Parkrun this morning was a roller coaster ride from start to finish (and just after as well). Not only did Tina and I sleep through the alarm leaving only 25 minutes to get up, ready and to the start, but when we arrived in the car park one of the parking meters was broken causing a huge queue. This further threatening me getting to the start.
Nevertheless I made it in time for the announcement, but definitely no warm up or time to consider the task ahead. The conditions were fair and I made my way to the start with the mindset of just going through the motions. Ten strides in though and the auto pilot kicks in and I am awake and very aware of my surroundings.
With the Christmas Cracker 10K tomorrow there were some noticeable absentees from the start line, which I am not sure actually helped me. I recognise that my real strength is running up hill and that when I reached the bottom of the hill this morning there were still a fair number of people in front of me. So to my surprise (more shock really) when I reached the turn at the highest part of the course I was 3rd. At this point the brain kicked in and remember it is day 348. The auto pilot was disengaged and I coasted down the hill, however I still held onto a very respectable 7th which is my best place this year.
To top this excellent result off, I spied someone I had met a few months ago at the Run Bristol evening, just before the Bristol Half Marathon. Chrissie Wellington is now a Bristol resident and had come down to see what all the parkrun fuss was about. Chrissie achievements are well documented and as a 4 time Ironman World Champion she deserves adoration as an athlete. I therefore took the opportunity to say hello and invite her to the NYE 5K event. Unfortunately she is not about, but may well be at parkrun next week and so we may share a few miles running together before this challenge is over.
Check out the picture for why she is also know as smiles.
Also thanks to Chris Morris for searching me out and handing me his donation for NYE as he has to work.
www.justgiving.com/kevin-caple
Big Kev
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