Serpentine/Runner's World Last Friday of the Month 5k
25 June 2004

ceal, Walkman, MikeFrog, JJ, me (pic by Angela)

A good gathering of RW forumites arrived at Hyde Park on a lovely sunny day. JJ was after a pb after his spell of injury, and it was great to meet Katie, JJ's daughter. I'd bumped into Mike as I walked to the start, and Lady Lucan, Copenhagen Runner, ceal, Walkman and Angela were already there.

Lady Lucan and Copenhagen Runner

It was great to meet Snail (Kirsty) at registration: she was marshalling and promised to yell at us on the way round. Katie and Angela, Walkman's wife, had bagged a bench where we could leave our stuff. David was busy on his laptop, logging entries in his super efficient way.

Serpie David in the sun, logging entries

Katie, Angela, Mike, Elisabeth and Charlotte

We all wandered off to warm up, and I jogged down to the bit of the park where a concert arena was being put up, with lots of lorries going in and out.

ceal and JJ warm up

Then Multi (Joe) turned up and started his stretching routine.

 
Joe tests his limbs

JJ and Katie

Nearly ready...(pic by JJ)

Just before the start, we gathered for forum pics - as ceal said at Richmond last week: getting forumites together is like herding cats.

Joe, Charlotte, Elisabeth, JJ, ceal, Alan

Can't remember now what we were all staring at...(thanks to Alan and Angela for the pic)

My race plan - if it can be called a plan - was to follow Mike, who ran 28 mins last time. I was aiming to go under 30 mins for the first time. Just after 1230 we were off - and Mike steamed ahead. I kept him in sight for the first half kilometer, but he was going at a real lick. I remembered why I hated 5k races. I passed the first k at 5:30, which was well on target, but I really didn't like the pace. Kirsty was marshalling at 1.5 k, and I could hear her booming ex-cox's shout from a long way off...she gave me a big thumbs up and cheered me on. Second k was 11:40, and I was joined by Ben, another Serpie, and doing his first 5k. It was good to have someone to run with, and we kept each other going until poor Ben slowed a little, suffering with hay fever.

Fellow Serpie Ben, my companion for part of the race

So I took off, still hating the pace; it was strange to be running on my own again.  I rounded the end of the long water and then got completely confused...would I have to go over the lake again? When the speed felt really bad, I remembered Martin's mantra of 'pain is temporary, pride is forever', which made me smile and kept me going. At 3k I was on 17:34 and at 4k, a marshal kindly pointed out that the next bit was downhill. My time was now still just under 24 mins, so despite feeling slightly sick, I realised a pb might be on.

Just before the finishing stretch, there's a vile little rise up to the road, and a vision appeared! It was JJ and ceal, come to shout me home. Fantastic! JJ said: don't talk, breathe! And they both started yelling instructions. I wanted to hug them and hit them, both at the same time. JJ got me to match his stride pattern and I narrowed everything down to running faster. A confused marshal called out to ceal and JJ, 'You've already been round once.' JJ's comment is not recorded.

The finish was in sight, and as I got close, ceal and JJ dropped back. I could see David with his camera, and knew I was home.

David's pic of me at the finish

A quick look at my watch revealed a time of 29:22! Yippee! (Official time was 29:20 - even better!) I was thrilled and knackered.

JJ and ceal, my guardian angels

I wandered back to our bench, very happy and grumbling to anyone who would listen about how I HATE 5ks. I discovered that nearly everyone had run brilliant times - Mike had knocked a fabulous 2:30 off last Serpie 5k time...no wonder I couldn't keep up with him.

A triumphant Mike!

I headed back to the finish to cheer Alan home - he was a whisker off his pb, but did a grand run.

JJ, Alan and ceal at the finish

Charlotte adds a layer

Joe came back to change - he'd done a wonderful time and another pb! Elisabeth, Charlotte and I were able to check if Joe was in shape or not...yep, I think so.

Joe thrills the girls while JJ mops his brow and ceal slurps water

JJ and ceal had had fantastic runs - another two pbs. Although JJ was a bit miffed to be beaten by ceal! I suspect a revenge race will be on at some point...

ceal and JJ's watch times

Katie and Joe after the race

The only person who wasn't beaming was Elisabeth, who wasn't feeling right after recent illness. But her time was still good.

Forum finishers: Elisabeth, ceal, Alan, Mike, Kirsty (marshal), JJ, Joe, me (pic by Katie)

Our results:

Joe 22:19
ceal 23:50
JJ 24:01
Charlotte 25:08
Mike 25:46
Elisabeth 25:54
Fran 29:20
Alan 37:34

Time for some well-earned food. Elisabeth, Charlotte and Joe had to go elsewhere, but the rest of us walked across the park to Oxford Street and up Wigmore Street to Wagamama.

JJ looming behind the menu

We had a bit of a wait for table space, but when we were seated the food and beer came quickly. ceal and Katie had a seafood noodle dish, with unidentified round things in it. But they chomped away happily. I had a delicious chicken dish washed down with Japanese beer.

A very fine marshal - Kirsty (thanks to Alan and Angela for the pic)

Meanwhile Mike started researching what all the different noodles were, giving our waitress a fright.

Tucking in

Mike, Kirsty, Katie (right), Angela, Alan, ceal and JJ (left)

A great day - although I hate 5k races even more than ever...but great company, excellent race and a very happy event all round.