Thursday 27 December 2012

Lancaster 4k

Results | Garmin track

After the horrible experience of running Leyland 10k yesterday with a cold, I thought I might just about be able to survive this shorter distance today.

It was a fast, flat course.  Danny Parkinson of Kendal developed an ever increasing lead to win by almost a minute in 12:34. I hung onto 5th place in 13:45, for my final race of 2012.

Wednesday 26 December 2012

Leyland 10k

Results | Garmin track

Being ill for the past 12 days with a heavy cold, injected sinuses, and generally feeling pretty washed out was not the best preparation for running a 10k.

The course was a bit different to the last time I ran it in 2007.  The trails were a bit muddy with standing water, and the starting area was quite narrow and congested. There was a slight delay at the start when the timing mats had to be moved back about 30 metres.

Once underway, I tried not to go out too fast, but found myself leading for the first 200 metres or so, before 4 or 5 runners came past.  After a while I dropped more places until I was sitting around 10th place at around halfway.

I just about held things together until 8km, but then fell apart in the last 2km and dropped 7 places, from the combined effect of getting a painful stitch and just feeling completely washed out with this lingering cold virus.

The timing clock at the end showed 37:12 as I crossed the line, but when I checked my watch later I discovered I'd actually run 36:38.  Ellie came in soon after in 42:24.