Runfest Wales 10k

Today was an early start to Rhyl, and as always on race day, the sun was out in full force.  Why does it only rain on me when i don't want it too?  As the race is next to the beach I had the man and the dog with me but was still a bit apprehensive.  I hadn't received my race number and communication was somewhat lacking for RunWales so i was worried about how unorganised the race would be.  Also, was a bit gutted that race numbers had names on but I would be nameless because I had to get a replacement number.

After a slight detour (the husband got lost) we got to Rhyl and headed to the race HQ at the Taste Academy, very close to that start (Hint, if you do decide to run this race in future use the toilets at the academy, they don't cost 20p like all the public toilets and they are very under used, especially after the race).  There was a very long line for number collection (Am thinking I was not alone in a lack of packet through the post) and organisers, if you are reading, could really do with someone at the door telling marathon and half marathon runners to go to the front as heir race stated first.  It took about 10 minutes to get my number, which wasn't too bad, and got a nice surprise as it had my name on (Yes i know, simple things... small minds... but it made me pleased anyways).  I ordered a technical t-shirt for an extra £9 (I still don't have many and it's cheaper than buying them in the shop) so we went to collect it before the race, from a marque next to the start finish.  They did run out so was a wise decision.  For those who don't like different distances getting the same medal/t-shirt, they were individual to each distance.

Gizmo 'watching' for me (He's blind)

The routes on the website we different to the actual routes we did.  I'm not sure if this was explained in the packet sent with the running bibs or not as I never got mine and I couldn't find any information at the race HQ about the route either. The 10k and 5k started at 9:30am, first running left along the coast, across two bridges (I loved the very bouncy one, very strange to run on), back to the start then up right along the coast and back to the start.  The 5k people left us and turned around quite quickly on the second leg. I think the marathon and half marathon people (who started 30 minutes before us) did laps of a similar route but it was difficult to tell.  The route is very very flat but it is pretty much four long straight runs.  The run right away from the start seems like it goes on forever and a day but this was probably made worse by the head wind which, whilst not terribly bad (no where near the scale of Mad Dog 10k winds) did slow you down.  Pretty much the entire race takes place on the path along the beach which is very smooth and flat, a bit like running on a running track so it's easy to get a good stride going.  I decided quite early on in the race that it wasn't going to be a PB because of the slower speed and decided to enjoy, and I did.  Although the course was a bit of a mind challange I really just enjoyed running it and made sure i paid attention to how pretty things were around me and how nice it was to run next to the sea.  I think it was of my most enjoyable runs for a long time, i still pushed myself as much as i could but didn't worry about time, pace or people passing me and made myself start slow.

Route on website

Route ran

Although the routes may have changed I have to say that the organisation of the actual race was amazing.  As four distances were running the same route as once each distance was coloured coded.  You simply followed the colour signs that match the colour of your bib and you can't go wrong.  Distance markers were also colour coded and they were pretty difficult to miss.  

Nice negative splits in the second half

Runfest Wales 10k t-shirts and medal

After the mind numbing last run out, I was feeling quite strong for the return journey to the finish and picked up speed but I didn't really look at my watch to see what i was doing.  I did my best sprint finish so far (James almost missed me) and was pretty sure that the clock said 55 something.    My watch said 55:25 so I was pretty sure it was a PB but I never really believe it until i get the official time so I tried to forget about it for a while. Water is handed out at the finish but you have to go to the marque to collect the free cotton t-shirt and medal (Something not made very clear and difficult to figure out when you have race head on.  I'm seriously surprised I don't get ran over or something when I finish a race cos my brain just goes dead). I got changed (At Taste Academy where the toilets were empty)  took Gizmo into the sea, got some chips, cheered on some runners (It's impossible to figure out where they are in the race) and got attacked by seagulls then i got a text with my time, 55:45, a PB and i was pretty chuffed until I realised that was actually the gun time and I'd really done it in 55:20! Almost a minute off my previous time, copper club standard (to the second) and I'd ran for fun rather than time.  One more copper standard and I'll get a trophy at WRR's awards night.

Gizmo asleep on the way home

Dunham Massey 5k (x2)

These two 5k's are part of North Cheshire Grand Prix Series, five 5k races that are held near Warrington.  The race is part of the WRR club championship and as the cheap no frills type affair hosted by Altrincham & District AC.

