Today was the We Love Manchester 10k, which conveniently started and finished at the Regional Athletics Track, Sportcity where the Salford Harriers meet for track sessions every Tuesday; pretty much as close to home as it's possible to be. Not quite as close as the Bupa Great Manchester Run in May but only a convenient two mile warm up from my house anyway! I had very deliberately denied myself the opportunity for any pre-race excuses in my last post (at least not without being a spectacular hypocrite!) as well as publicly declaring my intention to bring in my first sub 40 minute 10k and so I was feeling the pressure of expectation without the release valve of 'however'. I'm going to be true to my last mild rant though and tell it like it is without falling back on any buffers of 'ifs' and 'buts'.

Physically, I was in good form. Two days rest after my last race (a 20 minute 5k on Thursday) with no running (a bit of swimming and some yoga but no more than that) I felt fairly rested; loose legs, no tightness, no niggles. I've been eating very well all week (I do anyway but have been especially careful this week), ensuring the correct balance of carbs to fats to proteins. I've never been more aware of what I'm eating since I started running and I've been on a restricted (veggie/vegan) diet since I was 10! True, I'd not slept that much in the last few nights but if body wakes up after 4 hours, I assume body has had what it needs. I didn't feel tired anyway. A good breakfast, a solid warm up, every box was ticked. Physically. BUT I just wasn't 'feeling' it. I don't know if it was self-doubt, accumulated mental fatigue, the grey weather... I just didn't feel like racing.

The last issue of Runner's World had a really interesting article that I identified with totally, discussing the relationship between physical preparation (the machine) and that extra mental edge that allows you to push the machine just a touch further, the animal instinct (the beast) that pops up on race day and shaves those last few seconds off. I've had it, I'm sure most runners have, when something just clicks inside and the joy of the race takes over, a hot, hungry impulse that drives out of the chest and spurs the legs on with some kind of extra fight/flight/adrenaline cocktail. Today, my machine was well oiled, fully polished and purring like a happy kitty. Unfortunately, my beast was slumped in a corner, occasionally deigning to growl a bit but not in the mood to roar.

As you are probably gathering, the upshot of all these metaphors is that I did not achieve my sub 40 10k. I gave it a bloody good go though and honestly did run as fast and hard as I could for the duration of the course. The first mile or so of any race is always a bottleneck; it takes time for runners to settle into pace and find their 'place' in the stream so I always try and write that off as a warm up and pick the pace up later to compensate. This is not unexpected. My first mile came in just over 7 minutes. Not fast enough for sub 40 but not slow enough to write off the effort just yet. The next 6 miles I was hovering around 6 minutes 20. I had an idea I needed to be running 6 minutes 30 to break 40 but to be fair I hadn't worked it out explicitly. I was pretty hopeful anyway that ten seconds on each mile would more than account for the slow start, I felt strong and whilst it was hard work (not a comfortable marathon plod!) I was feeling increasingly optimistic that I might just do it. The beast flickered an eyelid. As we came back round to the stadium, I heard a marshal tell one runner that we were at 29 minutes on the gun time. 'Surely not!?' I thought to myself 'have I really got this in the bag!?' The Garmin beeped what I assumed was mile 6. 'Get IN!' I internally cheered until I looked at the screen. Mile 5. Ah. That makes more sense. At this little update, the beast licked it's bum a bit and curled back up in the corner, completely draining my legs of all animal instinct and reminding the machine that it had been taking a bit of a pounding for the last half hour. Of course I kept going but this little mental let down was noticeable and the last mile did not fly by as smoothly as I might have liked. I crossed the finish with a gun time of 41.05. Having not been right at the front, my chip time (how long it actually took me to run the distance with out adding on how long it took me to cross the start line in the queue of runners) was 40.30. I was basically 31 seconds off my sub 40 target. Yes, I really would have been happy with 39.59! Hey ho. You win some, you lose some. I won't pretend I wasn't disappointed but I was close enough to not feel completely gutted!

