but it will form the foundation for what will be a busy few months.
As an event, on the whole very positive. Save for the slightly stressed post the night before the event & the need for a bit more information beforehand, everything else ran nicely. The distance would have ideally been 10k, being an out and back might make it possible to adjust in the future. The medal was an excellent addition to the event, good run bling is always appreciated and something that is really not hard to achieve now. A repeat event has been announced for September, 2 weeks ahead of Berlin. I'm tempted to sign up as it would be a nice book end, the same route at the start and end of my marathon training.
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| Awesome run bling! Straight onto the medal moose. |
Even my hill of doom climb did not go to plan. I appeared to adopt the quicker you get up there the quicker it all ends strategy. The ascend was my fastest ever, 40 seconds, though my heart rate did go up to 180bpm.
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| The intentional negative split |
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