Today we head off to do the Alsager 5 mile race. My partner remembers
that the last time we did it in 2013, I asked her to check the ditches for me
in case I'd collapsed. So I must have been injured that year as well. I think
perhaps she best do the same again this time.
We've been posted numbers but we have to collect our
timing chips on the day, which seems a bit of a waste of postage but there you
go. They also hand out the race t-shirt before we start, which is helpful if you
don’t reach the finish because you’re in a ditch.
The race is full and there’s nearly 900 here, an impressive
turn out. Conditions are cold and I wrap up warm, with running tights in case I
have to crawl out of the aforementioned ditch and walk back.
I recall that in 2013 I had to overtake L because she had
started up front with the elites. I think this was because the race set off in
the opposite direction to what we were expecting. We don’t make the same
mistake today.
It starts ok and I do the first mile in 07:52, not blinding
by any means but adequate. Then the tight calves kick in and I have to stop
every half a mile to stretch them out. Oddly my finishing time of 43:25 is
three whole minutes quicker than in 2013. I must have been really badly injured
that year.
More worryingly is that I bounced back from that poor time
in 2013 and ran 38:02 for five miles only a fortnight later. That’s not going to
happen this time.
