Sat 4 October – Race Day
…I woke to the sound of rain – heavy rain and my heart sunk! It was race day at Kielder Forest and the weather forecast was rain, rain and more rain!
I slowly dragged myself out of bed, and woke the kids. ‘Your mad Mummy is running today and you’re going to Grandma’s house’ I said over cheerily trying to convince myself this was a good idea!
I half thought about not going then I remember I’m running for me, my late husband Nigelwho died 1.3.14 and Kidney Research UK and …. I’d also wrote on facebook I was running the Kielder 10k so no backing out of it.
Note to self ..buy winter running gear as I have mainly vests and shorts and the weather is changing for the worse!
I dropped the kids off and then my 2 fellow runners collected me and we were on our way to Kielder Forest …. via McDonald’s for porridge!
Traveling nearly two hours on small narrow and hilly roads for a c.1hour 10k race seemed a little OTT especially as I developed travel sickness along the way!
When we arrived, the countryside and the views were breath taking and it had stopped raining – always a bonus and the sun was out!
I bumped into friends and chatted and was jealous as they had a pass out – they were staying over night post race in a pub and having a few drinks! Why hadn’t we thought of that? May be next time? We’ve had a pass out the night before for the Redcar Half Marathon the week before but you can’t drink the night before the race (or you shouldn’t!).
The start of the race was delayed slightly but thatbjust added to the atmosphire….. and then we were off on a beautiful scenic but hilly route.
We are three ladies who try and run together in races and we did for most of the race.
I started to feel the pain at 6.5 km and ran about 200 -300 yards behind them always keeping them in my sight. I’d play a game in my mind of slowly trying to catch them up ie when a runner in front passes a target/point say a tree, I’d count how long it took me to pass it … say 6 seconds. Then I’d look for a second marker and start counting and increase my pace so the next marker was 4 or 5 seconds away. I was doing really well slowly catching them up with renewed energy then at 7.5km my friends had stopped as another runner was struggling with deyhdration so I too stopped to help. The girl’s lips were blue and she was staggering across the path wanting to run on. It was scary seeing her so positive she could carry on running to the end when she was all over the place. We gave her sports drinks and gels and waited with her until a medic arrived. We all stayed for a little while longer and then we continued with the race and we all ran the last 2.5km together and finished together!
The best and unexpected pleasure was crossing the finish line and finding that my parents and my children had travelled 2 hours to see me finish. What a feeling …. so we celebrated with Hot Chocolate, hog roast bun and cake in the marquee.
I’d finished the tough hilly course which included a stop to help a fellow runner in 1 hr 8min by the official time (or unofficially 1hr 2 mins by map my run). But it’s better to help a runner rather than go for a time.
Next race is tbc but considering I have ran 5 races since 13 July – 3 x 10k and 2 Half Marathons ..I think a rest may be needed and a few more stamina training sessions are also required!
My running is still fun and ok but it could be better.
I hope your running is good!
Keep on running….
agoodshiraz 