It was at this point I think that Mark pointed out that it was still a PB for me, even if I hadn't quite met my sub 40 goal. I completed my last 10k in May (Manchester Great Run) in 41.20. I hadn't even realised it was a PB. So what's happened since a year or so ago, when I  was on cloud nine for days having run my first 10k in a little over 45 minutes? Success is clearly rather subjective.

I still have a crack at sub 40 in an officially timed event in September at the Salford City 10k so I'm now going to accept this as a good result (I was still in the top ten of female finishers in 7th place) and try and be a bit kinder to my beast for a couple of weeks. I think it's fair to say I may have sabotaged my own mojo over the last few weeks by simply running too much. I've never found it easy to recognise 'enough' and am very much an 'all or nothing' person. My approach to running  is much like my approach to say beer, or marzipan it seems. I have long stated the fact that here is no such thing as 'enough' marzipan. There's not enough marzipan and then there's 'blerguh, oh my, too much marzipan'. I can't think of an area in life where I find it easy to go 'ah. there's the sweet spot'. Today, I think I have learned that with running, I am potentially approaching the line I always seem to notice in retrospect. This is great news as it means I've spotted it coming for once. I'm off 'dahn sahf' for a week tomorrow morning as I visit family in and around London. There's some lovely trail routes out around the Thames Estuary that I have often walked but never considered running and so I am really looking forward to exploring some of these. I am planning to ditch the pacing facility of Mr Garmino and just run for fun. A little bit. Not every day. Maybe I'll even go for... a.. w a l k. Reset, reflect, review and rest. I shall then look forward to revising my training plan for the September race and actually sticking to it. That is sticking to just the training plan and not doing any more than that. Who knows, maybe I will see the summer out with that sub 40 10k in the bag and maybe I won't but if I can wake that little beastie up after a probably much needed nap and start the autumn season feeling like I want to train for the 2015 London Marathon then that will be the best possible outcome!

This evening I set off with regular running buddies Mark and Jen to the second in the Todmorden 5k Series by Cannonball Events. Mark kindly drove again (I'd not be able to make these remote midweek races with as much ease if not for the driving skills of my mates!) while for Jen it was her first visit to the course. Another lovely evening, we had a good hour for a catch up on the way whilst I did a little test with one of the samples from my last Joggbox and treated myself (?!) to a Beet It juice shot which is supposed to be especially high in nitrates,  boosting performance by increasing the amount of oxygen your muscles can absorb during training. There's a lot of study and conflicting opinion on this as you might expect but I figured today was a good day to try it as experimenting on Sunday may not be advantageous to my sub 40 goal given that it could go either way!

HOWEVER I also recognise that you can't get a personal best on every race (the logical conclusion of that is what? Teleportation? Time travel!?) and that some days you just don't run as well as others, regardless of how intricately you have followed all the pre-race advice and rituals. Lucky safety pins and beet juice shots or no, sometimes you just don't go as fast. I could tell you about why my performance was reduced as I raced last night, or how I held back as I got a hip niggle on the first lap and I wanted to leave some in the tank for Sunday. I could suggest I didn't run like a gazelle because there was a vegetable juice war going on in my digestive system or blame a delayed race-start for compromising my warm-up routine. I could blame the wind, the sun, the undulating course, question the current planetary alignment or cite other runners getting in the way but the fact is I ran my best at that time and my achievement (which it still is, regardless of the specifics) is mine and mine alone. I ran as well as I could and that's enough for me! I found it a little harder than the last race and was a few seconds slower but with a respectable chip time of 20 minutes on the nose (well, there was .06 of a second but we'll call that 'loose change') I think I did pretty well. Not the sub 20 (19.54) I managed last time but not far off! What can you do in 6 seconds anyway? Actually, I think that's pretty good and as for this race the organisers had brought in chip timing, meaning I can look at my lap times too, it's good to know I did pretty well paced 3 minutes 50 (ish) kilometres. The Garmin gave me an average speed of around 6 and a half minute miles which is still pretty speedy. and the primary target of enjoying the run was certainly achieved with no trouble!

