I couldn't turn down a 5 mile run in my home village were I was brought up. I turned up and painlessly registered and stood around chatting to the fellow members of Team Derby Runner and other local runners. I also ran into my Strave.com Nemesis! He is always smashing my course records and stealing my 'First' positions. But he does make me go out and try and beat him too, so it s good healthy competition!
We all line up for the start of the race and it is a wonderful relaxed environment with people still chatting and the marshal giving friendly pointers to look out for on the course, once the briefing has ended there is a short countdown from 5 and we start our run. I comfortably sitting in the top 10 as we round the first corner. I know the village very well and happily maintain a steady pace up the first small hill. I'm running a decent pace and its a beautiful day. After about half a mile of flat running we hit the big hill of the race at as the tarmac ends and we hit the trails I catch up with a runner who is struggling with the hill and breaks into a walk. I manage to keep up a steady jog and pass him. He then picks up his pace to run and comes past me. We exchange positions like this half a dozen times, but a steady pace wins on this occasion and I stay ahead of him as the trail flattens out and moves onto pasture land.
I picked up another position here through the long grass and was now sitting in 4th position after a couple of fast downhill runs through the grasses I end up back on the road and can hear another runner close by on my shoulder. As we reached the half way point and water station I stop for a cup of water. My shadow overtakes me and I end
up about 5 meters behind him once I restart running. The course is once again on beautiful rolling hills, footpaths and some beautiful rustic bridges over streams and brooks. It is such a beautiful run, which is a great distraction from my burning lungs and aching legs.
As I climb the last hill another runner sneaks past me, knocking me back into 6th position, we have a cheerful exchange of banter and he even holds the gate open for me. I know this is only a village run, but it is wonderful when runners are good honest, people, out to enjoy themselves, and at the same time as being competitive. I try to not lose any distance now that we are on the long final downhill section. Its not until the course flattened out and went on a lap around Little Eaton park that I was with a few meters of the man ahead of me. His family were cheering him on loudly and insisting they he doesn't let me overtake him. I'd love to say that I backed off, generously, to allow him to shine in front of his family, but in all honesty I just couldn't match his finishing pace and watched him cross the line a couple of seconds ahead of me.
We shook hands afterwards and I sat and watched the rest of my team mates and friends cross the line. This is a great race with a very challenging course. Very well marshalled by Little Eaton Hornets Bravo team, Bravo!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Eaton-Hornets-Running-Club
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We all line up for the start of the race and it is a wonderful relaxed environment with people still chatting and the marshal giving friendly pointers to look out for on the course, once the briefing has ended there is a short countdown from 5 and we start our run. I comfortably sitting in the top 10 as we round the first corner. I know the village very well and happily maintain a steady pace up the first small hill. I'm running a decent pace and its a beautiful day. After about half a mile of flat running we hit the big hill of the race at as the tarmac ends and we hit the trails I catch up with a runner who is struggling with the hill and breaks into a walk. I manage to keep up a steady jog and pass him. He then picks up his pace to run and comes past me. We exchange positions like this half a dozen times, but a steady pace wins on this occasion and I stay ahead of him as the trail flattens out and moves onto pasture land.I picked up another position here through the long grass and was now sitting in 4th position after a couple of fast downhill runs through the grasses I end up back on the road and can hear another runner close by on my shoulder. As we reached the half way point and water station I stop for a cup of water. My shadow overtakes me and I end
up about 5 meters behind him once I restart running. The course is once again on beautiful rolling hills, footpaths and some beautiful rustic bridges over streams and brooks. It is such a beautiful run, which is a great distraction from my burning lungs and aching legs.
As I climb the last hill another runner sneaks past me, knocking me back into 6th position, we have a cheerful exchange of banter and he even holds the gate open for me. I know this is only a village run, but it is wonderful when runners are good honest, people, out to enjoy themselves, and at the same time as being competitive. I try to not lose any distance now that we are on the long final downhill section. Its not until the course flattened out and went on a lap around Little Eaton park that I was with a few meters of the man ahead of me. His family were cheering him on loudly and insisting they he doesn't let me overtake him. I'd love to say that I backed off, generously, to allow him to shine in front of his family, but in all honesty I just couldn't match his finishing pace and watched him cross the line a couple of seconds ahead of me.
We shook hands afterwards and I sat and watched the rest of my team mates and friends cross the line. This is a great race with a very challenging course. Very well marshalled by Little Eaton Hornets Bravo team, Bravo!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Eaton-Hornets-Running-Club
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