Dunham Massey race 2 route, race 1 is the reverse

The first race was held on Thursday 5th June, the second on Thursday 19th, both using the same route in the beautiful Dunham Massey park, but ran in opposite directions.  The course is two and a bit laps of paths within the park, part of which is on grass but it's easy to run.  The first race finishes uphill (It won't seem like a hill the first two times you go up it but the third turn it turns into a massive slope as you tried to speed up it to the finish) whilst the second race has a downwards final sprint and so people generally get a better time on the second race.

Dunham Massey 5k Elevation (Race 2)

Race 1 Splits

Race 2 Splits

For the first race my time was 26:44, seven seconds of my club's copper standard but technically not a PB as I've ran a parkrun 4 seconds faster.  I managed to knock 50 seconds of during the second race, getting a pb time of 25:44 and my first club copper standard.

WRR Summer Handicap

The summer handicap is a Warrington Road Runner's club race, that is part of the club championship. It's designed to encourage all runners, not just those who are very fast and as such each runner sets off with a handicap, the slowest leaving first.  If the all is as it should be then all runners should finish at the same time (This was second club handicap but already i know that this never happens, which is part of the fun).

On my very first run with the club in November last year we did a route that started with (what seem like a very) long uphill and did a lot of the handicap route.  I struggled a lot (Bryan and Ian pretty much dragged me up) and hadn't ran that route since so I was a little bit apprehensive about the race. I made James drive me round the route the night before too as the problem with the slowest going first is that you have no one to follow. It turns out that it was no where near as bad as i thought.   I was meant to leave a minute behind the first person but as she didn't know the route we left at the same time with Bryan (Who should be in the dictionary next to perseverance cos he is awesome).  Both Bryan and I were took the lead for the entire race, taking it in turns to flag and push each other but for a little while i was running on my own in front which is a very strange experience that i doubt i'll ever have again.  The drive to stay in front is immense but it's intensified knowing that someone could come and overtake you at any minute (And i did expect some of the other runners to pass).  Whilst we were far from the fastest, we crossed the line first and so I'm looking forward to my first every (and probably only) first place trophy at the awards night early next year.

Bupa Great Manchester Run

I have the most wonderful husband but he already has everything so he is impossible to buy for.  I was struggling to decide what to get him for a wedding present so I decided to run in the memory of his parents who died before I met James but must have been wonderful people to raise such a wonderful person.  So I signed up to run Bupa Great Manchester 10k for British Heart Foundation.  I'd never ran for a charity before so when people starting paying sponsorship for me to run I felt a lot more pressure to run well.

On the morning of the race I got the train from Warrington to Manchester and watched as more and more runners stepped into the carriage each time the door opened.  It felt like a massive occasion and the race hadn't even started yet.  Bag storage was at Manchester Central, the same place as the charity village, so i headed over there to get sorted.  It was a very hot day and it was so cool inside that I ended up hanging around inside for a little while just to stay out of the sun.  There are some very nice toilets inside that were very under used so I took full advantage until I had to go outside to warm up.  I jogged the few minutes to the finish, watched the first lady from the elites cross the line and then jogged over to the start.  The start area was really well organised with lots of portaloos everywhere and places to get some water.  There is also a detailed map on the race guide and a little quick guide so it's really easy to know what you are doing and where you are going. I was in the blue wave which started at 11:25.  The pens open from 10:50.  I avoided going in until after 11 but you still end up standing around for a long time so I'd probably skip the warm up next time.  There is a mass warm up which is fun but it wasn't very effective so I just ended up doing my own stretches (which is the only reason I could identify myself on TV later).  I noticed that i was surrounded by a lot green and pink bibs (who were meant to start an hour later) and no one checked my bib when I entered so the pens are not really policed very well.

Great Manchester 10k route

It took well over 10 minutes to cross the start line when the gun went off.  I started far to fast along with everyone else but there wasn't a whole lot of room to slow down so you do get dragged along by the other runners.  It was my first large race so it was a bit intimidating at first but within half a mile a lot of people started walking.  It was very difficult to get a steady pace going because you'd be running along and the person in front of you would just stop.  It happened quite a lot and after the first couple of miles I started weaving around the slower runners. My pace went up and down quite a lot just from going faster to get round people.  It was very hard to keep running but I was determined not to stop because I was running for all those people who had sponsored me.  The water station near the Old Trafford helped a lot and I ran through the run through shower even though everyone had advised me not to.  It was just too hot not to do it but it does slow you down quite a bit.  Then you head to the finish and you just watch the tower getting closer and closer and closer.  I wasn't fussed about much of the route, it's pretty flat but nothing special I don't think, other than having than landmark on the way back as a target point.There was a lot of people watching the race but maybe because it was getting later in the day there wasn't that many cheers  really until you got very close to the finish (the Great North Run was seriously hyper in comparison). The atmosphere comes from the other runners and the music rather than the crowds.  I think it must be hard to keep the enthusiasm and clapping going over such a long period of time so I'm certainly not complaining that they were looking a bit bored by the time I ran past them.

