The first race of 2008 (Bushy Park Time Trials don’t count) and my first shot at a G3 race organised by Toby Jenkins from All About Triathlons. The G3 races aren’t your regular 10k running race as they involve sand, grass, mud and around 250m of climbing. If you’re contemplating entering either of the two remaining races I’d recommend you invest in either a set of fell running shoes (with pyramid soles) or cross country spikes. I opted for the spikes.
Closer inspection of the start / finish line loaned to Toby by John Lunt showed that any sprint finishes would require me to duck. The ASICs sponsored banner was little more than 6ft off the ground. The start was a fairly low key affair with a quick 3-2-1 resulting in the off for 350 hardy runners. I was careful not to start too hard and the 1st mile reminded me of those cold inter school cross country races I’d tackled as an asthmatic teenager. I steamed past my dad who was marshalling and I wondered if he was thinking back to the 1979 Hambledon Fell race where he’d gone off way too fast with the leaders only to fade badly for the remainder of the race. The only photograph to make the paper had him in shot, just before he passed mum and me.
The first major downhill of the race was straight down a very steep, slippery grass field and I can honestly say I was totally in the hands of my trusty spikes. The shorter chap who was leading must have been equally out of control as I wasn’t gaining on him. Then we started the big climb to St Martha’s church. Not only was this a deep sandy climb, but it was also bloody steep. Continue reading ‘Roger Barr - G3 10k Race 1 - 2008′
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