Rob's Running Blog

BUPA Great Manchester Run 2009 Race Report

Well, I had been really looking forward to this, and been training well, with 5k PB’s and all sorts, so had some confidence that I could go sub 50, although I knew it might be a bit tough due to the 33,000 strong field.

The race came at the back of an emotional week, with a few things going on – have started the clearout operation at my mum’s house, which is proving to be a mammoth task, and just lots of little emotional bursts at having to throw things out, finding old notes/letters etc, so I have been carrying that around in my head, but felt quite chilled on the eve of the race. Had also been feeling a bit run down with some spots and a mouth ulcer developing – despite eating well and taking the usual multivitamins. Last pre-race run was a bad ‘un, did 5k in 29 minutes and felt awful, but that’s happened before and resulted in PB on race day so I didn’t worry about it too much.

Didn’t get to bed too early, then was up before 7am, felt groggy but that’s not unusual for me at that time of the morning! Unfortunately I also woke up with a tongue the colour of a brand new cricket ball, felt a bit sore as well, so used some mouthwash after a breakfast of peanut butter on toast. Walked the dog then got my kit on, made sure I had my chip around my ankle then went to get te bus. It felt a bit chilly, but was warm on the bus. I holed up at Piccadilly rail station for a bit to keep warm, plenty of other runners around, but no real opportunity to jog for a warm up. Used loos etc – an old lady asked me if I could stay and listen out for the phone for her, as she was waiting for a call, then she asked if there was a first aid man about to check her blood pressure as she was getting stressed out waiting for this call. I hope she got the call, but I had to leave, lol.

So I went to join my wave, jogging from the station to Portland Street, and they were doing the mass warm up. I jogged on the spot a bit, but felt a twinge in my shoulder area, think I have a bit of a strained muscle there. In any case, as we moved forward I ended up next to a person dressed as a big teddy bear – I automatically thought “Wait till I tell mum about the teddy bear…” as she always used to like the fancy dress element on the TV, then of course I realised I couldn’t share such things ever again and the waterworks started up a bit so good job I had the shades on In any case, I steeled myself and off we went, a long walk to reach the start line and then people around me broke into a jog. Great atmosphere as usual!

I felt a bit crowded in at first, and was zigzagging and dashing to make headway, although I felt being kept in check for the first few k might actually do me good and save a bit for the second half. So I went over the first k in 5:08 which was pretty slow but not too much to catch up if I was to get a sub 50. As we headed onto the long road out of the city, I started to get really bad pins and needles in my hands, have no idea why, maybe it was a by-product of adrenaline, as I had felt pretty nervous and pumped up about the occasion at the start. This did go, and I felt ok, and at 4k I put in what was to be the fastest kilometre of the course at 5:02. I was getting hot but not too breathless, and bypassed the water stations, but thereafter I was totally stuck in 3rd gear and couldn’t find anything else, I put on some bursts of what felt like speed but couldn’t keep it going. I thought if I could see the last 3k as a time trial and blast through them I could make up the time (I was way off the intended pace by then) but I had nothing left and by the time I was in the finishing straight I was pretty much dragging myself along and just wanted to get it over and done with. My shiny left Adidas Supernova had been dyed red by blood, the sock was soaked with the stuff, think a little nail was digging in to the toe next to it – have run quite a bit in the shoes and done a race before without problems, looks like this just wasn’t my day all round!

According to the Garmin it was 52:53ish for 10.1k, will see what the chip time is but not really bothered – I felt half dead going through the finishing funnel. Not sure what’s going on as that’s 2 races on the trot where my time has got progressively slower after a good PB, don’t know if it’s just been the hard week, or whether the red tongue and stuff is just a sign I have picked something up and am not fully fit tho I don’t feel ill (although throat is starting to get sore now) – certainly I know I can run much better than that, but I couldn’t find my top gear at all today. I don’t know if it was because I couldn’t find my own rhythm early on as I was having to slow down with walkers in front of me, then sprint-dash around them when space allowed – probably a bunch of factors that didn’t allow me to run at the pace I know I can.

Still I enjoyed the day out and the atmosphere and raised a few quid for Marie Curie. The day didn’t end up so bad – in fact it’s not every day you run in the same race with Haile Gebreselassie, then get to watch Usain Bolt and Christine Ohuruogu race, and end up with high fives off Usain Bolt, who had just recorded the fastest ever speed recorded by a human in running the fastest 150 metres time in history as part of the Manchester Great City Games 2009 🙂

Bolt even made the rain stop when he was due to come out to run – respect!

I have entered plenty of other races so I have to come good in one of them sooner or later for that sub 50.