MDay-71 -- Sat. July 11th

Managed a race today, which is a first for me in England, and it was a suitably challenging intro to the scene. Point had been to get S along either to participate in or to see a race, but the weather was so awful that she stayed at home rather than spectate. Race was called the Maiden Castle Loop, and started in Dorchester at the leisure centre at 7 p.m. -- fine for a warm summer day, but as it was the rain poured and the wind gusted and drove into us, so, barring muggy warmth, the season was hard to determine. Drove over and after some false starts found the Hardy's, signed up (£9-, not too bad) and went out to warm up. Tried to stay dry, running on sidewalks with tree cover, and did stretches in a bus shelter. Got my 2 miles in, near enough, with stretches, then ready to start. Good sized crowd (70 or so?), very few women, and mainly club runners, apparently, and older end of the spectrum. Race is like a super-10K, 6.5 miles.

Off abruptly and quickly into a more or less single file footpath; decided to just follow along for the first mile and see how it looked. Pace was varied -- good crowd off ahead of me, maybe 30 runners, but I was happy with the chaps nearby: quite competitive, holding position doggedly. Mainly downhill-ish to lanes and across to muddy lane leading up to castle itself, then it gets a bit tougher, and already getting pretty solidly wet. Up to the eastern end of the ramparts and then down the other side, down and round through a field leaving the castle behind (so the course was the opposite of what I'd expected, with the run round the ramparts at the end). More of the single file stuff, with tight turns through gateways; good marshalling, people standing in the pouring rain cheerfully pointing the way. Out on to a country lane, past the one water stop (chap handing out cups was in a wet suit!), and then finally to the field where we're going back up to the ramparts: *steep* climb, again single file at the edge of a field, and then even steeper up on to the outer rim of the castle. At this point we're perfectly exposed to the full wind and blowing rain, and by this point my shirt is heavy with water and my race number is threatening to tear off and blow away.

But once chugging along the ramparts I had energy to go ahead, so (calling an alert as I did so) I passed one by one a few runners, each time briefly leaving the narrow path; somehow managed it without taking a tumble off the edge, and each time got to enjoy clear view of the footing ahead--until I reached the next person. At the other end we doubled back on to another rampart ring, and then round and down a box stairway set into the chalk (nearly came a cropper there, hard and slippery) and at last out of the castle and down another lane until we're back on the path we started on. By this point I'm feeling yesterday's run and trying to maintain position as I hear at least one guy approaching. Hold him off all the way up to town, and then as we enter the last half mile he's only steps away; take shirt off for a bit more comfort and a tiny spurt of speed, but then with a few hundred yards to go, he strides by, and I just try to stay close. Come in 23rd at a very modest pace, but bloody hell it was hard work!

Time: 45:49 (GPS)
Distance: 6.55 miles (GPS)
Pace/Speed: 7:00s/8.58 mph

Also: 1.95 miles in 15:13 as warm up; no warm down run, too wet!

Comment: Now I know why the times from last year looked slow -- it's a tough course, like x-country at school! At the line they handed out nice badges, though they were flustered I didn't have my shirt on! "We need to see the number!" Lovely spread of cakes and coffee in the hall, and the results were up very quickly (S's boss did much better, under 43 and placed maybe 12th?). Oh, also, it turned out the cakes, etc., were *for sale* not freebies. Yikes! I paid up, but what a surprise to this US schooled club runner... Next year, if I can get back for it, S said she'd do it too. I'll make sure to rest the day before!