If you would like to check out all the details, you can find the results online but I am now going to chill out and take it easy for a couple of days before attempting my first sub 40 minute 10k at the We Love MCR race. Watch this space... No pre-loaded excuses, I'll just have to run my best on the day and we'll see how it goes!

This evening I went to the 8th Royton Trail Race in Tandle Hill Country Park. Sponsored by Up and Running Manchester, where I work the odd shift on Saturdays. I had initially thought I'd not be able to make it as it looked very difficult to get to on public transport. Luckily, Martin and Steve, managers at Up and Running were both racing and Martin had space in the car. Cinderella, therefore, went to the ball!

The results don't appear to be online yet as I write this so I'm not sure what my 'official' time was but I'll find out no doubt, soon enough! According to Mr Garmin I completed in 39.47. I'm not sure if that bodes well for Sunday or not; t's a shorter course by 0.7 of a mile but certainly slower than the road with a lot more hill work. We shall just have to  wait and see!

Unfortunately, this means that I am again left wondering what could have been if I had pushed harder, but I must remind myself that the A race of the week is on Sunday when I hope to achieve my first sub 40 10k. Eek! Fortunately, It does mean I have at least circumnavigated the theoretical question posed to my mangers on the journey in; 'what would happen if a member of Up and Running staff won an Up and Running sponsored prize!?' Well, I wasn't given an answer but then I don't think we realised how close we might come to finding out! Of course Steve; 15th in 35:33 and  Martin; 25th in 36:37 (A PB for that course) also did well and much faster than me but then I do have a gender advantage in coming closer to prizes in a smaller field of competitors! Well, I am still buzzing from a great run last night and now looking forward to the second in the Todmorden 5k series! I'd like to say I won't be racing it but I don't think anyone would believe me if I did and I'm starting to disbelieve even myself when I make such assertions. The game plan however, will simply be what it always is; settle in, see how I feel and then just enjoy the ride!

Not only did today herald my first ever trail race, it was also the first time I have ever stayed the night anywhere other than at home before a race. Being a creature of habit, if not ritual, especially where racing (and tried/tested nutrition!) is concerned I was a little unsure of how that was going to work out. Having opted for the cheaper option and elected to bring my own breakfast food rather than risking the hotel effort (possibly not too vegan friendly), whilst slightly limited to what could handle being out of the 'fridge overnight I at least knew what I was eating. I managed to get a decent night's kip eventually too, so I woke up feeling pretty good.

The day then started with a lovely surprise when Mark, the friend who was also racing today, not only reminded me it was my birthday but presented me with a completely unexpected gift! Of course I hadn't really forgotten that it was my birthday, as that had been why I was so keen to sign up to the race when I saw it advertised at the beginning of the year, but it wasn't really in my head as I was just thinking of the race! This reminded me I'd brought some cards to open too, so I started my day opening cards and a present (Some lovely plates, a very thoughtful gift based on a random comment ages ago that I liked the ones in Wetherpoons!) in bed! Something I haven't done on my birthday since I think I was about 8 or 9!

As our wave (we'd opted to be conservative for a first trail race) didn't start until 11.15 we had lots of time so decided to kick start the day with a visit to the hotel spa. Now, normally, a swim and sauna is something I enjoy after a race, so this was yet another pre-race experiment, changing the order of things! I had heard that warming up muscles in a sauna before a race could be beneficial so thought it was worth a go. I'm very glad we did as the facilities were lovely and it was great to arrive at the race village feeling well relaxed and super-chilled! Registration was smooth and seamless, and I was surprised by how small the event was, at least compared to something like the Great Run series. I had been expecting something a little busier I think due to the  big names behind the organisation (Runner's World, New Balance and Rat Race to name but a few) however, I can't pretend to be sorry that it wasn't a seething mass! Just as we registered, the first of the half marathoners finished in (I think) about an hour and 15 minutes! I was very impressed as I think that'd be a pretty good time for even a road race and I'm sure trails are typically a little slower... Well that's my excuse for the lack of a PB anyway! ;) I had considered registering for the half marathon but decided to play it safe for my first trail. I needn't have worried though, it wasn't at all muddy as I'd feared it might be and the ground was really very even indeed. apart from one little hurdle (A few logs over the path!) it was all run on very well maintained paths so I think we got off very lightly!

