Race 3 of my 20 for Pancreatic Cancer UK and a familiar venue, Regents Park, London. I have run here several times before, I think this was the 4th race in 40 I have zigzagged from the Hub (Round cafe in the NW corner) around the park for one organiser or another. This was the Easter 10K and, if you exclude the circling of the Emirates Stadium last time out, is off the back of 5 halves.
Looking back to try to find a route map I reread my post from the Regents Park London Summer 10K and, well, the similarities are starting to make me think this is my Groundhog Day Race….
Here is my race recap from last Summer. In short…
- No race bags (well, only enough for 1 in 4 runners)
- Children taking part
- No bananas or energy drinks
- Water in cups not bottles
- Cheap bling! The ink rubbed off of the ribbon all over my neck on the way home.
- Unless you took a wide arc it measured less than 10K.
So to this race. It turns out the route was identical. To the left is Summer 2013, the right Spring 2014.
The only difference being there was a lot more GREEN on it, meaning I ran a lot more, certainly on the last lap. This was remarkable as my journey from Belsize Park took longer than expected and I was already cramping after crossing Primrose Hill to get there in time for the start.
DISASTER STRIKES!
A bit dramatic I know, but I was quite disappointed, and, having checked through my bag I seem to either have lost, or was never sent a timing chip. This does mean that I had to rely on my watch for my timing, but then, I always do. I seem to recall seeing it, so it must have been misplaced. No matter.
THE RACE
Racing a lot of halves, the 10K is just fun, but after the run to the start in the heat, I was a little battered. Still no excuses. I could have pushed myself a lot more if I had been better prepared and would have chased the elusive PB for the 10K that has stood since I do not know when (because my Nike+ app is not displaying the date of it or my half marathon PB). There was a good crowd and I happily ran-walk-ran to pretty much the same time as last year. There was no need to bust a gut, especially when running 5 races in 5 weekends in May.
And so it was all ok…
However, at the end… and reminiscent of last year…
- No race bags (although there was Malteser bunnies, Fig Rolls and Jaffa cakes, but cups of water you needed to queue for)
- Children taking part in the main race again
- No bananas or energy drinks at the end
- Water in cups not bottles
- Cheap bling! That again, the ink rubbed off.
- And lo and behold , unless you took a wide arc it measured less than 10K.
Ah well, I should have learned my lesson. Here is the bling.
What’s next?
In May I will be running the Watford 10K the Bank Holiday weekend, then there is a weekend break HOWEVER I am going to run the Sean Astin #Run3Rd virtual race then, then the Missing People 10K around Clapham, the BUPA London 10K, the greatest 10K ever!!! and finally ending with the Luxembourg Night Half Marathon the last Saturday of the month.
I will be sporting the sexy purple of Pancreatic Cancer UK, the vest so much better to run in than the t-shirt. So thanks to them for that.
And if you haven’t sponsored me (and why the HELL not?) my JustGiving page is here.
Runners Knees 