I am Hard!

I left for Perez' house just after 8am this morning. A 20km bike ride into a strong headwind isn't ideal before a targeted race but I didn't have a choice. Still, it was dry and not too cold so that was a positive. The joys of GPS. I found his house without a wrong turn.

We then headed off in the car to Woodford Park for the famous Stockport 10 mile road race. It had a full field of 1200 and the track was busy by the time we got there. I got my number relatively quickly but Perez knew the women at registration and he was racing using a friend's number....the website had said it was cool up until last night....but the final email said it wasn't. I queued for his number...but it was taking ages and I was getting a little wound up. Luckily they delayed the start so I got my warm-up as planned.

I waited around 5 rows from the front. There was a very fast looking Moroccan bouncing up and down at the front and he was almost out of sight within 2 minutes of the start. I was focused, relaxed and soon into my running. The 1st mile was a bit quicker than target but not by much. I backed off a little and hit the next marker spot on.

Ohh no.... I could feel my left shoe loosening. "But I had tied a double knot carefully" I though. "It'll be fine". The lace was soon flapping around....gahhh. Still, I had the presence of mind to relax my breathing, and focus on not rushing to tie the thing. It only lost me 10 seconds and although I felt the urge to pick up the pace slightly, I resisted. The 3rd mile was completed the mile on target.

We then turned down a muddy farm road and I backed off a little as it was slippery. Normally I wouldn't take a drink but my throat felt dry and a wee sip of water helped. Shite.....that mile was way too slow....even though my legs and breathing were fine. A big hill was coming and it proved to be really tough one. I tried to relax, shorten my stride and breath steadily. It was the slowest mile by a mile....and the hill seemed to go on for ever!

The next section was slightly downhill though but there was now clear that the optimistic target of I 70 minutes was not possible. Not to worry as pace was calculated on flat running speed. There was now a stiff headwind as the race crossed open farmland but I could hear steps behind me. I eased up a little hoping to get a draft from the guy! Just my luck....it was the world's smallest man and an ant wouldn't have managed to get a draft from him. Then a lass from Chester Tri went past and I sat on her shoulder, not like a parrot...it's an expression. Her pace was perfect....just enough to push me but not hard enough to be a killer.

I knew the final climb was coming just after mile 8 and it was going to hurt. What surprised me was that, although I was dropped by Chester Tri girl, I was passing loads of other people. That never happens on hills. We turned into Woodford Park estate, where I had done an XC a few weeks earlier. "Dig in man!" I thought, and although pace didn't rise, neither did it drop. It was great to get onto the running track, only 200m to go. Perez was shouting "sprint Kirkland" but there was no way that was happening. It was great to cross the finishing line.

Although 3mins down on my target time, the course was hard and I had buried myself. Yeah, there was the loose shoelace but I had stuck to my plan and had been incredibly disciplined. It was one of the few occasions that I was satisfied with a performance. My legs were rubber and a cool-down wasn't possible. It was tough enough to walk.

Back to Oli's for a quick cuppa and then it was back on the bike. The hill from Stockport to Marple was the first sting in the tail and I had to stop to wipe sweat out my eye n remove a few layers, including gloves. That was better. Glossop Road out of the town was less pleasurable with gradient in excess of 10% in bits. I made it to the top without stopping though. It was a relief to get home, even though the stairs were a challenge. A quick lunch, a sleep and then it was into town for swimming. I am hard!