Soon enough we were also on our way after a quick group warm up lead by the enthusiastic race team. Finally! I hate the hanging round at the start of a race, I always wanna go, go, GO! Of course this was also my first official run with the new (ish!) Garmin, which was primarily funded through birthday presents! I got it early but it was great to feel like it was now official! Honestly, I really don't have much to say about the race itself which went like clockwork! I enjoyed every minute, relished the beautiful countryside, enjoyed interacting with the very friendly and supportive marshals and I'm sure I breezed round with a big grin. I felt good and was running strong, averaging roughly seven and a half minutes to the mile, which isn't as fast as I can run but was quite as fast as I felt like running and my primary aim for the day was to enjoy myself. TICK! Job done! I also did my usual trick of starting slower, watching most of the others in my wave disappear off into the distance and then spending the rest of the race gradually overtaking many of them one at a time whilst trying not to look too arrogant! I have to say, there is still a bit of me wishing I'd gone for the half marathon... the 10k was just over too quick! Maybe I should have run slower! Still, it was probably for the best as it meant I started and finished at the same time as Mark which was a lot more friendly and I still had plenty of energy to go back to the hotel and enjoy the spa again! Two sessions in one day, how indulgent! The goody bag, T shirt and medal were also all of good quality, plenty of yummy post-race goodies and only a couple of non-vegan bits, which I managed to trade in (the other benefit of going to a race with an omnivorous friend!).

On the drive back to Manchester, I received a text with my provisional time; 46:31. No PB for the distance but still a sort of PB for my first off-road race! Shame it wasn't two seconds slower or I'd have bagged the right age too! (33, that is not 46. Not yet anyway.)

We got back with just enough time for me to have a bit of a sort out (and write this blog!) before heading back out for my birthday dinner with a few friends at Bistro 1847; a top swanky veggie restaurant that I've never yet had a good excuse to indulge in.

In another piece of random good timing however, I also returned home to find that there had been a (finally!) successful delivery of my first JoggBox! I've not got time to investigate that any further right now but you can be sure to hear more about the goodies contained within over the next couple of days! Off now to get dressed for dinner... I've certainly worked up an appetite!

It was a real relief to feel like I could manage a proper run today following a couple of days of an upset tummy and just as well too, as I had agreed to head out and participate in the first of Todmorden 5k Summer Park Series by Cannonball Events. I had only been to Todmorden once before, a good couple of years ago but I remembered the park well and the race took in 5 laps on a very pleasant summer evening. Given that I have my first trail race on Saturday and haven't been too perky this week I was not planning to race the event, just enjoy myself. Yeah right. That's like putting a sausage in front of a dog and telling him not to drool. On the fourth lap, when I realised I was running roughly six and a half minute miles and that I had been consistently overtaking people I realised I was doing well enough to give a bit more welly and started to pick off the ladies. on the last half lap I happily cruised past a couple in black and white striped club shirts but sensed that wasn't the last I'd be seeing of them. Never the less, I bobbed on up, slipped past a couple more and headed in for the home straight in what I thought was second place (ladies, that is!). I then heard what can only be the sound of sheer determination rapidly approaching from behind and sure enough, a black and white striped club shirt smoked past me and over the line, rendering me to what I judged to be third. I then happily discovered another example of why I love running. The very first thing she did when she crossed the line, OK, not the very first, the very first thing was to punch the air and shout 'YES!', the very next thing she did was to turn straight round and shake my hand. I was honoured to receive the most glowing, if sweaty thanks, which I quickly reciprocated! What fun, a proper little in-race tussle!

