My first 10k race

Before the race

I will be one of over a thousand people who have chosen to spend their Sunday morning running around the Staffordshire countryside for an hour in the wind and rain. I usually spend it lying in bed with Mrs Jones, reading the paper, eating a bacon sandwich, watching the Andrew Marr show, sometimes until noon.

I still managed to fit in the bacon sandwich in as I decided it was important to eat before we ran and what finer energy food can there be? I’d decided a few weeks ago that I would give alcohol a miss in the days before the run but have failed miserably with that. Last night I had two big G & Ts and a half bottle of wine, I wonder if this is how Mo Farah prepares for an Olympic final!

One thing I’m certain of is that I’ll get a personal best today because it’s the first time I’ve run the distance. It’s a 10k comprising of two laps along a fairly flat course that many virgin 10k-ers run to give the longer distance a try. The really hard bit, I think, will be completing the first lap, the distance I usually run, only to have to run it all again.

As I lay here before the race I’m feeling a little apprehensive. Unlike parkrun this is a proper race – everyone has a number and you get a medal at the end. Also my wife is going along with a few of her work running buddies. I don’t want to let her and myself down by not completing it or coming in last.

After the race

I’m back home now and it’s all over and I did it, non-stop in a time that will be over an hour but still respectable and I wasn’t last, nowhere near. There was quite a buzz at the start of the race, the Florette Fradley 10k and it was an attractive route near canals and in the countryside.

I wouldn’t actually say I enjoyed it but I felt a little frisson of excitement as I ran past the cheering crowds – ok there weren’t many – and then again at the end when I sprinted towards the finish line. At no point did I feel that I was going to give up, was glad I did it and I’m tempted to give a 10k another go but not for at least another six months!

After the race there was a very long walk to the car park and I felt my thighs stiffen up. Forty minutes later when we got home it was a massive struggle just getting out of the car and now we’re moaning and groaning in bed – and not a good way! – recuperating from the run.