Eastleigh 10K 2014 - the race report

The Eastleigh 10K feels like our race to many SRS Hubsters - it's on the streets we pound most weeks and it's often the first 10K we've faced - convenient & reasonably flat.  And fast - it's the home of many a SRS PB.

Before...

This year, 35 of us ran.  For Lyndsay, Jenna and Sue it was their first ever 10K, but they weren't the only ones feeling nervous at the start.  We didn't manage to get everyone into one picture - but one group shot did feature in the Echo.  It was cold but bright & sunny - another HRRL race with nice weather.  The t-shirts were well received this year - bright orange with a very cool graphic & a reminder on the back that this year was the 30th Eastleigh 10K.

I ran with Rachel B to start with - who seemed fixated on beating a gingerbread man.  Later, I ran with Jo T who was suffering from numb toes.  I had Nikki S in my sights for most of the race but couldn't seem to get the speed to catch up with her.  I was impressed that so many of us buddied up - Dee & Lyndsay, Kirsty & Jenna.  Marian, Rachel D and Jayne

came out to support us on which made a big difference - Marian could have a whole new career as a motivational cheer leader....

I had an idea of doing sub 60 - but had to concede that as my 5K time hasn't been below 30mins this year, that wasn't a realistic goal.

Afterwards

A whopping 14 PBs were achieved: Kirsty, Karen, Verity, Clare World, Claire Wilson, Lowri, Sam, Sarah N, Claudia, Lisa, Rachel B - and of course Sue, Lyndsay & Jenna.

It was a bit rubbish that anyone who finished after about 59 mins didn't get any water.  This is the 2nd HRRL race with water issues & we've escalated the issue to the HRRL committee.  It was also demonstrated why headphones are supposed to be banned - reports of a runner oblivious to an approaching ambulance.

The other bit that could have been better was getting together afterwards - due to a long funnel & the water shortage, we weren't really able to do so.  Next year, will see if I can get the SRS flag up at a good point towards the finish so we can cheer each other in.  Many thanks to Sharon for the group "after" shot - she's taken some really good ones.

And the end was just the end of phase 1 for Dee who went onto complete 20 miles as her longest pre-London run.  

Well done to all the SRS offspring who went onto do the fun run.  

I did get a medal - thanks to Kirsty who presented me with one she'd created on Monday - felt quite emotional.  Talking to Louise afterwards, we both felt a bit disappointed about not getting PBs - but maybe we should be focusing instead on how incredible it was that 35 of us ran 10K - and how we helped each other to get to that point in our running - whether supporting beginners, chatting each other through tough runs, sharing good ideas, keeping the club going - and all the rest.  Will stop now!

We rock.

Becky Hewitt	00:59:55
Bridget Wells	01:03:45
Claire Deacon	00:50:49
Claire Gay	00:57:18
Claire Wilson	01:00:17
Clare World	00:55:24
Claudia Lucas	01:06:52
Dee Atyeo	01:15:41
Dorte Barkley	00:49:37
Gin Tidridge	01:00:59
Hannah West	00:57:18
Heather Lovelock	01:06:20
Jenna Dyke	01:11:43
Jo Summerton	01:00:17
Jo Thomas	01:01:17
Karen Bolton	00:52:58
Kirsty Ross	01:11:43
Lisa Graham	00:52:06
Louise Hillier-Wheal	00:58:29
Lowri Evans	01:05:35
Lucy Smart	01:21:25
Lyndsay Dobson	01:15:40
Nicola Skeats	01:00:40
Pauline Herd	00:58:00
Rachel Bradley	01:03:20
Rachel Everett	01:15:52
Sam Radford	01:05:41
Sarah Nangle	00:50:46
Sian Whiffin	01:02:53
Siri Froystad	00:45:07
Sue Leith	01:02:08
Suzanne O'Gara	01:08:03
Tanya Carter	01:05:30
Tracey Cantlie	01:06:16
Verity Fisher	00:51:20

Salisbury 10 Mile Road Race

Thanks to Louise for this picture

The third HRRL race of 2014 – and like the other 2, blessed by blue skies and sunshine.  It was decidedly warm – so much so that I regretted putting on my warmer running tights – and Louise divested a base layer mid run (but more of that later).

Parking was in the enormous central car park for Salisbury for £1.70.  I was dreading the walk to the leisure centre start as I remembered toiling along the river path thinking uncharitable thoughts about accuracy of race measuring at the end of the 21K option in last year’s 5-4-3-2-1 race.  It turns out that walking to a race start in good company (Louise & Sam) is much easier than running a final 1K of a 21K race.  Enjoyable even.