On returning to the pub/Race HQ, I was told that actually I was in fourth place, which I think relieved my kind driving friend as that meant we didn't hang about for any prize giving and could start the hour (ish) drive back to Manchester. I just downloaded the results though and I was third! Dammit! I wonder if I can still get my prize!? Fair play anyway to Autumn (so that's why I kept thinking I was hearing people calling out my surname!) and much kudos for a well earned second place! Maybe next time though... watch your back... there are still three more races in the series and only 2 seconds between us! ;)

My official time was 19.54; not a PB for the distance, but not bad for 'meh, I'm not racing' and only my second ever sub 20 minute 5K. Also my first official race for Salford Harriers! I'm a teeny bit disappointed I didn't stay for the prize giving but as same kind driving friend is also providing a chauffeur service to Nottingham tomorrow night for the Clumber Park Runner's World Trail Blazer 10k on Saturday I think it's for the best he gets an early night! In fact I should probably aim to achieve the same! That's enough excitement for one evening!

Today was a lesson in many things, not least of which is probably 'check details of events that aren't entirely clear to you before turning up'. Well, I say that, but actually, the unexpected can be quite enjoyable and the events of today were no exception! I'd seen a leaflet for a series of races titled 'Twin Peak' taking place in Manchester this weekend, and while I could not attend the 'two-part sprint' on Saturday as I was working, I decided the 'City of Manchester Race' on Sunday, described as "A full length Urban event in central Manchester" sounded quite interesting. As the Women's open course was advertised as only 7.5km, I thought given that Sunday is my 'long run' day, I'd be then carrying on, perhaps down to Salford Quays, to turn it in to an acceptable length. However, I realised all was not as I had imagined fairly quickly when I turned up to register. The races I have participated in before have all had one, specific and clearly marked route that everyone follows. I had gathered that there were multiple courses, and hazarded a guess that there would be some map reading involved but I was quite surprised to discover that this 'Urban Orienteering' race was actually more what I would describe as a treasure hunt... a virtual one at least as there was of course no treasure!

One of the organisers, a kind lady who I was sorry not to have had the chance to catch up with at the end, insisted in a very friendly way that I should sign up for the shortest course first as I had no experience of orienteering. As this course was only 2km, I felt a little reluctant, however she promised that if I got on well with it, I could come back and do the full 7.5km course for free. That seemed pretty fair to me, so I was equipped with a 'dibber', a small plastic tag, strapped to your finger and used to register your arrival at a series of markers, each identified with an orange 'kite' and a little digital box that flashes and bleeps as it 'checks' your dibber. You are also given a list of the order of the check points as appropriate to your course and a map. The map is only supplied to you after you have started the race and contains an ordnance survey style graphic, indicating the start and finish and the order (not geographically sequential!) in which you should visit each point. There are no road names or building numbers, indeed any other written information and so I was extremely glad indeed that I was relatively familiar with the area! In all honesty I felt very out of my depth, but always up for a challenge, off I went. I got the hang of the idea pretty quickly and once I'd set aside the expectation of what my 'long run' would involve, I started to quite enjoy the challenge of working out where the next point was. Unfortunately, disaster almost struck at only the third check point when I managed to slip on some strange algae type growth on the canal-side paving stones and landed heavily on my side, cracking my head with a quite sickening whack directly on the concrete! I must really be a runner though, I was far more concerned to carry out a damage report on my legs than on my head. Not too scraped but pretty bruised. Once I'd established that I was not apparently concussed, I carried on quite well but the constant stopping and starting to read the map and check in at the points meant I couldn't get into a steady rhythm of running at all and my bruised thigh and hip reminded me that it wasn't happy every time I set off again. Not deterred and feeling like the 2km was a little less than challenging, despite my minor injury, I returned to 'base' to claim my promised 'free' run on the full length course. It's worth noting at this point that the distance refers to a straight line between the points and not only is it impossible to follow this route, you are entirely at liberty to follow any route you like, the only restriction being to visit the points in the order as specified on your map. As there are multiple courses, some of the check points are shared, so working out if you are at the right one or not is really quite important.

