First non-Parkrun event, first bling, first ice cream prize - this is Run Jericho!

[Steve_L]

Well, that's the first organised race under my belt, and the first bit of bling round my neck!

Run Jericho is a community 10k Race organised by a local school to raise funds. It's accredited & licenced by RunBritain, and well organised and marshalled. The field is limited to 400 runners, and all places were taken this year. The course is a really nice one, starting in the school grounds, going through the streets of Jericho (an area of Oxford with a lot of character), the grounds of Worcester College, Oxford University, then along the Oxford canal a short distance before cutting across the bottom of Port Meadow to the Thames, then along the Thames pathway up to Godstow, along the road there a short way, diverting back into Port Meadow to bypass the main part of Godstow (and add a little more distance), back onto the road, over a horrible bridge over the railway (that hurts after 5 or 6 Km!) then round and down onto the canal towpath back down to Jericho, where it breaks back out onto the roads and back to the school.

The weather was good, if a little warm, and the ground was mostly firm and reasonably dry, despite the torrential rain we had yesterday. One nasty surprise was at the top of the course, where it dips back into Port Meadow, where the course turned a blind corner and there was suddenly a very large patch of ground that had been muddy, had been badly churned up, and was *very* hard to navigate.

I managed to pace myself well, overtook more people than overtook me, and I finished in 1:04:26 ish, just 20 seconds outside a PB. Given that the course wasn't entirely straight forward, and that particularly in the early stages, the crowds and narrow access ways meant it was hard to run, I'm pleased with the time.

At the end I got my first bit of bling, and a free ice cream from one of the event sponsors.

I enjoyed this. I want more!

[Usain_Balti Graduate]

Well done Steve. Glad you made it and a good time too.

[Hidden]

Great run, Steve, and nice bling!

Free ice cream, where do I sign up for next year?!!

[runswithdogs Graduate]

Lovely pic, fantastic time and great race report. I'd be surprised if there weren't a few injuries in that mud pit - it's a different story when you can see it coming.

Will you rerun this route now? It sounds really varied and interesting.

Congrats on the race and the bling

[Steve_L Graduate in reply to runswithdogs]

I ran it a couple of times before the race, and yes, it's lovely. I imagine I will keep it in my portfolio of runs.

[Vixchile Graduate]

Sounds like you had a fab time and a lovely ice cream afterwards sounds great. It's very addictive entering these events but great fun

[Pigivi]

Well done, your smile says it all!

[Steve_L Graduate in reply to Pigivi]

[dagshar Graduate]

Well done. I remember Jericho and Portmeadow from living in Oxford 25 years ago. You werent tempted to pop into a pub near the river then? 😉

Sounds like a lovely run and a great time!

[Steve_L Graduate in reply to dagshar]

I was too busy running! I'll imbibe a celbratory drink or three this evening.

It is a lovely run, and all things considered I'm pleased with the time. I felt good enough towards the end to be confident I can improve before too much longer.

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Ooh ice cream and bling! What's not to love? And a great time too Steve. Well done to you.

[Steve_L Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks, Princess!

[catchmeifucan]

Nice one steve, sounds like a brilliant event, great time and ice cream too, heaven!!

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

Nicely done Steve.

The start of what, I am guessing, will be a fairly sizeable bling collection.

[Steve_L Graduate in reply to Dunder2004]

Thanks, D. I felt strangely unselfconscious wearing a medal round my neck!

[ActonHighStreet]

Nice one Steve - Jericho is a lovely area (our kid was at St. Anne's) and free ice cream sounds great. Looks like you had good weather for it as well.

[Steve_L Graduate in reply to ActonHighStreet]

The weather was good, AHS. I was a bit concerned, because yesterday afternoon it chucked it down, and I had visions of wading through mud. Thankfully it was mostly ok. Jericho is a lovely area, and has one of the best community spirits in Oxford.

[poppypug Graduate]

Fab Steve ! Well done , oh it's a brilliant sense of achievement completing a 10k and collecting the bling !

Here's to many more .Congratulations to you ! xxx

[Steve_L Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Thanks, Poppy! Still have a smile on my face. There's a news item and video of the start on the Oxford Times website at oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/1334... . I'm in the video near the guy in the Minion costume (and yes, he completed the 10k!)

[poppypug Graduate in reply to Steve_L]

Ah yes ! I spotted you ! Blimey, I bet he was hot in that costume ! xxx

[ju-ju- Graduate]

great picture and a brilliant run, well done you

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Nice one Steve. The first of many I suspect......

[Steve_L Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

I certainly hope so!

[operation2015 Graduate]

Wooohoo well done !!

[Steve_L Graduate in reply to operation2015]

Thanks, op!

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

OOh first bling! That's a special moment isn't it?

[Steve_L Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

Certainly is!

[Hidden]

Amazing! So cool to have got to this point, you're def a real runner now. You will be admiring that medal for a while, and will be happily remembering this moment every time you have an ice cream this summer. Have you got another event lined up? Is 10k your standard running distance now?

[Steve_L Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I'm keeping my distances mixed up, Ruth. 5k and 10k each have different things going for them. 10k is a lovely distance to enjoy, but obviously takes up more time. I do have another event planned - the Oxford Half Marathon in October - ooerr! I'm tempted to find another 10k event before then, though, I enjoyed yesterday so much.

[Hidden in reply to Steve_L]

I totally knew you were heading for a half marathon! I think you deserve to succumb to temptation for another 10k, it's a long time til Oct. Best of luck!

[Peter_B Graduate]

Well done Steve, sounds like a great run.

I was going to say I'm disappointed to have missed the entry, but as it turned out I've been ill since Sunday so if I had entered I wouldn't have been able to run anyway.

There's always next year!

[Steve_L Graduate in reply to Peter_B]

I definitely recommend it for next year - I'll certainly be doing it again!