Running on four consecutive days may be all par for the course for proper runners, but it’s left me fair jiggered. Today was a 10k cross country run in Sheffield; four laps of Graves Park. There were eight Hyde Park Harriers, with five running and three supporting. By the time we got there a whole load of races for the young ‘uns had been run and the event finished with a combined race for the u20 and senior women followed by the same for the men. Ali set off in a small but select field for the ladies and from where we were stood it looked like a pretty flat course. How wrong can you be. Ali had a right battle in her race and finished well up the field.
We lined up alongside some serious looking runners from the main South Yorkshire clubs. When I got to the back side of the course I found that the ground just fell away and then climbed back again. Undulating. Bugger. I settled into a pace I was happy with and just tried to maintain an even pace behind the guy in front. The whole field got really spread out and there was virtually no overtaking in my part of the field; one guy came steaming past after about two miles and I found out later that he’d arrived a few minutes after the race had started and was working his way through the field. I overtook one runner and when the guy I’d been following peeled off to complete the three lap u20 race I was in my own bubble.
I came home in 43:24 which I was really happy with. I can recommend the race though as the marshals were terrific and the guy with the tannoy (egged on by HPH supporters) was a character.
Looking forward to a day of rest and recuperation tomorrow though.
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