Just before the start I came back to earth and I decided to tag along with the Striders 10.5min/mile bus. I decided it would be much more enjoyable and I could always speed up a bit later on. This was also the fourth time I had done this race which was five laps around a not very scenic moor, so I thought being on the bus would help with the mental side.
This certainly worked. The bus started with six runners, but this race had a high casualty rate on our club runners. Shortly into lap 2, the first one pulled out with a dodgy stomach. The second one went shortly after the end of lap 2 and the third soon after. That left three of us on the bus. We soon passed another runner from our club who was retiring with back problems. Soon after halfway, one of the other two stopped to take a stone out of her shoe and I found myself alone, but expecting them to catch me up very quickly. It didn't happen for another lap. Because of the bus, my first three laps were very consistent, 55mins for each of them. I speeded up a bit on lap 4 and did 50min, partly because one of the bus members, G, had caught me up and we ran together for the last part of that lap.
Each lap we passed Fetchpoint (PenW and Scribbler) who were great and the Striders cheering point - at least six clubmates had come just to cheer. Their numbers were swelled by those runners who had pulled out so by the end of lap 4, there was a lot of noise as we went by. Most of them were singing Happy Birthday to G who had chosen to spend her birthday running her second marathon.
By the start of the final lap I knew I was in trouble, I could not keep up with G. So I walked sections. The wind was also picking up and it started to rain. I also walked up the hill having run up it the previous four times - this has happened every time I have done this event.
The route was muddier than the other times I have done it, but most of it was on tarmac paths so it wasn't an issue. I came in with 4hr 43min my worst performance there, not great, but I think it was largely down to lots of recent marathons and not good preparation for them.
This race is very social, you quite often see other runners (apart from the time they lap you ...) and it was good to see clubmates and Fetchies. The marshalls were as ever fantastic (at least three of them have stood at the same place out on the moor for every running of this event) and it was good to see KateS helping at the drinks station.
I was getting changed at the Striders cheering point when the organiser cycled over and asked if I was still there. Yes, I said and was astonished to hear I had won a prize - 3rd place MV60 ! A nice trophy too
A good end to the day
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