I always worry on the day of a race which I’m arranging. I’m constantly going over things and lists in my head to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything, so everything runs as I have planned. I’m also worried about things that are outside of my control and hope nothing derails my plans. I don’t want runners to have any problems and hope they all enjoy the day. As a race organiser it is hard to relax and enjoy the day, even when I actually have enough helpers to run it myself. From the start of the day until the last runner is back and accounted for I’m on alert. Even after arranging races for 9 years this feeling hasn’t subsided and today was no different.
Even though I worry during my events, I do love holding these events as it is a great excuse to bring running friends together, from my local running club Astley and Tyldesley Road Runners, my Brathay 10in10 friends and others from near and far.
With the dry weather leading up to the event the trails were mud free and dusty in places, making for easy running conditions underfoot. On the day it was very warm with long spells of sunshine. Lovely for holiday makers and good for spectators but not ideal for keeping hydrated during a marathon or a 50k ultra. I put extra water out on the far side of the course to help the runners cope.
The hot weather conditions made it tough going for all the runners but everybody respected the conditions and most coped will. We did have a few run a shorter distance than they planned but there was also a few who amazed me and decided to run further than planned.
A huge well done to Charlie Sharpe for setting a new course record in the 50k, impressively dipping under 4 hours with 3 hours 48 minutes 20 seconds. Well done to Paul Brown for winning the full marathon for the men in 3 hours 24 minutes 27 seconds and Cath D’Acendis for the ladies in 4 hours 22 minutes 55 seconds, especially as she had only planned on running the half! Lastly well done to Sean Warburton for not just trying trail running for the first time but winning the half marathon and sneaking under 1 and a half hours with 1 hour 29 minutes 9 seconds.
The event made £801.94, with the proceeds going to the Brathay trust to help them support vulnerable and disadvantaged young people. I’m so pleased with how much we have made and thank you to all that helped and entered, without you all it just wouldn’t be possible.
I might arrange the event but I couldn’t have done it without a few very kind helpers. I wish to especially thank Yuk-Lam, Cath and Abbey who did a sterling job at the finish area and Terry for spending his time cycling around the course taking some great photos of the runners and sharing them for free.
Being the race organiser means the event is my number one priority but it is great when I get the opportunity to still run myself. I enjoyed my run but kept monitoring the event lap by lap, checking in with Yuk-Lam and Cath each lap. As everything was going to plan and all the helpers were doing a brilliant job I decided to have a go at running the 50K. This was only my third time at this distance and as the two previous occasions had been on a self-guiding event in London where I had got lost both times there was a strong chance I could knock a chunk off my PB for this distance.
I ran the first 3 laps very conservatively partly making sure the event was ok and partly to keep me on a sensible pace for possibly completing the 50k. It felt like I was running too easily but I needed to last 5 miles more than when normally running a marathon. As laps 4, 5 and 6 passed it progressively got harder but I mentally kept working a bit harder to compensate and I was pleased that my pace only dropped ever so slightly. Lap 7, the final big lap and a little extra lap to make the accurate distance made me have to dig deep in the heat but I was so pleased to finish in 4 hours 39 minutes, a PB by some 29 minutes.
All in all it was a fantastic day for me, not only did the event run smoothly and raised lots of money for the Brathay Trust but I was thrilled to get a shiny new PB. I can’t remember the last time I got a PB, this is something that becomes more and more rare the older you get. I still feel there is some scope for me to improve this new 50k time at some point in the future.
Well done to all the runners and happy running to you all this summer. I hope to see some of you at a race in the near future.
