The Battle of Bowden – from nearer the back than the middle and failed PB attempt.
I turned up with every intention of breaking 22.00 min barrier, my WRC PB is 21.51 set at a summer series race at Alex Park back in 2011. I ran two 5k's last Saturday, Wythy Park Run, in 22.00 and Hollins in the afternoon 22.05 so I was fairly confident. Arrived in plenty of time for a warm up lap, not two laps as Rich is advising me to do it was too warm for that.
I soon realised that a good point score is out of the question , 52 Wilmslow vests have turned up and most seemed to be in group 3, points weren't my target, I've never been a points 'tart', running is about times but it is nice to get a few points your not expecting and hurts when you don't. I lined up on the starting grid next to Paul G and Aaron , they gave me that quizzical look of what are you doing up here. In my early races I would start nearer the back and try and move through the field, gaining confidence that comes with passing other runners, in the more recent Park runs I have been starting nearer the front, this gives you 3 or 4 seconds time advantage for no extra effort at all and trying to run at a faster pace from the start. This tactic has brought my park run times down by a good 60 seconds.
The race starts and I am off fast, or at least fairly fast, almost sprinting sort of, this soon settles down too, running at a good pace. Paul and Aaron disappear off into the distance. I pass the 1K marker, after another 500 m Tony is on my shoulder and goes past me, fast start I think to myself, only ever been in front of Tony once before, that time I stayed in front, this time Tony goes on to break a club record, well done Tony, I feel I've had a small part to play in that, possibly a bigger part if had been the last kilometre he passed me. Next Andy goes past me, the last time I was in front of Andy was in the Windgather race at the end of last season, I thought I was doing well that day only to have my balloon burst, Andy was having a warm down run from his previous days Snowden Marathon. Such is life.
At the end of the first lap, I realise my sub 22.00 is out of the window, the half way clock is showing 11.04, 05, 06.
I thought I had done a good first half, possibly the clock is a little more than half way round, if I push on at the 3k marker and again at the 4k marker, there may be a chance.
The next to go passed me just after the 3k marker, where I was supposed to kick on is Diane, no not Mcvey, come on I know I started fast, Doddy told me Diane wasn't feeling too well, she looked Ok when she went passed me. Diane was followed by Patrick who looked equally Ok, well sort of. I pass the 4k marker, I was supposed to kick on here, again, points dropping like I don't know what, Steve Russell passes me, I did think Steve was way ahead of me. I watch Patrick close the gap on Diane, they must have had a battle over the last 100 m, both credited with the same time 21.44, I watched Steve get ahead of Patrick and Diane and go on to finish 9 seconds ahead of them. Perhaps a slow start and strong finish is a better tactic.
I had now dropped that many points I couldn't do the calculations and I'm not a points tart anyway. 500 meters to go and John P sneaks passed me on the right, I did stage a fight back but he wouldn't have noticed, I didn't have a lot to offer. John had said to beat me he would have to get a sub 22.00, was there still a chance. Into the last 100 meters I could see the clock 21.57, 58, 59, 22.00. Huma shouting come on Chris, come on Sarah, Sarah, where did Sarah come from, unlike the rubber necking gate jumper AKA Doddy, I never look over my shoulder, occasionally I'll take a sneak look at a sharp turn but never over my shoulder. Three reasons, firstly it hurts my neck, secondly it can put you off balance and a risk of tripping, as I have done in Styal woods when I once had a good look over my shoulder at a young lady that passed me to see if she was as attractive from behind as she was from the front, I hit the ground hard that time and thirdly it is a sign of weakness. The chaser knows your concerned.
Onto the tarmac, 50 meters, I was not going to lose a point in the last 50 meters so I put on a sort of sprint and finish in 22.14, Sarah 22.15, phew, she was close, Sally into the funnel in 22.31, Shas 22.33, Simon 22.38. I didn't break the 22.00 barrier, didn't get many points but hey, so what. I could tell my daughter I beat off her PE teacher and enjoyed a good race.
Looking at the results, with over a fifth of the field being WRC members and only a 5k race, there were bound to be some close finishes and battles in the last 100m. Especially as passing would have been difficult from the gate and narrow route to the finish, Mark, Rob G, Nick and Alan Mc finished within 3 seconds of one another, come on Al, a young lad like you should have caught Nick and Rob at the finish. Qes, Huma's son, must have found the race a lot tougher than his Park runs where he has finished in the first three or four in all his recent appearances. Another great run from Louisa, going to miss you in group 3 Louisa. Gareth and Andy both finish in 19.58, I could imagine these two sporting gentlemen offering the finish position to one another.
On to Bosely.
Chris Cannon