Wedgnock Summer Series - Race 4 - 13 August 2009...

Distance: 10k (6.2 miles)

In a time of...
hh:mm:ss
00:36:09

Finishing Position: 1
Number of finishers: 103
Putting me in the top: 0.97%

I won! I won! I won!!! (Nothing like being modest eh?) Since I starting running back in late 2005, I remember saying to myself (and quite possibly to others as well) "One day I'd like to win a race" adding that "It doesn't matter how big or small the race is - but as long as it's an official race, with no barriers to entry, that any member of the public can enter... I'd like to win a race". Well 16th August 2009 was the very day I would win my first race - and I couldn't have been happier.

Leading up to the race I wasn't expecting too much - in the last race of the series I'd failed to close the gap to first place and the winner of that race had been improving consistently since coming back from injury just before the second race of the series. So I knew it'd need something pretty special to beat him in the race - and I also knew that I was 4 points behind him in the series standings, which meant my only chance of winning would be to win the race, and for series leader Ian Mansell to finish 5th or worse (5th place would mean we'd tied on points for the series). Based on the last race, the odds of this happening were minimal.

The night before this race was an 'inter-club race', where my club (Kenilworth Runners) competed against teams from Stratford AC and Spa Striders (of Leamington). I felt it my duty to run for the club, so ran, but at a steady pace, placing reasonably well for the team and finishing strongly. I was unsure of how this race would affect my run on the Thursday at Wedgnock, though I felt quite good during Thursday daytime.

I'd decided on a race plan - perhaps a little bizarre, but knowing it would be a hard race anyway, and that even a win probably wouldn't be enough, I decided I'd do something a little daring and go for broke - besides I had nothing to lose! The plan was to start hard - possibly too hard in fact, and challenge other runners to come with me. I know I can be quite strong mentally so felt that if I could force others to run beyond themselves, there was a chance of them 'blowing up' and falling backwards down the field. As I say, a bit of a crazy plan, but a plan nevertheless.

So after a reasonable warm up and very quick stretch, we were lined up and ready to go - the familiar face of the series leader lined up along with a few other familiar faces. The gun fired and I kicked from the outset - opening up a lead with every pace I took. With 200m gone I could hear the stampede behind me, possibly 5m or so, and at 400m we started to climb - the footsteps behind were starting to sound a little more faint though I could still hear a few runners and some laboured breathing. It was at this point I realised the series leader wasn't going to push for the win, and had obviously realised that he only needed to finish in the top 4 to take the series title, something which he'd done in all of the other races. With that in my mind, the series was out of my hands, and all I could do was push on and do my best for the race.

I continued to push on, without looking over my shoulder, and ran through the 2km drinks station at a good pace - dad was poised to take photos a few hundred meters further ahead and I passed him to the usual "Well done Boy..." but this time his comments extended to add "...you've got 50 yards" - "Blimey!!" I thought... "50 yards?!... how?" I began to wonder whether I'd perhaps started a little too fast, but I felt pretty good so pushed on.

That was it for a good while then - I ran alone, and each time my focus drifted away a little as it would on a training run, I made a conscious effort to pick up the pace again. I was noting the km markers as I got closer to the finish - I passed dad a second time at the 7km marker, though I can't remember his words of encouragement this time round. Along a road of recently laid hardcore I ran, checking over my shoulder at one point, but couldn't see anyone - through a kissing gate and into the field which was ridden with cows last time round - I checked over my shoulder just before I left the field, and again I couldn't see anyone.

I was now fairly confident my lead would be sufficient to see me home in first place, even if I had a terrible last few km. My legs were tired, but it didn't seem to matter as I didn't need to fight too hard. The finish line seemed to take quite a while to come round, but as I rounded the final corner I started to grin from ear to ear - punching the air in celebration before finishing the last 20m at a strong pace. I was absolutely ecstatic!