The night before the Chester 10k I spent the whole evening grumping stompily about the house. What on earth was I thinking? Why on earth had I set myself up to do this? In November when we registered for the 10k my running was going well. Yes I was super slow but I was running three times a week and slowly getting faster and going further. Ian promised to run with me. There were months to go before the end of March. We had shared a bottle of wine and were sitting in bed with the details of the Chester 10k on the ipad. "Come on. I'll run with you," said Ian. Yes ok then, why not?
But when March arrived nothing had gone to plan. I had taken five weeks off training with first a sore knee and then a chest infection. I had tried to get back and been running again for four or five weeks but I was way behind in what I had intended to do. The furthest I had run since starting again was 7k. I really didn't think I could do 10k. I was just going to embarrass myself. Stomp, stomp. Grump. Grump again. Ian was sure I could do it and I eventually agreed that I probably could run and walk so yes, I would do it. I decided to regard it as training run, nothing special. Just a run. I would plan to walk if I needed to so that if I had to it would not be a failure, just part of the plan. It would be fine. Hmmm.
So on Sunday morning I left the house dressed exactly as usual for running, carrying nothing special, wearing my favourite leggings and my favourite jacket (and of course the secret weapon of my favourite running bra) and my trusty trainers.
Parking was easy in Chester and there were lots of runners milling about. I was reassured to see that there were all shapes and sizes and ages of runners. Yes there were plenty of long thin people whizzing around looking like athletes, but there were plenty of others. I couldn't see many other women as old as I am (65) but the runners were a real mixed bag.
I had admitted that I was planning to run the Chester 10k to a man in my Spanish conversation class who is a personal trainer. He was lovely. He didn't gasp in amazement or smile. He managed to behave as though it was entirely reasonable that a slightly overweight 65 year old with no running history whatsoever prior to C25K should be having a go at a 10k event. He gave me lots of great advice, the principal thrust of which was to decide the speed at which I wanted to run and to make quite sure that I kept to that and did not allow myself to go off too fast just because I was surrounded by lots of other people. This was Ian's advice as well from his half marathon experience. So we had agreed how fast we would run. It was just a matter of keeping to the plan. We positioned ourselves towards the back of the blue wave and off we went. Oddly, having been so stompy the previous evening, I felt quite calm and unbothered on the day of the race itself. Here I was, all I had to do was put one foot in front of the other and I would see how far I went.
It was surprisingly hard at the start not to go off too fast and as people went past surprisingly hard not to try to keep up with them. But I know that I am slow and I knew that if I was to have any chance at all of running the whole thing I would have to run at my usual slow pace of around 8 minutes or just over per kilometre. So off we went. The first couple of kilometres felt just as it feels when I run at home. You need to let the breathing settle and the legs get used to poddling along. You need to relax the shoulders and ignore as far as you can the fact that there are other people there. Just get in the groove. Just let it happen.
I had wondered about running 5k, walking 1 and then running the last 4k but as we got to the halfway mark I was clearly doing ok and there was no reason not to carry on. Ian and I had talked before the race about perhaps aiming to run 8k and then I could walk if I liked. "How are you feeling?" he asked. "Shall we go for 8?" "Yes, OK. Maybe I will go for 7 and then decide about 8."
So on we ran. People passed us. Very occasionally we passed other people. Here at the back people were starting to run and walk so running along at my slow pace I would pass people, they would pass me when they started running again and I would pass them again. I decided to model myself on the tortoise from the Aesop's fable. Slow and steady. Slow and steady.
7k came up. It was fine. If anything I felt better at 7k than I had at 3. "OK?" said Ian. "OK." We ran on. When we got to 8 I just kept on running. I'll just see how far I can go, I said to myself. Ian didn't ask. He just kept on running beside me, occasionally getting fractionally ahead because his natural running speed is much faster than mine, but pulling himself back to keep me company. 8.5k went by and we began a long slow uphill. Marshalls shouted encouragement. I knew we must be towards the back but I really didn't care. I wasn't going to stop now. 9k. I was in new territory. I had never run this far in my life. But all I had to do was keep on going. My legs were tiring a bit but my breathing was fine. More lovely marshalls. "Great running. You've got this." "Only 400 metres, two more corners. You are doing great. Go, go, go!"
And now we came round the last corner. There were loads of people still lining the route. People whooped and cheered. It was just the two of us running together. The noise was amazing. Ian grinned. "Just like the Olympics!" And then from nowhere came a rush of energy and delight as we speeded up to cross the finishing line.
