After getting back from a week in the Alps on Saturday night, I was never sure I was going to make the Sunday fixture, so my pre race meal of choice wasn't very well thought out. Chippy chips, battered sausage and half a bottle of Rose. I woke fairly early and unpacked a load of the holiday bags, got kitted up, grabbed a banana and a flask of coffee before hitting the road and driving through the fog to Bosworth Country Park.
Once I had parked up I headed over to the team tent and caught up with the rest of my team mates and generally larked about drinking coffee, spreading rumours about the course and making last minute kit checks.
Once we mustered on the starting line the race director gave a quick briefing before a very quick 'Ready', 'GO!' the chorus of GPS watches being beeped into life, and the surge of runners springing into life. It was a fairly wide start so I ducked and dived through first 200 meters, suddenly the course took a 90 degree turn on to a single file track and was hit by a stationary group of runners. A wave of groaning swept back towards the oncoming runners, but it was very short lived before we were back to full pace once the path slightly widened. I quick dip in a muddy ditch caused a slight queue, but my years of obstacle racing experience kicked in a pushed to over take before the ditch to avoid queuing and saw the the ditch was wide enough to go 2 abreast and just piled in, through and out the other side. It was a shame to see so many other runner loosing shoes and having to stop and retie laces, but I didn't spend too long thinking about it before getting back up to running pace.
The course was relatively flat and mainly skirting the edges of agricultural fields, occasionally we dipped into wooded sections and gravel paths, but it was a head down and run day, rather than a head up and admire the views day. With about 4km to go a we hit a real slog of a hill right through the middle of a freshly wheat plugged field. The ground was soft and sodden, and soon completely clogged up my running shoes with thick heavy mud. This was by far the slowest part of the course, due to the hill and added weight of the mud on my shoes. Remarkably, a guy in front of me lost his shoe to the heavy mud, and after a pause to try and replace his shoe, he took the decision to abandon both his shoes and carry on in just his socks! He was a great runner and after his short wardrobe change pulled away up the hill.
I kept Mr Zola Budd in my sights as he picked off more runners. 'Surly I can beat a guy running in his socks?' He was my target and focus for the next kilometre of fields, unfortunately we hit more gravel paths and he looked like he was really suffering, trying to find softer grass on the edges of the path. I congratulated his courage as I passed him, but I don't think my admiration helped his mood or frustration. This was now just a case of keeping up the speed to the end, I still managed to pick off a few other runners which gave me a good boost of energy and confidence.
The event village was now in view and the pace and competitiveness picked up I guy came past me with about 300 meters to go so I stuck to his shoulder and pressured him as we gained on another runner. I was now running a full pace, but the both pulled away in the last 20 meters, I could keep up, glanced over my shoulder to make sure there were no other runners catching me up and slowed up before hitting the finish line. Once the tunnel vision and nausea had subsided I congratulated the 2 other runners and went back to the team tent to recorded my position with our team captain and RACE WINNER! Congratulations Jordan! before popping a hoody on and clapping in the rest of the team.
With some great post race cake and the rest of the coffee, the team swapped stories and reviewed our kit and had a great time just chatting and slowly getting out of the muddy kit into warmer and drier clothes.
Thanks to:
http://www.derbyrunnerleague.com/
http://www.hinckleyrunningclub.com/
SL Images for the photos
Kit worn:
Shoes: Inov8 X-Talon 200
Socks: More Mile Running socks
Shorts: Nike DryFit
Top: Mudstacle Tech Shirt and Team Derby Runner Running Vest
Gloves: Cheap (£1) polyester / wool gloves from decathlon
Head: Born Survivor seamless head scarf
Watch: Polar RC3GPS
Once I had parked up I headed over to the team tent and caught up with the rest of my team mates and generally larked about drinking coffee, spreading rumours about the course and making last minute kit checks.
The course was relatively flat and mainly skirting the edges of agricultural fields, occasionally we dipped into wooded sections and gravel paths, but it was a head down and run day, rather than a head up and admire the views day. With about 4km to go a we hit a real slog of a hill right through the middle of a freshly wheat plugged field. The ground was soft and sodden, and soon completely clogged up my running shoes with thick heavy mud. This was by far the slowest part of the course, due to the hill and added weight of the mud on my shoes. Remarkably, a guy in front of me lost his shoe to the heavy mud, and after a pause to try and replace his shoe, he took the decision to abandon both his shoes and carry on in just his socks! He was a great runner and after his short wardrobe change pulled away up the hill.
I kept Mr Zola Budd in my sights as he picked off more runners. 'Surly I can beat a guy running in his socks?' He was my target and focus for the next kilometre of fields, unfortunately we hit more gravel paths and he looked like he was really suffering, trying to find softer grass on the edges of the path. I congratulated his courage as I passed him, but I don't think my admiration helped his mood or frustration. This was now just a case of keeping up the speed to the end, I still managed to pick off a few other runners which gave me a good boost of energy and confidence.The event village was now in view and the pace and competitiveness picked up I guy came past me with about 300 meters to go so I stuck to his shoulder and pressured him as we gained on another runner. I was now running a full pace, but the both pulled away in the last 20 meters, I could keep up, glanced over my shoulder to make sure there were no other runners catching me up and slowed up before hitting the finish line. Once the tunnel vision and nausea had subsided I congratulated the 2 other runners and went back to the team tent to recorded my position with our team captain and RACE WINNER! Congratulations Jordan! before popping a hoody on and clapping in the rest of the team.
With some great post race cake and the rest of the coffee, the team swapped stories and reviewed our kit and had a great time just chatting and slowly getting out of the muddy kit into warmer and drier clothes.
Thanks to:
http://www.derbyrunnerleague.com/
http://www.hinckleyrunningclub.com/
SL Images for the photos
Kit worn:
Shoes: Inov8 X-Talon 200
Socks: More Mile Running socks
Shorts: Nike DryFit
Top: Mudstacle Tech Shirt and Team Derby Runner Running Vest
Gloves: Cheap (£1) polyester / wool gloves from decathlon
Head: Born Survivor seamless head scarf
Watch: Polar RC3GPS
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