My First 10k

I'm sure I’ve never been as nervous in my life as I have been all day on the build up to my first 10k. A very difficult course by all accounts and probably not the best decision I’ve ever made. However I turned up with quite a few other runners (about 150) including my son Stephen, my daughters partner Ollie and Ollie’s mum Jackie (who’s been running for years has completed several marathons). So basically I was in the company of established runners, very young people, very established runners and people who had raced before. I had a lot of determination and didn’t want to let myself down – In my head I was ready, brilliant and accomplished – funny how we listen to our inner voice, which, often turns out to be a right bloody liar - :o)

At 7.30 in the evening, with cool weather and a nice breeze I enthusiastically set off for my 10k – ‘undulating’ road race!!. The first 300m was a steady down hill, nice when you can get it, then came a full mile of steady uphill, which I managed, although I was a tad worried that my lungs would explode, the course then gave us a welcome flattish corner before sneaking in another steady uphill half mile!! Followed by a steeper uphill (which I have to admit to romping rather than running). Then came a steady half mile down hill followed by a flat bit followed by a hell’ov’an uphill, I think by mile four I was having a near death experience. The marshals were clapping and cheering us on, probably because me and the other three girls I was with were last by now and getting the sympathy vote however it was nice to hear them (at first), all be it a little bit embarrassing. At mile five I gave up I was hurting my knees were hurting and I was getting really disappointed in myself for not being able to keep up, two of my little group began to pull ahead.

“yeah well done” shouted the marshal “ keep it going only a mile to go, you have almost made it”… oh how I hated him, I wanted to hit him … however I smiled and started the final mile – which was …. uphill.

I didn’t know what time I would do but some people said it would take about an hour (‘some people’ being people who wasn’t running it). I would have liked to have done it in 1 hour 15 mins and I was on target for this for most of the way round but that last uphill was the finish, the girl I was with had a stitch so I kept to her pace (which suited me). We ran the last 500m and came in together collapsing over the finish line to momentous applause and my son saying “you just came last” with a shake of his head. (he having done it in 47 minutes).

I know I’ve only been running for 3 months and it was a very hard course (said by everyone) and I’ve never run so far before but 1hr 23m was my finish time and I'm feeling a little flat.

Hey ho – there’s always next year