Pretty abysmally I thought initially. My knee was taped up with K-Tape, even though I did have a knee brace in my bag. I ran without pain for perhaps the first 3K before my knee niggle started. The niggle was replaced with discomfort as I reached 5K and the water table, and 500 yards later I was in pain and walking (that is the red bit in the middle of the map). What should have been an easy amble around Cambridge was turning into a disaster. And, hold on, I was in Cambridge? Why the Hell was I in Cambridge, surely I had booked the Swiss City Marathon in Lucerne for this weekend? Well, yes, I had but with the cost of Berlin and subsequent injury I decided a pricey long weekend for Europe’s most beautiful race would wait another year, and so I deferred.

From the moment I started walking I knew something was not right with my knee and so I kept going but slowed down to almost a jog. I let swathes of people pass me, after all, I would never see them again, or I may, but under different/better circumstances. I did see Pan Can runner Phil Gray though, which was good, we had a chat early on as I started to discover that with no training or running for a month, and post-cold I felt utterly out of shape.

And so as I rounded the park for the last time and crossed the line in 56 minutes I was actually pretty surprised. I had walked, I had stopped to take water on at both water tables, and I had slowed down to a limping jog for the second half of the race. Goodness knows how well I would have done if I was fit, healthy and paying attention.

The Bling

Is cheap, and looks like a name tag (which for some reason I think is cool)

I think this is medal number 90!

And there was a T-shirt in the goody bag too, that was very welcome on the trip home.

In Summary

I have lost virtually all my fitness from the marathon training and need to get on it as soon as I can. I have booked four marathons for 2016, and may well do 5 if I can get my body working again. And that has been the issue for me of late. I have just been injured or sick, and have not been enjoying myself. So, finishing in 56 and knowing I could have knocked 10 mins off that did me good. I am glad, despite being ill until late into the night that I made the effort and went to Cambridge.

The race was tough and I am hurt but I am glad I did it. I am glad to have caught up with Phil and Chris and the bling is already on the rack. I just need to decide if I am running next weekend at the Mile Challenge and the Richmond Trick Or Treat 10K. And if I do run them, if I drop down to the 5K for the latter.

Would I run the Cambridge Town and Gown 10K again? Actually I probably would. I would like to run it without the impairments of the day, and to post a far far better time.

Would I recommend it? I would, if you can get there.

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