Twixmas 10k, 2018

This a return to a race that we both did two years ago - and that was the lovely Mrs S's first ever paid-up race.  Unfortunately she was off games this year, but she gamely accompanied me on the final race outing of 2018.

The venue was astonishingly drab.  The home of AFC Portchester, the heavy overcast weather cast a dismal greyness over the football grounds, which had a distinctly 1973 feel to them.  The loos were comically awful.  Sitting in the car was by far the best option.

We caught up OS mates Tony and Dave, but it was an otherwise unknown field.  On the start line I had a good look around and thought to myself, I can't see much in the way of competition here... I hope I'm not going to be out on my own.

But that's exactly what happened.  After about 1km I everyone else had fallen back and I was alone, on the there-and-back flat course.  The waterside was quite pretty (albeit muted by the leaden weather), but I wasn't terribly inspired or motivated, and it felt like a long old slog with an almost certain outcome.  On the return trip it was nice passing other runners on their way out, with lots of mutual well-dones, and I kept anticipating (and almost hoping for) the sound of approaching footsteps behind), but it didn't happen.  I chuntered back on the long circuit of the playing field and finished comfortably in first place.  My watch said 38:11, but the results said 38:30 - not sure what happened there.  I was given a bottle of champagne which was lovely.

At the finish line

Crumbs, I'm not trying to sound pompous, arrogant or ungrateful.  This was a good-natured, friendly event, and I was glad to have had a chance to race after a break of 4 weeks and a cold just before Christmas.  But it did remind me that what I love is competitive racing, and running alone for 34 of the 38 minutes was just a bit unsatisfactory.