Great Manchester 10k Elevation

The final little uphill felt like a mountain but I crossed the finish in 56:58.  It wasn't a pb but I was pretty chuffed with it really given the number of runners and the heat.  I'd also raised £410 for British Heart Foundation which isn't too bad for a girl who couldn't run a mile a year ago. The goody bag was really good and I liked the medal but for the cost of the race I think it should have been a technical t-shirt rather than cotton.  Overall it was enjoyable but I think I need to wait a few years before I run it again.  It gets so frustrating to having to keep moving around those who stop in front of you that it's hard to keep running.  a lot of the issues I think are because of the very big time gaps between each wave start.  Maybe if the people in the waves behind had only had to wait 10 or 15 minutes they would have stayed in the right colour and the crowds might not be so bored.  

Milton Keynes Half Marathon

Milton Keynes Half Marathon Route

Firstly, I have to admit that I only entered this race for the medal.  I have a lot of back to back race weekends starting in the middle of May but as it is near where my parents live I thought I might as well go and take it easy and get a glittery trainer for my wall out of it and my mother would get to see me race. The race starts and ends at Milton Keynes stadium (I didn’t even know they had a football team) which is a couple of miles out from the centre. Facilities were pretty great, with lots and lots of nice clean toilets, places to sit, open space to warm up, etc, and the start line was just outside so everything was effortless and very well organised.  I even managed to find some Warrington Running Club people who had traveled down that morning with Paul Gurney (I’m not the only one drawn to pretty medals). 

Milton Keynes Half Marathon Elevation

Milton Keynes Half Marathon Medal

There was around 1600 half marathon finishers but also 2100 for the marathon, but we all started and ran together for the first 10 miles.  The course is mainly on closed roads but most of the final mile is on a trail around (what seems like) a very very large pond with evil geese.  A lot of the route takes you down road where you turn around and come back on the other side which is a little soul destroying but I was prepared for this.  I had not anticipated the length and the number of hills though. Hardly any of the course is flat and the hills, whilst not steep, go on forever (think Broad Lane).  As you spent a lot of time running back on yourself, whenever you went downhill (the down hills where always first) you’d know you’d be doing the same road the opposite way pretty soon. 

By mile 5 my leg was cramping during the uphills (the muscle I didn't know I had until I ran up Rivington Pike) and so I ended up having to walk three times which I’m a bit disappointed about. I hadn’t done a run longer than 6 miles since the beginning of April so I forgot about reserving energy but I could have probably pushed myself a bit more than I did but I still knocked more than five minutes off my first half marathon time.  It was quite a hot day but we had four water stations (one with energy drinks) on the route (Warning, probably best to use waterproof sunscreen if you’re going to pour water over your head every 3 miles, will remember that next time).  There were also three lots of toilets on the route (ironically, first race where I haven’t needed the toilet whilst running), singers, drummers, belly dancers and amazing spectators and crazy funny marshals the entire way around, so the support and atmosphere more than made up for the hills.

"Come on, you can do better than that.
Single beds? huh?
Does it have a pool?"

NO IT DON'T. SHUT UP. DEMANDING WOMAN! DUMP HER.

Medical Update:  Hate it when other people know something you don't.  Just spoken to the secretary of my neurologist, they have the results of my EEG back but they have to request my file, write a letter and other paperwork so i won't find out what is happening for another week or so.  Which the NHS would just give you copies of reports, i can google the technical stuff (Like when they give you them forms for blood tests, i always google to find out what the tests are for).  Anyway, on the positive side if i do need to go back to the neurologist she said they'd slot me in which hopefully implies that i wouldn't have to wait months again.  I've already waited over three months yet this last week feels like it's going to take twice as long as what I've already waited.  If only I'd learnt to read minds, would know what that report said now.