The second run was going well up until check point (you guessed it!) number thirteen, which I just could not find. After running round in circles (literally) for at least half an hour, I finally decided, though this would mean I hadn't officially finished, that I was going to have to move on or risk never finishing, even unofficially! There was a check point where I felt I should find it but it was labelled '158' instead of the '153' I was looking for. Eventually hoping I was misreading the 3 for an 8 or vice versa, I dibbed it anyway and ran on to find my fourteenth point. Despite this frustration, I managed to get round all the others, darting about left, right and city centre, realising just how biased my perception of the place I live in is towards my personal routine routes. It was fascinating to get home and upload the route as tracked by the Garmin (See above). The poor thing must've wondered what on earth I was doing and I'm surprised the auto pause didn't give up on me completely!

I have to admit though, it was genuinely physically challenging in different ways and I was way too knackered to try and run again in the afternoon (as well as deciding to try and rest my poor bruised leggie), so the event turned into my 'long' run after all.

Still, finishing week two, and the mid point of Juneathon on a totally new experience of what a run could be can't be a bad thing! I just hope I can walk tomorrow; I'm anticipating an excitingly purple glute in the morning!

It was an auspicious day to attend my third South Manchester Parkrun at Platt Fields this morning, after the news yesterday that the Queen's Birthday Honours list included a CBE for Paul Sinton-Hewitt, Founder of the Parkrun scheme. It was also much better weather than last week so far more enjoyable from what I've heard! After a fairly gentle warm up by jogging in from Manchester city centre (about 2.5 miles I think) in around 20 minutes, I felt ready to take it a little stronger and felt good for the whole course. A similar cool down jog back to the Midland (my gym is in the basement) for a leisurely swim and before I knew it the morning was done and it was time to head off to work!

My primary motivation to attend Parkrun comes from the community spirit; the genuinely inclusive and infectious buzz that you get when you arrive on site. I know though that many, especially club runners, do set out to race and achieve personal best times. Though today wasn't technically a PB for me as it wasn't my fastest 5k, the Parkrun data base doesn't know that, so it was quite nice to recieve my results by email later in the day telling me that I had achieved one. You could look at it as a personal best for that course I suppose, so still something! according to the results email I "finished in 51st place and were the 4th female out of a field of 335 parkrunners and you came 1st in your age category." OK... for day 14 of Juneathon, I'll settle for that!

Today's training was all about the Friday hill reps! I did these on the treadmill as I find it more convenient for controlling the speed and gradient. My training plan was for 6 reps and I decided to do these at an extra 1% of what I had worked on last week, so upping it to 6%, but after the first 3 at 8 mph, it just felt too easy so I did another 4 at 7% and 8.5 mph. I felt pretty strong too so my 15 minute cool-down turned into a slightly more extended thing but hey, after spending all day shut up in a stuffy drawing studio, I was enjoying the sensation of movement and I didn't feel like stopping! I then managed to tack on some core/conditioning work as I'd missed that out yesterday because of going to the club house. It's much easier to do that stuff at the gym as I have more space and access to the equipment!

Nothing to report aside from that...

Oh and that the applications to the 2015 London Marathon for those with a Good for Age time (sub 3.45 for me...) opened today! I completed the Greater Manchester Marathon this April in a time of 3:31:14 (race results here) which was well within my qualifying target and I've been waiting to apply since the public ballot closed back in April so it was pretty exciting to get mine in. I should hear back within 15 working days.

Fingers crossed! Let's hope Friday the 13th will be kind!

Today, runners in the States celebrate National Running Day. Of course here in the UK, at least for some of us, every day is Running Day! ;) Worth a mention anyway, pound those pavements/paths/trails across the Atlantic chaps!