I never ever thought I could do that. I was never sporty. I was the girl at school who sneaked off to sunbathe during cross country and who hated PE. And I am not a big group sort of person. I like my slow and solitary running. Now I was slow yesterday I know. It took me an hour and twenty five minutes which was round about where I thought I would be. To my amazement when the results came out there were about fifty people behind us in a field of nearly four thousand, so I was slow but I wasn't last. I was also right that there were very other women in the 65-69 age category. In fact there were ten and I came ninth in my age group. But to me it is just amazing. I am still grinning like a Cheshire cat twenty four hours later. This time last year I never thought I could run for thirty minutes. I never thought I could run 5k, which still takes me about forty minutes, and I never in a million years thought I could run 10k.
We collected our goody bags and our medals. We walked back to the car park, grinning like loons.
"Well how was it?" asked Ian.
"I'd like to do another one."
Thanks love.
Written by
Gwenllian1
Graduate10
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Oh thank you! It is odd isn't it how the sense of yourself from schooldays stays with you. I was thinking last night that I am actually doing much more than most of the sporty people I knew back in the day. How odd that is!
Brilliant, well done Gwenwillian1, what a great way to run your first 10k! I was mentally cheering you on as I read your post - great run report. Hope you're still proudly wearing your medal! 🥉
Oh bravo! You did that do well. 🎉 Excellent Running and a lovely post. Three cheers for you, and an extra one for lovely Ian the Supportive. 🎉👏🏼 Well fine both of you. 👍🎉
That was a wonderful run report, thank you Gwen. What a great event to be a part of and you nailed it! Well done for sticking to your pace and saving your running legs right through to the finish line. The first of many, by the sounds of it!
Yes, of course! 😁 I’m hoping to do a 10k soon - if it’s not cancelled 😖 But I will be around the back of the runners, assuming it does go ahead. As long as I complete, that’s the aim for me 👍🏻 Then once I’ve done that, I’m sure I’ll be thinking, maybe a bit faster??? That’s certainly happened with my 5k runs!
I think I am coming to the conclusion that I am so much not built for speed I had better concentrate on distance! I have only managed one 5k under 40 minutes in months!
What a fabulous post Gwenllian, I was running that with you. Congratulations on your 10k what a fabulous achievement. When I was at primary school in the 60’s (I’m 66 and did my first 10k race last month) our mantra was “girls can do anything” and we CAN! Well done you. 👍⭐️🥳
Brilliant, well done you. A very inspirational post. I’ve only just got to the 5k stage so can’t imagine running 10k, this post makes me think that maybe one day it might be possible. Excellent job 👍👏x
Just keep running 3 times a week. You will get there. Time isn't important but putting one foot in front of the other is. Keep running 🏃♀️ and stretching.
Thank you Tasha. I know it's not a big deal if you are a real runner but it is still pretty amazing for someone like me who doesn't think of themselves like that!
That's fantastic Gwenllian1 well done.
Loved reading about your race. 🥳🏃♀️🤸 It's funny how we think we can't do something, but just setting off one foot in front of the other and we get there. Enjoy the 10k feeling 😀
Fantastic race Gwennlian1 and congratulations, 🎉 I was there too, that last 2k uphill slog was certainly hard going. Have you seen the official photos?
Yes I did. What a great day. I'm still smiling too. Everyone was so friendly. It was just amazing to be running through the beautiful buildings in the city centre to the cheers and roar of encouragement from the crowd! I met up with Run46 before the race, it was really nice to meet someone from this forum. X
Fantastic result . So much of your post sounds familiar to me . Eighteen months ago I ran my first 10k , followed by another four . I had to have 12 months off due to illness and I'm now at week 8 of C25K with plans to get back to doing 10ks .
Oh wow. It must have been so hard to achieve all that and then need to have twelve months off. Very best of luck with getting back to running again. I bet it will feel very special!
I also had a place in last year's Great North Run which enabled me to re-enter this year . Seems a run too far at the moment but I am determined to do it . Blasted bowel cancer is not stopping me this year !
What a lovely post! I’m the same age and have a very similar story - never ran till 2 years ago. However I have also run 10k (once) but unlike you not a race. I enjoy solitary runs too. Such a great achievement- I wonder if you signed up to another race quickly before you changed your mind?!! 😆 many congratulations
Haven't actually signed up yet but have found two reasonably local possibilities in June! Think I'm going to just as soon as I have got out again and proved to myself that I can still run!
Oh Gwen, I'm so pleased for you...you sound thrilled as well you should be super job 👏😊
Shame me and Cantstopmenow didn't manage to meet up with you to give you a big cheer but maybe next year, if we all decide to do it again 😁🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
I really am thrilled! And I hope in some small way this shows people that you don't have to be athletic, or fast to reap rewards from running. In fact if I were naturally sportier maybe I wouldn't be so chuffed!
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Maybe I have a 10K in me after all!
Strava November 10K completed ✔️
Thought I’d have a change this morning 
I'VE JUST RUN MY FIRST 10K!!
Another 10k, a good run I think!
