SEAA Cross Country - Parliament Hills - 30/01/2010 - 15Km
This has been billed as the toughest race that only the brave (or stupid) do.
I had only signed up to do this as I assumed the junior section would be doing it so I would be taking the kids, thus I may as well run it as I will be there. In the end the juniors did do it.
To add to my apprehension I had found out that most people doing this race had never done it before, and those that had did not want the spare places that had come up.
Although Parliament Hills on Hampstead Heath is only 30 mins away parking in the area is a bit of a problem. Public transport is a bit of a problem in the area and it is popular with people from all over London so add a couple of thousand runners to this and finding a space can be difficult. I had allowed a couple of hours to get there and find a space as last time I had to park a couple of miles away. Arrived and found a space almost outside the main gate.
Found the team manager and he was wearing normal clothes as he is not running. I had assumed that when he said "Do you want to join us at Parliament Hills" he would actual be running. Talking to the others it would appear that only a few people had done it before, one of them had done a different event over a shorter course and another last did it 20 years ago.
We made our way down to the start line early, with 10 mins to go we where the only people there. Then the other thousand or so other people joined us. I had decided to find a space near the back so I didn't get pushed out of the way by the faster runners.
2 min warning and we move to the start line and then we where off. Start was up hill and gets narrow very quickly. I was slightly behind a fellow club runner who has run it before and normally runs at the same pace as me. As the course narrowed I passed him so decided to run my own race and keep a steady pace.
After the top of the start hill it was a downhill and the first of the muddy bits. The ground was really churned up as there had been 9 other races before the senior men had be let loose on it, so after another couple of laps with was going to get really bad. To choice with the mud stick to the outside of the course where it was less muddy, or go for it and push through the middle.
Found that if you push through the middle in the mud you could pass people trying to pick a route on the outside of the course.
The course weaved across the hills to the top end of Hampstead Heath. The top end of the course was thought the woods, bit odd here as it was banked so you slipped sideways as you ran. The spikes would dig in at the front and the back of slide putting pressure on your ankles. There was a massive mud filled ditch with a short (10-15m) 60 degree slope on the other side. Found I could push up the hill and pass people, spike much better and finding grip than trail shoes.
Out of the woods and you zig zag back across the hills, at this point you run in parrellel to the other runners so you can see how far ahead the fast guys are. Through some more woods and back around to the start hill, and do it all over again.
It was on the start of the second lap I was closing in on a fellow club runner, surprising as he is normally a bit faster than me but has just recovered from injury. About a 1/4 of the way in to the second lap I passed him, he was looking ok just seemed to be taking it easy.
About 2/3 of the way around the second lap the front runner come flying pass me, closely followed by some more, as they headed for the finish line, I turned into the third lap. As I went down the hill the mud at the bottom was really bad, as I put my foot into to a puddle I found it was an ankle deep hole. My ankle went over and I hobbled out, Kept running to see if it would easy off as I didn't want to pull out on the third lap. As I kept running it was hurting more, I considered walking but could see a fellow club runner in front so pushed on to see if I could catch him. The ankle eased up.
Checked the watch and estimated I had another 10 mins to go, I felt fine so increased the pace slightly passing as many people as I could on the up hills where I seemed to be stronger. Into the finish down hill and I used the technique of pushing through the mud to make up some more places, The last corner everyone was going wide to avoid the mud, I cut in on the inside to make some more places and push to the finish line.
Team manager redemed himself with cups of hot Ribena, home made cake and a pair of unfrozen hands to undo your shoes laces.
In the end actually and enjoyable race and not as tough as Turbo X.
Time 1:27:45