Jane Tomlinson's Leeds 10K
6 and a bit miles and oooh... 200 ft of climb
This was probably my first competitive race since Borrowdale last August (in which I was far from 'competitive' truth be told), my first road race for at least 3 years, only my second ever 10K (I did the Skipton 10K in 2003 I think, the one with the scenic route that goes down the by-pass and past the sewage works) and my first ever 'big city centre extravaganza' with getting on for 7,000 starters (although I think they were hoping for 11,000). I was running with work as part of a corporate team which meant that I was also running in a purple tee shirt that seemed to be made of inch thick hemp and weighed a ton. We may have even won the corporate race where the results of the first four home count - fortunately for me 3 others in my team could run properly (a 39:12, a 39:22 and a 40:00 dead to add to my 'fast jogger's' time of 43:51).
The route...
Anyway despite my misgivings and a slow start, where I was wedged in for a while by a mass of fun runners, and some over heating issues with my superheated tee shirt, I managed to run at a fairish pace for me and I was pretty pleased with my time. I'm definitely not race fit for sure as I felt pretty damn uncomfortable and leggy all the way round. That said, despite her very best efforts and top notch head wobbling, I managed to leave Paula Radcliffe for toast; she gave her all but just couldn't live with my pace. A great win to notch up don't you think..... even though she was running 7 months pregnant. Never the less a win is a win is a win.
I of course didn't read all of the pre-race blurb and didn't know anything about water stops etc. I missed/didn't need the first water stop after 3Kbut just after the turn at about the 6K mark I was sweating cobbs and did grab (what I thought to be) a water at the next stop to splash over my head. Its wasn't water though but was gatorade so cue one sticky up hair do at the finish.
A grand race though and one where the standard of running was 'so high' that on my chipped time I came 166th out of 6,748 starters
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