Race report by Dave Phillips.
Well what shall we do on the hottest day of the year so far (25 degrees)? Let’s go to Uttoxeter and do the kids run (too old), or the 10k (too short) or the half marathon. So a real no brainer so off to the HQ at the racecourse I went and registered on the day for the half.
The start and HQ are on the racecourse so there is plenty of parking and of course a flat start-well for the 1st 200 yards ‘till you leave the ground then it starts upwards and ever upwards.
After a mile we turned off the main road onto beautiful lanes in fabulous scenic countryside with no traffic. In fact as the run progressed it was “no nothing anywhere”-no villages, pubs, shops, people -just open almost traffic free lanes.
The views were spectacular so what more could you want in 25 degrees?
So up and down we went until 7 where a mile long hill started up through the forest with a sign at the top “Hell-you’ve made it”. And didn’t we know it.
Again it was a lonely encounter for me at the back end of the pack but in that heat the slower the better.
They could have called this the “yellow run” because most of the fields were all yellow with dandy lions flowers and looked absolutely fabulous. Apparently this year is the best and most prolific year ever for these lovely flowers. Check it out.
At 9 we had another nasty hill to the top of the ridgeway at 10 and we were homeward bound and in the last 3 miles I passed around 10 runners so last place was not an option this week.
The last mile was down-hill and flat back to the racecourse and thankfully the last furlong didn’t require us to jump any hurdles!
So the usual T shirt, bananas, cakes and drinks for everyone but what a crippler in that heat.
See you all at Kingsbury Water Park 10k this Tuesday at 1930 hrs.
Massey time:
Half marathon: Dave Phillips 2hrs 55 mins