Kinver 10k 2011

For the past eight weeks, my running has either been non existent or lacklustre at the very least. For the four weeks following the IronMan in July, I concentrated more on recovery and curry than any sort of training, as I couldn’t stomach anything more then a lazy jog or a quick dash to the shop on the bike. However, the running bug always draws you back and for the past few weeks I have slowly been getting round to doing more and more training and have started to think about the few races that I would like to enter next year – thinking being the key word there!

Numerous friends entered the Run to the Beat half in London and the Windsor Half Marathon this weekend and seeing their photos and hearing their stories has made me remember what fun large organised events can be. Despite the big events still holding some sway over my choice of races next year, my favourite races are the smaller local events that are organised by  various running clubs and charities. Every club will have  a club championship series which will be comprised of favourites such as cross country, handicaps and road races and these are great ways of keeping track of your fitness as well as having a bit of fun in a more relaxed environment.

The Kinver Rotary 10k is the race organised in my parents village near Birmingham. It is a pretty gruelling 10k that is about 120 seconds off PB pace for the top runners but the scenic setting and locality still draws in over 250 runners each year. Despite the threat of rain and the gruelling nature of the course, it looked like the turn out was higher then last year and there was a good cross  section of club runners as well as unaffiliated runners and beginners.

The course starts with a ‘gentile’ incline that is but a warm up for the mega 1.5km long 200m high hill that is smack bang in the middle of the course. Even the pros’s slow to a jog going over that hill as at some points I swear that it actually turns vertical and that combined with the wash from the earlier rain and the dodgy angle of the road makes for the roughest ‘road run’ that I have entered in a long time.

After the half way point the route became largely undulating and as the field separated out, people were going back and forth in terms of position as some were accelerating away on the downhills only to be caught again on the uphill sections.

At about the 6km mark I started to get the worst stitch that I have had in a long time. This weekend has consisted of house parties, clubs and catching up with old friends in both London and Oxford so I already knew that I wasnt going to be beating last years time, but i still wanted to finish the course! After a few minutes of slow jogging I managed to catch my breath and stomached the pain just enough so that I could sprint past the dozen or weekend warriors olds who had overtaken me (fair play to them). I had left my watch at home (along with my socks) in my hungover start drive from Oxford to Kinver that morning and so had no idea of lap timings or average paces, but I would guess that I was maybe running 7:20minute miles at this point – much faster than the hilly 10min miles over the mega hill in the kilometres previosuly.

At the 8km mark my stitch had completely gone and I started to wind in some runners in-front of me – not because of my desire to make up positions, but because I just really wanted to reach the finish line and get back to my hangover. The last 1km was a fast finish as it was all downhill and I somehow found myself in a dash for the finish with a few club runners. 45minutes isnt bad for the course but it was three whole minutes slower than two years ago. It looks like I need to start doing some serious training again…or maybe just not drink the night before a race!

There were some great  performances by some friends and family that were running the course. I think that everyone that ran it that I knew managed a PB so congrats to you guys!

James Basket – 51:44

James Basket Kinver 10k

Ian Craggs – 52:31

Ian Craggs Kinver 10k

Phil Jones – 54:14

Phil Jones Kinver 10k

Mark Middleton 57:47

Mark Middleton Kinver 10k

John Pedley 1:04:23

John Pedley Kinver 10k

Dave and Emily 1:05;22

Dave & Emily Kinver 10k

Dave was also the first person to run the whole of the Kinver 10k barefoot so technically speaking I guess he set a new race record!

Dave the barefoot runner!

The race itself was very well organised as usual and there was more then enough marshals directing and cheering around the course. I have been informed that the finish-line inflatable gateway collapsed mid race, which is why it was removed before any runners crossed the finish line but as least it was just the inflatable that broke and not the timings clock!

Race Photo Pack Download Link: Here