Monday 27 June 2011

Come Rain or Shine.....



The beautiful Washburn Valley

Well what can I say? The Jane Tomlinson Leeds 10k was (nearly) a total washout! My prayers were not answered and I got up (late) on the Sunday morning to pouring down rain! I knew I had to collect my number at the event due to my (late) entry and so it was we hurriedly made our way to Leeds. Got to the bottom of my road and the van's fuel light came on, cue unscheduled fuel stop, just to make me even later. Finally arriving in Leeds, the slip road to the multi storey car park was closed as were most other slip roads off the main ring road, after frantically driving round for about 15 minutes I asked my husband just to drop me off and I set off running in the direction of a few runners I could see up ahead, not a clue where I was or where I was going!

Anyway all worked out fine, I managed to find Millennium Square, got my number and got directions to the Red start area. Before I knew it we were off, soaked but off! Although I do love a busy race this it seemed was over busy. The streets were narrow, I zig zagged from one side of the road to other, up and down the kerbs, however I did feel I had made a good effort as I neared the finish, the welcome site of fellow club member Linda sent me gliding to the right, right again and....another incline, I had imagined as I race down the Headrow that I was continuing to the finish line, mistaken, I ploughed on up before turning left and finally the finish line came into view. Lesson learned, 'don't count your chickens!' So I didn't manage my sought after 10k PB but well and truly justified the reason why I hadn't. Last year's race had been so much more relaxed as I had pledged to stay with my sister, compared to this year's race I really did feel the brunt of the crowded course. Ah well, onwards and upwards there's plenty more 10k's to be conquered.

In stark contrast, some of our members were travelling over to the Washburn Valley (the following) Sunday. Holidays were preventing some of them carrying out the Otley AC reccie of the three legs of the Washburn Valley relay we are entering teams in, somehow I was 'talked into' doing the reccie along with them. Not though, a reccie of one leg, but all three!

Getting out of bed early the sun was cracking the flags. Mick and Dawn arrived to pick me up and off we set. There were 7 of us in total. Arriving at Otley we set off on leg one, it was very warm. Next, leg two, it was warmer still. Leg three it was getting on for 11 am, it was stifling. The guys set off and Dawn and I followed. We arrived at the bridge at the bottom of a gravel path and stopped for a drink. I think in the heat both of us wanted to turn back, it was however, an incline back to the car park, probably just over a mile to run back, we both agreed we may as well carry on and finish what we had started. It just seemed to get hotter and hotter. We were plagued by flies. What a difference from the same time last week. You wouldn't imagine you were in the same country, never mind postal district! Amazing.

All the times I have run around Fewston & Swinsty reservoirs I have never noticed the lovely Fewston church, those of you who have run around there will know that there's a point where you need to come off the banks of the reservoir out onto the road and then back down again. The church is just as you get to the car park to go out onto the road. Stunning, can't understand why I've never noticed it before.

It felt really good to finish and I hurried to the ice cream van to buy myself an ice lolly, an orange lolly never tasted so good! So hopefully, one leg at the Otley AC reccie will seem like a walk in the park. Oh and the race the week after? A little more effort may be required, let's hope it's not so hot!




Fewston Church

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