Park Run #80

As anyone who has been out of running action for any length of time will know, the return to racing can feel effortful at best and an impossible bodily feat at worst. So, three or so weeks since the pain in my ankle tendon mysteriously vanished, I awakened to the realisation that I had to begin back somewhere, unpleasant as it was bound to feel, and (in the absence of a certain club captain) felt duty bound to keep the racing side up by revisiting the Pollok 5K for the first time in many months.

The start didn't feel like the usual mosh pit - perhaps due to the invention of a new park run at Strathclyde loch - and I happily sat back as the masses sprinted the first few metres of the course. I adopted a comfortably slow pace and gradually worked my way up to Erica Christie who I intended to sit behind until the second lap. However, all those miles of cycling must have helped me retain some level of fitness, as I found myself easing past Erica, and continued with this steady rhythm for the duration- pleased with my tortoise-like attitude and comparative lack of testosterone.

I got caught up in a group of jostlers in the last kilometre, and worked hard to block their surges, swerves and decelerations out of my awareness so as not to disturb my focus. I finished 47th, sole Westie, and second woman with an almost PW (APW) of 20.46.

Dunno who won it as I can't access the results. Thanks to marshal Drew for the shout.

Posted by Ellie Homewood on Sat 3 Jul 2010 | 5 comments

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