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Well I couldn't resist the inaugural running of the Bedford 10k, and the lure of 'first fifty entries get a free tshirt' was too much to bear! I happy got involved in helping out at this race, arriving at Russell Park in brilliant sunshine on my bike at 7.15 am there were already many people busying themselves getting things ready. The Kite Festival and Regatta were also on so it was a hive of activity. I was helping on the late entries desk with a few familiar faces:
We were not too busy and with four of us there wasn't much to do, socialising was more the order of the day, so many friends and fellow runners to say hello to! After much yelling as usual I managed to get a bunch of harriers together for a photo:
After a race
briefing we were soon on the start line. I am pretty sure the race
was started by our very own Iva Barr ( I wasn't at the front so
couldn't see) The claxon
sounded and we all hurtled up the embankment towards town and then
left over the bridge, wow, running a race in your home town takes
some beating, the pavements you've pounded over the years suddenly
feel a bit more special, the river views brighter and more
beautiful. It makes you feel proud to be local and a Harrier all in
one. Bystanders are people you know, roads are closed for you, it
really is something to behold.I must admit the first few km didn't
feel great, not sure if it was yesterday's park run or just tired...
Anyway I plodded on staying close on the heels of fellow harrier
John Haggerwood. It was so
easy to get carried away in what's going on around you instead of
focussing on the running. Usually I don't notice surroundings as
much but I was marking landmarks, friends houses, etc. 5k in and I
was at 24 mins - on for a good time I thought, then the wheels fell
of from 5-7k and I struggled, it was a bit warm for me, I much
prefer grey drizzly days for racing.
If Carlsberg
made races...this would be one of them! A brilliant day out.
Sarah
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