Air Products 10k, Crewe
Sunday April 10
Damian finished 2nd.,two positions higher than when we ran here two years ago. Trevor took 59 points and Graham added 58 to his 60 at Mow Cop.
Race 2 saw a change of environment. It perhaps says something of our aesthetic appreciation that swapping the rugged beauty of Mow Cop for an industrial estate increased the numbers from 30 to 39. But we are first and foremost runners, it is a flatish, fastish 10k, it was the Cheshire Grand Prix and the weather was magnificent. Too magnificent really for running, we wondered how hot it was for Nicky doing the Paris marathon. Those who will be running London next week were, throughout the morning, looking at their watches nervously, how hot would it be there, how would they be feeling in a week's time, how far would they have got?
Andy Watts is on the London list but had a bad bike fall the previous Sunday. At Penny's leaving do, London was 50:50, the x-ray had shown no break but walking upstairs was only possible 'crab-like'. Andy was philosophical about London; he is doing the Bob Graham, two stages of the Tour de France and Lands End to John O'Groats, so not lacking in challenges. A second view of the x-rays discovered a crack, not good news (read Andy first-hand on Facebook).
2010 champion Louise was first Wilmslow lady, Katy taking 59 and Christine 58.
Mick, 3/4 champion in 2009, won his first race in the new League 3 pushing the Mow Cop first and second, Ian and Tony, down a place. Mick was, unusually, in second place in the M60 category but he had complained at Alsager how young some of the over 60s are nowadays.
Geoff took the 60 points in League 4 followed by Patrick and Christine.
I was with Sarah, John and Owen at 1k. Good to see Sarah, her first race for ages. This was the right company, suggesting a sensible start even if the pace, at 4:15, was a bit fast, but it generally is at the beginning, it settles the nerves. By 3k I had moved to the front of the group, my Wilmslow 10k time had persuaded me I could get under 45 minutes. I was running on 'average pace' on my Garmin, which is a bit dangerous as either it measures short or I meander and run long but either way it tends to understate where I'm at. So at 6k, having drifted out to 4:21, and with 'auto lap' bleeping some 20 seconds before I got to the marker and the incline to come at the end, I felt I needed to push.
I passed Gavin which meant I was running well or he had a problem. It was the latter, but his right leg, not the dodgy cartilage in his left that had troubled him throughout last year. From there he dropped through the field, which was a shame because he was wearing a very natty yellow cap. Up the long straight I could see lots of Wilmslow vests. I was closing on the red hair of Kate, which suggested I really was running well, but she had had a difficult week with her father ill. In front the swish of Janine's pony tail, again a good omen but with London next week she was probably running within herself (in fact she and Andy, another with a long race next weekend, were pushing one another to big PBs). A second blonde further ahead, Christine, then there was Katy, and the distinctive running style of Patrick, which always reminds me of a puppet on a string.
Patrick and I had had a dietary conversation before the race. I was sticking with the 'no breakfast' strategy, again it served me well, with the exception of the first, 9 and 10 were my fastest kilometres, so no indication of 'burn out' in the latter stages.
James' battle with Ian pushed him to a PB. Rod had a steady race saving his pace for overtaking Chris on the way home. He just missed-out on his 50 minute target but Carolyn, with the same target, almost made 49 minutes, she'll be a lot higher on the table this year than last. Would you believe that Gail got a PB? Despite putting Deep Heat in her eyes as well as on her legs? She came home in a Wilmslow cluster with Nina, Charlotte (good to see her racing again) and Julie. Does Penny's "This Is Not a Social Club" explain why they were all together?
Pete, moving smoothly through in the second half as he does, threatened Chris but it served only to motivate him. Simon seems to have put his injury behind him but Roy struggled. Owen got a PB and, in a reverse of Mow Cop, beat John (who nevertheless got a PB) but lost-out to Ian (who ran his best 10k for 9 years)
Good vocal support from Nick, Paul, Jim , Sharon and daughter.
Graham takes over leadership of the Series Main table followed by Ian (Smallwood), Tony, Gareth, Patrick , Andrew, John tied with the Owen & Ian, Alan, Chris, Carolyn, Julie and Roy, Nina and Sarah (Miles), Gail and Elspeth.
Carolyn leads the Ladies from Julie and Nina who are joint second, then it's Sarah, Gail and Elspeth.
Ian leads Tony in League 3 with Gareth third.
Andrew leads Patrick in League 4 with John, Owen and Ian sharing third place.
Chris and Alan are joint leaders of League 5. Carolyn is third. Julie and Roy share 4th. Nina and Sarah 6th. Then Gail and Elspeth.
Ian