How does this keep happening? Another day on the challenge and another new all time PB. The final results of all the waves are now in and the times have been confirmed. I have a new 10K PB of 38:45, further still I actually came in 12th overall (6th over the finish line in my wave)! This challenge has definitely brought the best out of me physically. I couldn't have imagined running this fast and this strong, this time last year. With all of the injury problems I had faced in 2012 while running I was at the point of giving up for good, I am really glad i didn't!
The start of the day was perfect, following the excellent night before (Curry and Guinness). We moved around the house with purpose and were packed and ready well ahead of schedule, good job. Knowing that we needed to put petrol in the car brought about an early stop on our journey. At the point of me putting the nozzle into the tank I notice with horror the lack of Garmin watch attached to my wrist! Yeah, it was safe and secure on my bedside cabinet some 15 miles away, to make it worse the motorway we had just traveled up was at a standstill in the opposite direction. Therefore a cross town trip was needed and fortunately the traffic was kind and didn't put the race start out of the question. The girls though took it in their stride and we continued to laugh along the way.
With 15 minutes to spare the race band is around my wrist, the race chip is attached to my shoe and my race number is on my shirt. We then enter the runners area and spy the Macmillan tent. We are made to feel very welcome and I am told that the blog is well read by Macmillan. Before we know it the girls have their supports shirts on and various things to wave and make noise with and I am off to the start.
Trails I just love them, with 3K downhill to start with and a fallen tree to hurdle I find myself 3rd, something is wrong. The wrong part, is I need to get a grip and pace myself, this is 10K and not my usual 5K Parkrun. The next 4K was mostly uphill, but I passed the 5K mark well ahead of schedule. A sharp turn at 8K heads us all back toward home and I am now 5th, but fading. With 500m to go one more runner comes past, but I am not able to stay with him. That's OK as the rapturous cheers from the girls and the crowd (I am the first Macmillan runner across the line) brought me to my new PB.
Thanks girls, its been a great day.
www.justgiving.com/kevin-caple
Big Kev
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