My First Race

Having been running (well lacing up my trainers and mincing around for a maximum of 40 minues) at least three times a week (ok... a couple of weeks it was only twice but I jogged on the spot in the office to make up for it) I decided that it was time to try my first 5k race and see if I could actually manage 3.1 miles in one go and, if so, how many hours that might take. By coincidence, the Festival of Running hosted by Great Ormond Street Hospital was taking place in Battersea Park on Sunday 7 June, and as part of it there was a 5k chip-timed 'Fun Run'. Perfect... I get to experience my first 'race', in my back garden, whilst supporting sick children AND getting to see Andrew Castle - GMTV presenter and former professional tennis player - in running shorts.

The field ranged from the keeno elite runners wearing alarmingly little through to dedicated octogenarians who had come straight off the night shift - specifically to intimidate me with their talk of sub 20 minute target times - to groups of girls in fancy dress and grandmothers pushing prams. After a Mr Motivator style warmup that almost finished me off before I'd got going and a countdown from the lovely Andrew Castle, everyone shot off out of the blocks rather fast. Whilst I got carried along in the initial enthusiasm, I soon dropped towards the back of the pack and the octogenarian was but a small speck in the distance by the time I reached the first kilometre marker. The route started down central avenue and then round the carriageway only to repeat again before finishing near the bandstand. Apart from a brief period somewhere between 1k and 2k when I got a bit down about just how slow I was compared to everyone else I actually had quite a nice time, and when I realised I was going to cross the finish line in under 30 minutes I was very pleasantly surprised.



The goody bag was an added bonus... I could've maybe lived without the white, pink and baby blue sports cap but the banana flavoured milkshake, Nature's Valley cereal bar and lemon & lime sports drink were all worth carrying home. And as for the rather fetching gold medal with magenta ribbon, well I wore that round the flat for the rest of the day.

Distance: 5k 0r 3.1miles
Time: 28mins and 54seconds
Pace: 9mins and 19seconds/mile
Speed: 6.5mph