Another hot one !
This wasn’t a race I felt particularly felt very well prior to the start. Probably an accumulation of a busy work week having done a short day visit to Sweden and also the heat picking up. Regardless the distance suited me being a little further than the norm and meant I could get a good training session in. I met with Trevor my running friend there who had recommended from previously running and being local why not.
Avoiding the sun before we then got to the start line just shy of 10am before the race went off. This was with a staggered start delay for the 15/10k and 5k. Felt okay the first mile then a bit flat so I took the pace down due to a tight chest and erratic breathing. For the first 6/8k of the race, I remained in 2nd place playing a bit of cat and mouse with another lady who I didn’t recognise but looked like a triathlete. My friend Trevor also surged ahead for some time on the challenging multi-loop course. Really hard overtaking slower runners on narrow trails but once finally through I dug deep and pushed forward to get into the lead ahead of my friend and also the lady I was tracking. It was pushed all the way to the finish in a respectable 1.02.
Trevor, Clare, Rosie, Sam & Matt
For the hard work, I was rewarded with Rowse Honey basket and what turned out to not be a race I felt good for but one I picked myself up in and turned things around. The morning was topped off with a nice lunch in a local pub in Wallingford with friends.