Wheathampstead 10k Race Report - The effects on the human body, of running a 10k without a single run in the previous 49 days

Well you'll be pleased (I hope) to know that I survived. I wasn't quick and it certainly wasn't pretty but I managed to run the Wheathampstead 10k, on an undulating course, in 27 degrees, without a run in the last 49 days and without stopping in 59:32! I had pitched myself at 1:05:00 so I was delighted to scrape in under an hour.

In an absolute refusal to get a burnt head (it happens a lot), I looked more like I was dealing with the heat of the Marathon des Sables than in Herts in May. A buff going down the back of my neck with a cap over the top, sunglasses and a healthy amount of suncream on my arms and face. It was a bit scary.

But can I still walk. Well yes. Slower than normal and with a slight grimace but yes. The legs are as stiff as they used to be when I first started running and I can feel the tension across my shoulders oh yeah and I have the coolest blister along my left foot but that's about it. No knee pain, no calf pain. THAT is great news.

It's not an easy route an involves a lot of inclines, uneven ground and 2 sets of steps but it has a great feel to the event with the family 2k that's run before and with the bouncy castles and the like.

My race was all about completion so when myself and eatingtrees took ourselves to the start, we headed towards the 55-60 marker. Once we started eatingtrees headed off through some of the runners and just as I was about to follow, I felt that I was going to struggle if I did that so I just settle back and started running. It was quite surreal with no one to talk to AND no mp3 player. All I could hear was my own extremely heavy breathing but however hot and slow the race was, I kept thinking back to eatingtrees comments about last year and the constant downpour of rain. It must have been a bog in places so we were lucky in that way I guess.

I have to say that I don't really remember much of the run after that. It was just about finishing and judging by my spilt time, I ran at pretty much the same pace all the way round in a kind of daze. First 5k: 29:45. Second 5k: 29:47. As I said, not in anyway quick but at least I didn't have to stop!

My happiness of my achievement was so much, I've signed myself up for the Cranleigh 10k at the beginning of July. Let's hope Juneathon doesn't destroy me in the meantime.