We picked up race numbers in the sports hall, panicked about safety pins (saved by Lou – and then we spotted the desk with safety pins), dropped off bags & had unusually short queues for the loos.  Met up with Tanya – making it 4 SRS runners, 1 team.  Feeling very on top of things, we used the track to do a proper warm up for once.

It was properly warm.  Lou removed a layer at the first water station & handed to a marshal on a bike who very kindly offered to take it back to the leisure centre.  And he did, leaving it clearly labelled for runner 51.  Pete, you win the SRS award for lovely marshal of the race & you are high in the stakes for the 2014 award.

The route was beautiful – lanes through pretty villages with gorgeous old houses, views of the river, Old Sarum, countryside, black swans, white swans and lots of daffs & snowdrops.  Almost an out and back – we followed the river north on the west bank outwards then on the east bank south.  It wasn’t too hilly although the roads did climb more in the second half.

Both Sam & I overcooked our pace at the start.  I figured I was taking it too fast when I realised I was close to my current parkrun PB at 5K, so at 4 miles, I persuaded Lou to go on without me.

The best bit was being cheered on by Sally who had made the trip to support us.  Very much appreciated.  I high fived a couple of kids – and the marshals were very upbeat.

The worst bit was the 3^rd water station at 8 miles being dry by the time we got there.  I’d been telling Louise about one of the reasons for Salisbury relocating from the Old Sarum site was a limited water supply (the fascinating facts I regale fellow runners with…) – I wasn’t expecting history to be repeated as we ran past Old Sarum!   Louise very kindly handed me a cup of water as soon as I’d made it over the finish line – and I appreciated that so much that we caught Sam & Tanya at the last bit of the run with water.  I don’t think that Sam or Tanya expected to get sunburned!

Sadly, no medal & no cake.  But unlike Ryde, it was easy to find post run water – and unlike Stubbington, no queue for bags.  The race t-shirts were similar to the Lordshill 10 t-shirts – technical and red. 

Beautiful morning, beautiful run.

• Louise 1:43:41
• Gin 1:47:20
• Sam 1:56:59
• Tanya 2:05:15

CC6 Wilverley Plain – End of the Season

It’s not often that the safety briefing at the beginning of a race covers a river crossing and quick sand – but it’s not often that a race director has had to opt for a third version of a course due to conditions being changed by this winter’s storms.  Particularly reassuring was hearing that there would be “big guys” amongst the marshals who would be able to yank sinking runners out of that quick sand!  Novel for a CC6, runners did actually seem to be listening to the briefing – nearly as novel as the presence of a (drum roll) toilet.

Wilverley Plain is between Burley and Brockenhurst in the Forest, reasonably high up.  Fluffy Shetland ponies meandered around the car park bit, but they stuck to the trees whereas the race was mostly on the heath.

We did notice that there were just a few yards between the start and finish – but apparently going straight from one to the other would be bad form.  Instead, we were expected to run 4.6 miles, mostly on gravel paths but with some seriously muddy sections.  We scanned the route map, but I was a bit distracted by a seriously impressive cake display.  Our big green SRS bag spent the race as ballast inside Romsey’s tent which was in danger of taking off.

Three of us represented SRS – so yes, we did have a team, but only just! 

Claire D set off ahead from the start and I ran with Louise, taking a slightly (OK , very much) slower pace than speedy Claire.  We did catch 2 other runners – a Hartley runner who hated hills & a Lordshill runner who was concerned about slipping & falling in the mud.  We kept ahead (just) of the Hartley runner, didn’t hold our lead over the one from Lordshill.

Many of the marshals had great signs to hold – and all scored very highly on the helpful/encouraging/lovely marshal scale.  Views were mostly of heathland with little bits of gorse to brighten the scenery.   There were ponies at the start – but oddly none en route.

Things I discovered on the route:

• I’m better going up hills when the terrain is challenging – rocks, mud – ideally both.  Maybe my brain doesn’t then clock the incline?
• Louise prefers hills to leap out at her, doesn’t like them to be looming on the horizon.  I prefer to prepare – just don’t ask tricky questions like “so how do you prepare?”.
• Yes, they weren’t fibbing about the river crossing.  Calf deep and freezing.
• Mud.  Lots of mud.
• When a marshal assures you that there may be a mile to go, they may not be basing this on knowledge of the course!  We nearly wept at 4.2 miles on being told we "only" had a mile to go....
• My bottom fitted through the size zero funnel at the end.
• Yes, there were cakes left.  And tea – how civilised.

I’ve loved the CC6 season this year.  We’ve had some lucky breaks with the weather and all have been organised so well by the participating clubs.  Fabulous locations, routes that challenge and engage.  Louise has done a sterling job of organising us – and well done to all of us who took part.  

Give me a muddy cross country over a road race any day.