There is still a carnival here every year in June and the Duffield 5 (miles) is part of the carnival week. I first ran it with my children on the strength of my netball fitness in 1997 and don't remember what happened except that the children had t-shirts for finishing and I received a silver coaster. (Still use it as a pepper mill stand) Then I didn't run it again until running 'came into my life' when I was 61. So I ran it in 2019 and 2023. Covid cancelled 2020 and injury prevented me running in 2021 and 2022. So what would 2024 bring? Firstly, a change of route and a forecast temperature of 28℃. The change of route happened so a long road was left out and we ran more field paths, trails and climbed more stiles instead. More beautiful even if generally this caused everyone to take a little longer. Happily the temperature was 25 ℃, not 28 ℃.
I taught a year 10 lad from 4pm to 5:30pm. He was due to run in the Duffield 5 too, just like last year. During our maths lesson a friend messaged me to inform us that she would be squirting water at me during the race with another friend of hers and they would squirt my pupil too. Quite a lot of folk on squirting 'duty' this year which I find great fun. My friend doesn't normally take part in the squirting, but I had expressed concern that the change of route meant that we wouldn't pass the lads that had had super soakers out in their front gardens. Although we had much less road, we now passed my friend's house.
Shall I wear a hat or not? I never wear a hat while running to protect from heat as I invariably run in the cool before breakfast. I decided to take a hat and put it on depending on need and tuck it in my flip belt if I didn't need it. No idea if it would stay on. We were not that prompt walking to the primary school where the run starts. I just about managed to collect my number, pin it on, work through my warming up routine and play hunt people I know. We found our opposite neighbour but my next door neighbours were missing. Didn't spot my maths pupil either. Ah well ... Did see lots of runners from from a club called Derwent Runners. The name was across their running tops.
I had thought about pace. My injury troubles have meant I need to restrain from increasing my effort too much, well where should my pace be exactly, certainly not 8 and above out of 10? Somehow with the 28℃ forecast, my ideas on pace were probably not possible, I always want to improve on my previous time irrespective of my knee troubles. I really need to change this mind set. Why do I still want to beat previous times, I have been battling knee issues and I am 67? Also had a period of keeping my average heart rate below 128bpm to protect my knee. This meant some walking and since reverting to my more usual running, hardly any speed runs. Ideas on changing this 'must go faster' mind set appreciated. So I didn't have the clearest of plans, except perhaps to aim for 7 min/km for the first km.
I see that we had 208 finishers this year and one of those was disqualified. I have no idea what happened there. Most odd for something listed as a Family Fun Run. Last year we had 273 finishers. My husband and I had thought there looked to be less starters perhaps due to the 28 ℃ forecast. I actually decided that there was enough cloud cover and passed my hat to my husband. I don't really want any gubbins on the my runs. So the race began with the usual lap around the school playing field and I found it so hard to get my pace down to 7 mins/km, so odd when my usual running pace is much slower, my first km was 6min 48sec. I was very near the back and found myself chatting with two ladies who said they had only been running for 9 weeks. This run at 8.36km and 207m elevation gain seemed rather too much for just 9 weeks of running! I see from the results that they did finish. Well done to them. I am obviously not up to the easy chatting during races that a number of folk have talked about in their run reports, I think I need all my energy for running. But I'm glad that I managed some chatting. Always lovely in the early residential areas where folk are supporting and know me so call out my name. Too many saying well done, when from quite early on I didn't feel that I was doing well at all. Once the hills began, my pace was whatever I could manage. Which included more walking that I would really like. I never used to walk these hills. Ah well....
I enjoyed putting my recently learnt down hill skills into practice and remembered not to sprint like I had in my half marathon (seriously a very bad nutcase idea). As much of the route is not near houses there were marshalls here and there but no supporters. Water at half way of which I drank a little and poured lots over me. The new route includes part of one of my favourite running routes and the photo above, taken one April, is part of the new route. So on and on we went.
Along my friend's road, uphill, much squirting. I pressed on and did increase my pace here and there and even looked a bit like a runner in the photos my husband took near the finish line. We are still having technical problems with my phone and computer, so I don't think I shall be including race photos. Literally just learnt a new detail. As I came into the school playing field there was someone just behind me, I had no idea. My husband told me that I pulled away from her as we neared the finish line which his photos show. I was just too whacked out to be aware of anything, even though I could run and up my pace. Strange really ... I did receive my medal and this is where things become rather hazy. I just about remember some one giving me a little square with a number on it. I just wanted to sit down and then, in fact, lie flat on my back! I have never done this before. A friend wanted to greet me but saw me in a poorly state so went home and left me to my husband. My maths pupil messaged me the next day "I did see you finish, was going to come over but you were collapsed on the floor. 🤣" My husband couldn't find me. He was looking for someone standing up. Happily he did find me after a hunt. Some children were singing our "Open the Book" song as I am part of the Open the Book team. I was just too worn out to respond. My husband smiled at them. Happily, after I don't know how long, I regained my ability to stand up. We went to the Mega Vets (over 60s) results table to see what we could discover and, of course, they wanted my little square with my presumably, finishing position. I had no idea where it was. Just vanished. Anyway they put put me as third out of the three lady Mega vets. The other two ladies were both super vets last year so I assume they are 'only' 60. Anyway a few days later when the full results came out I had been promoted to second place! Not so good for the other lady, but perhaps she didn't pay much attention and was just happy to take part. I had wondered that if I had lost my finish number I wouldn't have an official placing or time. The event has been running for years so I expect the organisers can cope well with most eventualities. The results also showed me that another of my pupils ran too. Hadn't spotted her either. For those of you interested in goody bags and cake, perhaps because there is just a £5 entry fee, goody bags and cake or other food do not feature.
Sadly my non-injured knee is causing me problems and so I haven't run since last Monday's race. It is improving and I am really hoping to run on Tuesday. On reflection if I ever feel up to another half marathon, I would like it to perhaps be three months before the Duffield 5, not just 6 weeks. Currently I want to run in the Duffield 5 as long as I am able. It really is a lovely community event and it is just so good to take part in it. Even realise the taking part is 'the thing' and my time doesn't matter so much. 😊🏃🏻♀️
London Winter Run completed!
10miles in the bag 💼 