Great Warford 10

A bit of nostalgia at the beginning, Mike already on the road and with fresh air between him and the rest of the field as we were only starting up the drive at David Lewis.  With a three lap course there’s always the fear of seeing Mike again before the end but a four-mile lap managed to save some pride. We had to wait until Emma’s drink station to see Sally, who claimed that with concentrating on track work she was not up to 10 miles. Neil was also doing drinks, I note he’s run at Bramhall but he again, presumably, is not sufficiently repaired for 10 miles.

 

Mike Marshall, in the lead car, said Mike Halman maintained the same furious pace throughout. Mike certainly had time to park the car and stroll back to the bottom of the hill where I’m not sure whether he saw his role as encouraging or tormenting us for the final climb. This was not remotely like the Gun Run hill finish but going up for the third time it began to feel that way.

 

Behind Mike, Jim came third, I’m not sure whether his times tell the same story but Jim seems to be having his best season ever and moving up the pecking-order, even in the dizzy heights of Group 1.

 

What a difference four days make. In the important part of the race, Group 4, 10 miles instead of 5 miles saw the strong coming forward and the wimps sliding back. John moved into the front after 2 miles and dominated thereafter to take his second win of the Series. Huma came past me after 8, I thought she might have a go for John but, having pulled out a few metres, that gap stabilised for a mile and I felt her energy was spent and, for today at least, her ambition fulfilled.

 

I was again beaten over a longer distance, but that John was ahead from the third mile suggests it is a failure of my mental approach not tiring legs. Mike, back racing in defiance of both his doctor and his wife, showed he is a real talent. Penny and I had one of our little battles in the early stages but it is a good idea, if you’re going to take-on Penny over 10 miles on Sunday, to take her out for a 5 mile romp the previous Wednesday.

 

Behind Penny, Amanda, taking a more convincing stride back to form over the longer distance, squeezed out Owen in a sprint whilst star sprinter, Catriona, had left herself too much to do to catch them, although she did managed to disturb the comfortable finish of others who’d thought they might coast in. Simon had had a big Saturday night but to little effect; how can you look so cool and relaxed after 10 miles? Angela was next home, despite the marshals dragging her back when she tried to take a short-cut through the David Lewis hedge.

 

Sunday morning, 10 miles on the road, exactly the situation in which you’d bet on an in-form Peter to excel but perhaps after a long lay-off two races in quick succession was expecting too much and age, I know, stretches recovery times exponentially. Kasey, with a bad chest, had been a doubtful starter up to 9:50, but suffered no ill-effects and battled with Charlotte, happier over the longer distance, only making the decisive break in the last half-mile. Nina had feared before the start she was going to be the Wilmslow laterne rouge; two races in five days on her limited mileage is a tough call.

 

With John notching up his second win, Huma continuing to improve and Sarah threatening, then, if Ian is going to win a year in the wilderness (promotion to Group 3), he needs to get it sewn up early; today illustrated again that he’s not going to win at Congleton or Langley.

 

The race was superbly organised and well-marshalled. The only other 10 mile race I’d run is Stockport. That is a toughie; a sharp hill in the middle and another at the end. There was talk on Thursday of Great Warford being a PB course. In the cold, wet and wind of last December, out of condition and with only having returned at midnight from the heat of trekking in the Sahara, I ran Stockport faster than my time today – if anyone did achieve a PB it was richly deserved.

Ian