East Grinstead 10 Race Report - Once is Enough

With Run Jersey fast approaching and a consecutive 5k, 10k and Half Marathon to do over 3 days, I saw this 10 miler as a step in the right direction for my training. I didn't really look into it much more than that though and to be honest, It kinda came back to bite me on the arse!

With my usual my run nerves not helping matters, I knew the only plan for today was to get round in one piece. I did but no real thanks to the course. I set off with a group of maybe 250ish people at a 'take it easy' pace but it soon became apparent that whatever pace I may want to run was completely irrelevant. Within half a km, we all had to stop to go through a little opening. Then, in the space of around 5km, we went over, I think, 5 stiles. (and again on the way back). In between that was a lot over very narrow either single track path or mud puddles 6 inches deep. Me in road shoes (this maybe where I didn't read enough in advance) meant that I was slipping all over the place and could barely keep my footing and even when I could, I couldn't get into any kind of rhythm.

It soon became a just an exercise in staying upright and finding a nice bottom to follow round the course. That's all it was. I didn't look at my pace once (Garmin tells me it was as slow as it felt though). The entire intention was get to the end to get in my car and go home. I finished. No relief, no emotion, no nothing. I just didn't care. But hey, I completed an undulating 10 mile race so I can't argue that it didn't do me some good training wise but I hardly pushed myself.

To finish on a positive though, the marshalling was exceptional, friendly and encouraging, the scenery on the open bits of the course was spectacular (I think I saw about a dozen houses on the entire route) and at the end, there were jaffa cakes, fig rolls, mini mars bars and yogurt covered raspberry flavoured thingys.

In short:
The Organisation: Brilliant
The Course: Could to better
The Trainers: In the washing machine.