Race Report By Beth Connolly
My Dad entered me into the MD 10k in July last year before I was even old enough to consider running the distance! He said I would really like the goody bag filled with lots of treats.
It was meant to be my first 10k as I would only be a month past my 15th birthday, but this wasn’t to be as Dad entered me into The Regency. So I had a time to beat today.
I have learnt from my Dad’s mistakes (I would said that my Mum has too but she did marry him…) so I had all my kit set out in advance and we even had pizza on Saturday night to prepare. He has this rule you see, for marathons and he swears it works.
We left early for the 11 o’clock start as my parents have a secret parking space, only a short walk away from the start. I’m sure I have been told not to try new kit before any race; however my Dad made me wear the new t-shirt as there is a chance of a free entry next year.
I managed to make the Massey picture but my Mum didn’t as she was stuck in the toilet queue. She found me and my Dad though just before the start of the race by the 70 minute pacer.
I really wanted to beat my time from Leamington so if I could see the 70 minute pacer at the end, I would have a new PB.
The start was more packed than Leamington. Rather than a funnel with expected finish times, everyone seemed to herd together on the field. The excitement was building as we neared 11 o’clock. The race started and everybody herded forwards under the arch. We lost my Dad straight away; maybe yesterday’s marathon and his EXTREME old age meant he could no longer cut it? My Mum however stuck with me.
Off the field we started running through Market Drayton. I thought the crowds in Leamington were good by the crossroads, but all the way round the course, loads of residents came out to cheer. We closed down the gap on the 70 minute pacer. Before my Dad passed us we could hear him chatting to other runners in his subtle and understated voice. He ran on and left me. My Mum just reminded me to stick with the pacer and ran with me.
Unlike my Mum, I don’t like running in hot weather. I could have done with water at 4 k but the water station had run dry so I had to run on. I wasn’t going to let that slow me down; in fact Mum told me that I sped up at that point.
My Dad said had said it was a nice course with only one hill. He lied. There were LOTS of hills but after training with Masseys on Wednesdays I powered up the hills.
My Mum offered to nip into Sainsburys to buy me a water as we passed the store but I really wanted an ice cream so I said no. Then round the corner we saw the back-up water station and my Mum sprinted off to collect water for us both.
We had driven up the last big hill in the car and I didn’t like the hill then. I liked it even less running up it but I ran up the whole hill and then we turned a corner and had to keep running up. But upon passing the 9 k sign, I knew it was nearly over.
We passed the school again and my Mum told me off for peeking at my Garmin. Once I saw the finish I sprinted for the end. Me and Mum high-fived on the finish line and then collected our goodies (but there was no gingerbread man). I was promised a gingerbread man☹.
I enjoyed this 10k better than the Regency as the support was tremendous and not just because I smashed my PB ☺.
I hope I will be doing this again next year but unfortunately I am too young to enter and pay for these races so my Dad had better enter me for this race next year – especially after running off and leaving me this year 😫