Double Race For Life

as the title says, I did 2 x Race for Life races on Sunday, back to back, inspired by all the endurance people, who've all managed amazing things recently. Let's face it, it's the closest I'll ever get to doing a 'double' anything.....

The 10K was first at 9.30am. Weather at first glance seemed perfect (for the spectators), a little bit of sun but with some cloud cover - I later found out that it was extremely hot and suffocating, especially as most of the course was through woods. I usually prefer wet and windy.
I wasn't confident going into this race. I've struggled recently and have found myself plodding my way through 4 mile runs at 11min/miling.

The start was staggered..sort of. Elites, and proper runners were called to the front, whilst the fairies in drag, sorry I mean in tutus, were asked to fall in behind. This didn't really happen - this frustrates me, not just with these races, but with all races. The people who start at the front, then walk after 100m causing a pile up between the runners who are stuck behind. I've nothing against slower runners, or walkers. I'm one of them. However, if you know you're slower, you don't stand at the front with the Paula Radcliffes. Just frustrates me!

I managed to get a clear run and was in about 10th place after the first little grassy loop of about 500m. I felt comfortable but made the mistake of looking at my watch...it told me I was averaging 7.15min/miling...eek, hell's teeth! That was it. I immediately went into oxygen debt, panicked, thought I was going to die, and just acted like a total drama queen. I backed off the pace straight away to the point of nearly stopping dead (probably frustrating faster runners behind me) and having a concerned Bobby shout to ask me what was wrong - he thought I'd injured myself. I decided not to look at my watch again until near the finish. I knew I was nowhere near fit enough to maintain that speed over 10k let alone a hilly 10K. And boy was it hilly. It went up and up with one 200m downhill at the finish...thanks for that, I really appreciated it *sarcastic face*

The first mile hadn't even been completed and I'd already switched off, just wasn't interested. The hills were brutal, the heat was overwhelming, and I was furious at myself for being swept along too fast in the first half mile instead of sticking to my 'plan'. That was the plan I didn't have, the plan I never have but always talk about because it suggests I'm not just another 'all the gear, no idea' type of runner when in reality, that's all I am.
I walked loads, and then some more. I insulted pushchair pushing path hoggers under my breath, scowled at the bunnies, and nearly rammed a cup of water where the sun don't shine when a young marshal told me to 'smile' because 'it's for a good cause'. Yes, I know that - it's why I'm dressed in god awful pink (actually a washed out lilac) and have spent an obscene amount of money entering your event...*seriously, I was very honoured to be part of the event, just not amused at that moment in time*

Around 2 miles I got a blinding headache but shook it off pretty quickly - I was sweating more than I should've been and just put it down to dehydration even though I'm meticulous about that now and was fully hydrated before the start.
By this point, I was running with about 4 or 5 others. We came to a part of the course which naturally went around to the left. We followed the path and only realised after about 200m we'd gone the wrong way. This added another quarter of a mile or so to an already horrible race for me. I'd lost my sense of humour long before that happened so it had no effect on me at all - water off a ducks back. Like I said, mentally I'd switched off in the first mile and was just going through the motions.

Soon enough I saw 800m to go sign. However, I glanced at my watch and saw something like 45mins. I was a bit confused. I expected to see 50mins+ at this point. I just assumed we were going to run through the finish and do the small loop again, the one we'd done at the start. So I ran through the finish line (my old coach would be so proud) expecting to carry on and got a pink goodie bag thrust at me...oh ok, all done then. 31st out of 750. 6.45miles on my garmin and a time of 48:51. If I hadn't gone the wrong way it would've been a pb by about a minute. It's 3 minutes faster than my flat 10K from 5 weeks ago.

Why don't I feel happy then? Well I guess it's because I didn't give it my all. I gave up before I'd even done the first mile. It's hard to explain but I've been brought up to do my best and I just didn't. I'd rather have done it in an hour but known that I left it all out on the course. Bobby said to me 'just imagine what time you would've done if you'd put some effort in'. I don't want to imagine that - it would be an insult to the people who did do their best and I reckon 749 of them did just that. I feel like I cheated and don't want to acknowledge it - it was probably a freak fluke anyway!

So, moving on - half an hour after finishing, I lined up with my youngest (oldest refused point blank to do it - she has Bobby's 'I don't like sport but I will support you' gene) for the 5K. As I hobbled over to the start with her she tentatively asked me if she could run on her own since I didn't look capable of keeping up with her and she didn't want to slow down and 'blow my chances'..charming. Blow her chances of what, I'm not quite sure but it amused me all the same.

Actually, she was right about my potential to hold her up. It took me 1.7M to catch her and only then because she got a stitch. We walked and chatted for a bit about how she was saving herself for a big sprint finish,  and soaking up the atmosphere with the other ladies (my sense of humour had returned by now but unfortunately my legs hadn't). Then she took a deep breath, stated that her stitch had gone and that she'd see me at the finish, which she did cos I couldn't catch her and she took about 2 minutes out of me in the last mile.... think it's the slowest 5K I've ever done but one of the most enjoyable.

Things learned
1. if you know a race is going to be hilly, then train on hills
2. we put limiters on ourselves - by looking at my watch and shocking myself at my pace, I put doubts into my head - race over!
3. flukes happen
4. I really hate 10K's, no seriously, I REALLY hate them.
5. I'm not comfortable with success if it doesn't come from hard work
6. I need to lighten up and remember this is a hobby...and it was for a good cause.