Linda Howell reports: After finishing the cross country league race in Cheltenham on Saturday I travelled the short distance to Gloucester, well, it would have been short had my phone battery not died and my car charger actually worked, leaving me Sat Nav free and reliant on my sense of direction which as some members are aware isn’t the best!
The reason, to run a 10k on Sunday morning. It’s been a while since attempting back to back races and I was questioning my own sanity, especially as the day dawned with rain and the promise of more rain. The 9am start meant I had little time to worry about it and by 8:45 I was in vest, shorts and road shoes ready to go.
This was the first running of the event, but despite this it seemed well organised and looked to have attracted a mixed field ranging from others sporting club vests with no base layers, to those discussing tactics for their first 10k.
We set off, nearly on time, after the rugby player starting the race showed his strength in breaking the horn and a new one had to be sourced. The route started on a very slight incline and took in a few sharp bends to get us away from the park and round the docks. At one point I think we were actually just running through a boat yard, but having never been to Gloucester centre before I had very little clue where we were or what was ahead.
Up to the 6k marker was, as promised, fairly flat with only a slight incline to get us over a train line, but as the 6k marker went past a long incline was there to greet us. Having run at full pelt to this point what should have been a relatively easy climb felt like a mountain. On the positive side, as this was the first climb I knew we had to go down it again so I pushed on to 7k and happily found myself gradually descending while trying to keep a group of three guys in my sights.
1k to go, the guys were still in my sights, no more hills had reared their heads and I was still feeling fairly smooth and comfortable, well as comfortable as you can be running as fast as you can in the rain. We turned the last corner and could see the finish line, it was with great joy that I saw two guys holding out a ribbon on one side of the finish line for me to run through as first lady. I’ve come first lady in races before, but never have the organisers bothered to acknowledge the ladies in this way and it was very much appreciated.
I really enjoyed the event, it was well organised, well marshalled and very friendly, complete with a changing tent & manned baggage storage. It’s a shame the weather seemed to put some people off, but I’m sure they will attract more runners next year.
Results are available at http://www.gloucester10k.co.uk/gloucester-10k-run-results/
Linda
well done Linda sounds great especially running through the ribbon 🙂
An awesome weekend’s running-well done 🙂
Congratulations Linda on being first lady to cross the finishing line in the Gloucester 10k,and in a most respectable time too. Running `back to back`races `successfully` requires strength,endurance and determination —– (and maybe there are times when,arguably,`we` can `question our own sanity!)` However,I hope that you now treat yourself to a couple of well deserved rest days. That said,CONGRATULATIONS on a tremendous weekend`s running.You have `flown the flag` for BvH with distinction.
Barrie Roberts