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Nike 10k
I have a plan, a poor and ill-considered plan but a
plan none the less. Part one of the plan went into action
on 22nd Sep. in Richmond Park. It started as a bit of a
laugh amongst mates at work. We all entered the Nike run
London 10k so that we could bullshit about our training
regimes over the 6 weeks to the event. I had an ulterior
motive. I'd been looking for a 10k well away from anyone
I know just to see whether I could run the distance. With
19,999 other people entered this was defiantly going to
be anonymous. The chances of seeing anybody I know were
going to be remote.
The 22nd was a popular day to travel to London. The train
filled rapidly with green clad Liberty and Livelihood
marchers on their way to the big city to hunt foxes and
politicians. At Clapham the colours changed to the yellow
tee shirted Nike runners. The problem was still the same,
cramming as many people into as few carriages as
possible. At Barnes I followed the human river to the
park and to change into the cheap nasty and abrasive
(more about that later) official tee shirt.
The start was delayed owning to "public transport
problems". Had I known I could have taken the bus I
needn't have run. But after waiting for an hour the bus
hadn't arrived and intermediate wave 2 was due to start.
Someone shouted, "GO" over the PA and we
where… ambling over the start line. For the first
time in a long time I found that the mass of humanity
around me was actually running slower, This is a unique
experience for me and one I was going to savoir. After
the first kilometre a few of the runners - the fat
unhealthy twenty a day athletes - had started walking at
2Km there where casualties on the side of the road
complaining of cramp and torn muscles, well at least the
meagre amount of training I had put in for this was
paying off.
The first water stop loomed, lots of helpers handing out
bottles and squirting the competitors with water. Being
deft of hand and light of wit this seemed the perfect
opportunity to return the favour, they were not amused. A
few sips from the bottle and I held in my hand a water
bomb to be lobbed at the side of the road whilst dodging
the numerous other bottles flying through the air. I was
glad that I was not clearing up after.
Now I was under the impression that Richmond Park was
flat. But at 5k there was a rise. Nothing in comparison
to the hills around my way but you would think it's the
Eiger by the way that everybody slowed down and even
walked up it. I was amazed. I have always thought that
careering downhill was the reward for having slogged up
hill but there where obviously many that didn't agree
with me as I uncontrollably went past them. At 7k it was
almost over, I pasted a couple of cellulite mountains who
where wheezing their way round and could smell the
finish. At 9km I could see the finish so near and yet,
well near. I prepared from the sprint finish, which
consisted of thinking about going a bit faster, but it
failed to materialise owing to the number of people.
53:40 only 23:10 after Paula Radcliff - so some room for
improvement there then.
As I picked up my "winners" medal (as everyone
was a winner, how nice) I noticed two red spots had
appeared on my tee shirt and looking around me I was not
alone. Had the dye run, did it react to sweat. Not a
chance, this cheap and nasty promotional tee shirt had
worn my nipples flat which made my post race shower a
very painful affair.
Well that's part one of my three-part plan complete, now
where can I do a 1500 meter swim………..
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