En Route to this Christmas classic, I was a bit anxious about how the race was going to go for myself, especially after Croft Castle. Had I prepared enough?..erm… the last time I had ran 10mile was back in the summer and that was mainly on the road..so no, I hadn’t, but whats new there?!
Fellow Couriers were Steve H (who is still not convinced that Birmingham City vs Doncaster Rovers is a Championship classic) Neil Lewis (suffering from a return of colour blindness wearing blue) and Richard Wall (insert your own line).
Richard assured me of a beasting and on the start line I anticipated “the move”.
4 mile in and the dippers approaching the clouds parted and the rain hammered down making the steep banks even harder than usual, at this point I was about 15th and in a battle with 2 other runners. On the ascent towards High Vinnals I surprisingly pulled away feeling strong on the climb only to be clawed back by both runners on the hellish climb to the top of the Vinnals. We battled against the wind on the exposed part of the climb running in single file,when I attacked on the lip of the ascent hoping the element of surprise would give me an advantage with 2 miles remaining. It worked, one runner dropped, the other hung on pressurising me to take risks on the sharp descents sliding in the mud. The last climb felt like a brick wall and I was duly passed by my pursuer who proved much more powerful.
Finishing 14th in 1hr 15m 50s, a pb by nearly 2 minutes. Coincidently, last year I finished 10th in 1hr 17m 38s. Neil Lewis, 66th, 1 hr 29m 39s and Steve H, 67th, 1 hr 29m 57s and 1st V60. Richard battling with the onset of cold came 118th in 1hr 35m 52s. A total of 322 runners.
Eliot #
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