For me, June 4th began by obeying the oracle of my Garmin and I listened to the recovery advisor tell me that I still had a good few hours before a new session. HOWEVER, I had been invited to a 5k race this evening in Littleborough.  I was undecided, primarily as it's Run2Work day tomorrow and a 6am start along the Ashton Canal before a full day teaching an intensive life drawing class, however, I am not known for turning down a challenge so by 4pm I decided it was game on.

'I'm NOT racing it!' I declared as I jumped in the car, 'I had a hard session yesterday and I have to run to work in the morning, I am just taking it easy!' To be fair, I did stick to this to an extent, though I found myself feeling stronger than I had expected and it's always a case of 'in for a penny'. I was good though and didn't hammer it for a PB, just a good strong run in the lovely countryside near Hollingworth Lake (you can view the route here). It was a bit of a surprise then to be told I came second in the Women's Open category! Another prize!? In less than a fortnight!? Worryingly, I am also starting to recognise faces... I shall have to take care before I get a reputation! A well organised race, a great route and I got to choose my prize! Two pieces of kit from an excellent selection... Yet more affirmation that the answer to 'should I run today?' is almost always 'YES!'

Guess what I'll be wearing to celebrate Running2Work in the morning?

And as if that wasn't enough prize winning for one day I also received the iPod and Monster headphones I won in the Runner's World RunHub Audible Spring Sessions! Who said obsessively recording your training sessions was unproductive!?

There's no doubt whatsoever that we are in Glittermouse's Birthday Month, I've done very well for myself today!

My only goal for the Southport Sandgrounder 5k was to manage a sub 20 minute time. I was sure I could do it but I wasn’t sure could do it there and then as I hadn’t been feeling great the day before and it was quite windy, despite the sun. I always find it hard to run in the wind! Nevertheless, I followed the advice I’d been given, did a good hard warm up as close to the start gun as possible and just pulled out the stops to do my best. I knew it was a small race so didn’t think too much of there not being any other runners that close to me (I couldn’t see the ‘front’ as it was quite a windy course and he was a good way ahead of me anyway!) but it never occurred to me that I might be in such a good position! Now I think of it I’m vaguely aware of overtaking a few people quite near the start but that just wasn’t my goal so I never thought more of it.

When I got over the finish line I was more interested in stretching and checking the Garmin than thinking of much else but someone put a medal over my head (thanks, but you get one of those anyway whatever your position) and another guy rushed up with a notepad to ask me what my name was which I thought was a bit odd, but you know, I’m a friendly type. A third person with a megaphone then told me (not through the megaphone!) that the award ceremony was at 10.15. I was hoping to get the 10.27 train back to Manchester and so with a 20 minute walk to the station, I made to politely decline, much as I’d have like to congratulate the winners. This was the point at which I was informed that I would be getting an award! It was still more of a surprise to discover I had got second place! (first for gender). I can honestly say I have never been on a podium before!! What a surprise!

When I texted my friend on the way home (who was supposed to run with me but who had called off with a tummy bug) to see if he was feeling better, he asked how it went and I almost felt a bit odd saying what had happened! He asked if I got any prize money; No, I said, but I got a medal *and* a trophy! It wasn’t until a couple of minutes later that I realised I hadn’t actually looked inside the envelope… I had assumed it was a certificate and some race leaflets or something… No, a very generous forty pounds!

I was a bit gutted as the Garmin only registered 3.02 miles, not 3.1, which is 5 k. Now I know this was a properly measured course, so I’m not suggesting it was short, just that the Garmin messed up but it means it doesn’t register as a 5k PB on my account! Gah! The official results were that I completed in chip time of 18.37, so I got even better than the time I was aiming for as well! The chap who won completed in 16.56 and the lady who came in after me in 19.04.

The photos were kindly taken for me by one of the surprising number of people who stopped me to congratulate me afterwards. I got chatting to one lady and her husband in particular and it turned out they are also both artists!

A very well organised event, extremely friendly and not a day I'll forget in a hurry!!