A Passion to Perform, in work and in my personal life, my medal tally for 2011, half of them, were Personal Bests , over 3 distances:
Half Marathon (Race your pace Dorney Lake), Marathon (Virgin London Marathon) and 10k (Capital Runners Bushy Park)
Been home for almost a month now, and I still recall AMSTERDAM Half -MARATHON weekend (14th - 16th October) being a rather lethargic one. Fresh off the plane from Houston on the morning of 14th October, we had only a few hours to be reacquainted with our home, and the cold weather, and then off again to Amsterdam.
A city visited many times, we were not too keen on the sightseeing. Friday night, a walk in the wrong direction in the cold, but keen to find some Indonesian food (but not keen enough to over-do and upset our stomachs) we feasted on Rijsttafel, and got basic provisions, and slept like babies in our spacious room. Saturday was spent bib-collecting, having a big indonesian lunch, playing 'hide-and-seek' with our other friends in town and trying to settle in early for the big day. I still remember the lady from the Chinese restaurant saying 'we support you'! But we couldn't sleep well at all that night...jet lag was affecting us more than probably our european counterparts (many travelling running teams from Italy, UK joining this race and staying in our hotel).
Sunday morning was windy with blue skies. Perfect weather but unprepared were we, no garbage bags, minimal warm clothing for the start. However, the start was spectacular. In the Olympic stadium, well rugged up, I waved to Seng and Cath as they set off on their 42.195kms..
then caught up with our other spectators, Leon and Serena. We didn't venture too far hoping to catch them quickly, saw Seng, and then waited for too long and no sign of Cath. Checked the iphone App (Roaming)...she's sped off way ahead! A cold day, poor transport links to other spectator points, I gave up on my spectating 'grand plan', took the train back to the hotel, relaxed and got going again for the 13:30pm Half Marathon start.
Serena and I met, got to the start line - we separated , leaning across to the other side, hoping to see our marathon friends come in...but no such luck. Off I went as the gun goes...slowish to start...at least it warmed up. The course itself was not the most exciting, but the crowds made up for it. and where were the pacers? I just knew that I couldnt stop, except for water, AA drink (after activity drink), sponge, and to take a gel. No walking though, but I couldn't pick up my legs and bolt. The best part of the run was the last 3kms through Vondelpark (all downhill? and not disillusioned like Hyde Park , or Bois du Bologne), and with the last kilometre...I saw people bolting, the 2 guys with 2:00 balloons also rushing ahead of me, but I cannot find my central governor (he has gone misisng). I just maintained my pace, said hello to Cath (all dressed now) and Leon, and race into the Stadium!
So glad it was over..2:05:31. Consolation for being the fastest time in an autumn half marathon, which has been for the last few years slower than the winter ones, when I was building up for a full. Oh well.
A few weeks later, and how else to celebrate the milestone, my birthday by entering the Capital Runners BUSHY PARK 10k (the original intention was to enter another runbritain half marathon to improve my handicap and earn an extra badge on the site, but proximity precedes irrationalism - I'm glad!). Another cold morning, a reminder of the february windy long run where I took the bus to Hampton and ran home (3 hours +).
A paid race and hence, less daunting than the Bushy Park 5k Parkrun saturday (apparently 200 people + at the start), the set-up did feel like parkrun, well it was in a Park! A long wait...giving up my bag at the last minute, to start off at 10am along the paved path. I had a few 'friends' along with me all the way - a Mr Run-Walk, who walked even at 1km, but always seem to catch up, a Miss Pink, who would lift her legs high and run and catch up..and also the lone deer with lovely horns, spectating within close quarters, with other herds of deers spectating far away.
The trickiest part of the race was running through fallen leaves on soft ground. My focus was not to twist anything! Like the summer morning training, I tried hard not to get a stitch. 2 laps of the same, with marshals smiling at me as I approach the lake...the last few kilometres, and the final kilometre...faster than I thought, and did we cut corners? I wouldn't have thought but not too sure...the clock says 54:55. A PB, and knowing that I could do it, when my 10k split at amsterdam was around 55 mins and way too fast for the first half.
It wasn't a easy run, but I'm glad to hang up paid racing for the year (next goal, Parkrun) - and to celebrate with a lovely foodie lunch cooked by Petra
- worth the effort to walk across Bushy Park, my spring training ground, my summer biking playground and the first I've seen it in autumnal glory, with falling leaves.
"Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all, my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall"
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