Lesley Pymm reports: It was a very cold morning and it took a while to scrape the frost from the car before setting off to Coventry. One of the first people I saw when I got there was Martin Foster. I think he was the only other person from BvH there – maybe the rest of you had more sense! The car park was a bit slippery as was the entrance to the race HQ, so I got a coffee and hoped that the weather would warm up a bit in the hour or so before the start.
What I didn’t know was that a team from Coventry Godiva had been out gritting the course since early morning. They had done a fantastic job and it was really safe all the way round.
It was the first time I had run this course and I was quite impressed. It was all held on the Warwick University Campus and comprised a small (1 mile) lap and then two longer ones. It was virtually traffic free and, as it was still holiday time, very few students were around. Those who were looked slightly bemused as we ran past.
As advertised, it was a fast course. As I went round at the end of the first lap I heard one spectator say to another: ‘I thought this was a fast course!’ Obviously, it all depends where you are starting from – but I ran faster over the distance than I have for a while and was pleased with it.
Martin clocked 40 mins exactly and I ran 43.19.
Back at the clubhouse there were free mince pies to all entrants and the opportunity to buy welcome hot drinks. There were spot prizes (I got a running hat) and the prize giving, Masters in 5 year categories. This was a good event and I may well run it again next year.
Well done Lesley. Good `solid` runs from you and Martin Foster. Very impressed by Coventry Godiver`s gritting team. I was running in the Welsh Masters 5 Mile Championships in Cardiff (and could have done with some grit under my feet!) —– otherwise I would have joined you in Coventry.
I have run on Warwick University Campus on a number of occasions and would recommend this particular Race to my fellow BvHers. I am surprised that there were only two BvHers there for this `local` Race.