Wollaton Park Easter 10k

This morning I am running in the Wollaton Park 10k. I have done this several times before but not for a year or two and I don’t really like running around my local park much but this is a valuable training opportunity.

The race seems to get more popular each year and has pulled quite a crowd. The course is two laps of a 5k route which is mainly off road. Conditions are quite firm but still I wear trail shoes, my own this time not L’s.

As I recall this race has always been rather annoyingly marked in miles and not kilometres but this year they don’t even bother with that and only put out the ‘one mile’ marker. Still I have a reasonable run albeit in a really average time. Three years ago I was four minutes quicker...

I am handed my mug at the finish line to add to our collection at home. Oh for them to spend the extra 20p and slip a creme egg in to it. They don’t but L does. Bless her. The dogs and L have done another excellent supporting job.

Leamington 10k

Today we head over to Leamington Spa for the Leamington 10k run.

We manage to park up very close to the start with is good on one hand as we’re nice and close to the dogs. On the other hand they’re actually marked next to the course, so the boys will be able to wave to everyone as they pass.

Before we get to that point we have to contend with a slightly chaotic first few kilometres. First we have to negotiate our way through a cordon of parked cars (not ours I will add) and then they send us off on a lap of Newbold Comyn Golf Course, which involves a rather narrow footpath that is so deep in mud that I think they should reclassify the race as a cross country run. At this point you can set any thoughts of a PB quickly set aside.

Once at approximately half way, back on the road and past the boys, things are much better and the course very pleasant. Although the centre of Leamington is conspicuous by its absence.

With a big field and big local sponsor in solicitors Wright Hassall they should have the clout to get the council to close a few roads for them. Let’s face it the centre of Leamington is nearly always closed for a Sunday market anyway.

A time of 46 minutes is respectable for me but more importantly my calves survive and my knee isn’t too bad either.