It was going to be another HOT evening of racing.
The car park was almost full when we arrived and when we finally found a spot and paid for a parking ticket I left the other half and little 'un to go grab my timing chip and meet up with the rest of the team, have a quick warm up and stretch before heading towards the start line. I was feeling I little more confident this year and stood half a dozen rows back from the start line.
As the gun went it was a mix of runners and I tried to get out in front of as many as possible, slowly working my way through the pack. It was a good pace and after the first 500 metres I settled down at the back of a pack of runners. The pack was moving well and not thinning down and I hung on to the back of this mini peleton for the first 1500 meters. I soon realised looking around the class of the runners in this pack. I started recognising runners from Parkrun who beat me by a good 3 or 4 minutes. Faces I recognise from Facebook with their 'Just won this race' or post photos of their Garmins (which I always assume are Photoshoped to show such rapid pace). If didn't take long for me to get dropped off the back. But it was great running for 15% of the course with the super whippets.
As I watched the whippeleton cruise away, I carried on with my grinding away, I was slowly being overtaken by other runners, but I knew I had gone out too fast, as always, and would suffer for the rest of the course. Still, it was a beautiful evening in a beautiful park and the marshals and supporters were out in force cheering all the runners on. The first lap was a killer and it was hard not to quit after one lap. But I took on some water and continued on to the 2nd lap.
The second lap was a simple case of keeping my head down and slogging through the heat telling myself I was saving something for the final lap. I was still slowly dropping places, but keeping them in my sights for longer. Was nice to see the family on the second lap and managed to offload my sunglasses as I ran past. As I hit the water station for the second time and started the third lap I was struggling.The third lap was slightly easier than the second. I now know that I'm on the home straight with only 3 and a bit kilometres to go. The heat has only got worse and I'm struggling with energy levels, but a few mini races with other runners keeps me focused and keeps up my pace. As I get inside the final kilometre I try and increase the pace and maintain my position and start my final push with 200 metres to go. It was a hot and heavy final 200 metres but I managed to keep any runners from beating me in this final stretch.
Things went a bit dizzy once I had finished and crossed the line, so I rested under a large tree in the shade until I felt steady enough to make my way to the water table and collect my t-shirt. A really great race that raises a lot of money for a great charity and cause.
Thanks to Robert Lane for the photo
http://www.tarakinder10k.co.uk/
http://www.derbyrunner.com/
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