Today was the last race proper of the Harrogate District Summer Running League, it was hosted by the orange clad Wetherby runners. The course was different to the last Wetherby one that I ran. I had to work last time they hosted the race and used this course. The old course was along the Wetherby to Spoffoth cycle path, an out and back flat course in an old railway cutting, humid with no views. This new course could not be more different, a lollipop shaped course with gorgeous views, beginning and ending in Sicklinghall. As I hadn't done it before, my friend Jackie T who had, told me it was undulating with a big hill at the end, but not to save anything on it as it was down hill then all the way to the finish. I set off at the back as usual, there were only 3 or 4 people behind me. Last nights run had not been great and my ankle that I injured in January has been aching lately, as well as my right quad being sore, so I was not expecting a great run.
I set off steady, my hair started to fall out of my bobble, so I sorted that as I ran, I noticed some cattle in the field nearby were running too, they practically stampeded to one hege, then turned and ran back., distracted I was gradually passing people and soon forgot my aches and pains, we came to a steep downhill, I ran down and my quad was sore as I tried to control my descent, so I just let myself go, I was passing people thinking they'll soon be passing me again, but they didn't, and as what goes down must go up, we set off up a hill, I remembered Jackie's words, and didn't hold back passing walkers and runners, I reached the top, it went down a bit then up again, this wasn't what I expected, I kept running slowly winding the other runners in, and then thee it was in the distance a hill, not as big as the last one, I dug deep and maintained my form, still catching and overtaking other runners as the road dipped down towards the village, I let my legs go, then as the finish was in sight, someone overtook me, uh hum! I don't think so, I was running out of space but I pulled a sprint out of the bag and beat her to the line.
This morning I had checked the distance, 4.8 miles and had targeted myself to run it in around 47 minutes. I looked at my watch, 4.85 miles in 43:26, sub 9 min mile average, Get In!
I met my other team mates and we went for food, there I saw a different Jacky, I Avnet seen her for ages as she has been recovering from some nasty accidents. She normally runs for Wetherby, it was great to see her and to hear that she is running again.
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