Decided to do this on a whim on Friday. (Fathers’ Day treat!) Rode 50km yesterday as prep. Tired legs.

Result: 17th/268, 40:22
Date: Sunday 17 June 2012
Format: 10km undulating road run
Race website: http://www.alresford10k.org.uk/ and/or http://www.alresfordrotary.co.uk/Alresford-10K
Full results: http://www.alresford10k.org.uk/Alresford10k_2012_Results_Prelim.pdf
Route: http://gb.mapometer.com/running/route_2060002.html (stats: 10.00 km, 179m ascent)

Nice running weather this morning. Good organisation. Friendly atmosphere. Ice cream van on site. 500m and 1 km options for the kids off before the 10K, some younger than Kitty and Zac running! Local bobby on push bike rode in front of the lead runner. Plenty of marshalls and even a few spectators out on the route.

Had listened to the gossip and heard the guy who won it the last three years, saying he wasn’t going to this year, “because Tony Lambert had turned up”.

I sidled up to the line for the start, to avoid having to push through the crowds for the first 1000m like last time I raced at Dorney and was late to the start…

Felt a bit “heavy” in the first couple of km, yesterday’s bike and hard run earlier in the week, but kept it together and settled down OK. Ran outward 5K in 19:49, struggled a little bit on the way home, my best distances still < 7 or 8 km, and got overtaken by just one guy with 750m to go, who politely told me I dragged him round this far and should come with him, but I had to decline. Family encouragement gave me enough boost to fend off the next chaser thankfully. Result: 17th/268 40:22

Turned out the gossips knew what they were talking about. Sub 33 minutes winning time!

Steam train to Alton and back = great rest of day.