Rob's Running Blog

My First Club Run With Sweat Shop Hyde Running Club – Bit Embarrassing! Approx 10k in 1 hr 15 mins

For some reason, aware that my local SweatShop in Hyde has a running group, I decided to give it a try. Perhaps it was the fact I have just finished my course. The weather was nice and I had been discussing the summer solstice with a friend, I thought it would be nice to get out an celebrate this part of the year with a nice evening run with some other runners. I checked the website and it said their intermediate/experienced group was for sub 10 minute milers. At my current pace that didn’t give me any cause for concern as I’ve been managing 9 minute miles on my 5 mile runs, and I figured I could run with the slower runners at the back and have a nice easy run in preparation for Sunday’s race and meet some new people as a bonus. I rang the shop and they said they were running 5 or 6 miles so I said I would be along.

I set off for the shop and enjoyed the cool breeze that was about, although it was quite hot in the sun. Got to the shop and saw some people there in running kit, the chap behind the counter saw I was new and sorted me with a membership card. It appears the SweatShop Running club, at least at this shop, is not only free, but you kind of get running air miles, and win prizes along the way, including a Garmin or pair of running shoes… Anyway, I endured the ordeal of a newbie as loads of people who all seemed to know each other turned up, and made some conversations along the lines of what sort of pace the group would be running at. My idea was to just have a nice easy run at the back of the group with the slower runners. One lady said her PB for 10k was about 51 minutes, so with mine being 49 I figured I should be ok. A few people said they were doing the City of Manchester 10k on Sunday, so it was nice to know. As we set off a couple of these people advised me to just take it easy, they would be too, saving themselves for Sunday. That was certainly my intention!

We set off and made some light conversation until I found myself in a pocket alone for a bit, realising too late I had forgotten to start the Garmin, but started it anyway just to get an idea of the distance and time. The pace didn’t seem too demanding as we headed down to the canal, and I felt quite comfortable, there was a pack in front of me and one behind, and I settled in, looking forward to the run.

Not long after this the pack behind me came past me, and as we crossed a bridge I looked back to see I was at the back by now. The chap from behind the counter (one day I will know the names!) told me not to worry as someone would always stay with me. By now I was already feeling mildly anxious about what I had let myself in for! Then I recognised where I was as we headed up some stairs cut into the side of the Tame valley, suddenly Sunday’s long run was being replicated! The stairs were quite painful and I seemed to be matching some of the back runners, but then they pulled away again.

It seemed a friendly group, and they kept waiting at certain points for everyone to come together again. At one point the leaders went the wrong way, and the counter chap made us all turn around to go back to the planned route. At that point I had thought we might be heading back already! The real torture began when we ran to within 100 yards of my house along St Lawrence Road. When we turned left I joked that my house was to the right, and was sorely tempted to go home at that point, but thought it would be worth sticking with it.

I didn’t however bargain on the remainder of the route being all the way down Stockport Road and all the way through Denton Woods, again replicating my long run on Sunday. Checking the Garmin a few times along the way I realised I had been running 5:30 or quicker per k in places which was total madness, and by the time we got to the woods I was struggling to keep going never mind try to keep the back of the larger group in sight. I had a real sense of cognitive dissonace as my running spirit was telling me to push and work hard, while my commonsense was yelling at me that I had just done my longest run of the season 2 days before and I had a 10k race in 3 days, and this sort of hard slog was the last thing my body needed – I think my body itself had also come to that conclusion!

A very kind lady stayed back with me and could tell I was struggling, she suggested we take a short cut and at that point we lost the rest of the group as there was some confusion about the rendezvous point. We spent about 5 or 10 minutes waiting for the group when they had already gone past we later found. I plodded to a somewhat painful finish, finding the hills towards the end a struggle, and starting to feel sharp pains in my feet. I really appreciated the way they made sure someone stayed back with the slower runners. Erm, I mean runner – Me!

Pretty much the first time I have come so far behind in anything and I felt rather embarrased and annoyed that I had held the other runners up. Was a very humbling experience as I’ve been feeling nice and confident about my running lately and this made me feel, to put it bluntly, slow and crap! The chap behind the counter said they have another group on Mondays that takes it easier, so maybe I will try that, though I can’t help but feel if I had gone with fresh legs expecting a pacy run, I would have been OK. That thought about the race at the back of my mind wasn’t helpful and I hadn’t really recovered from my long run fully, so I was bound to run out of steam.

I did enjoy the company of the group (before it vanished ahead of me) and it’s nice to know the group is there, but next time I will make sure it coincides with my plans for a hard run, or if I want an easy run, join the beginners 5k that starts about an hour earlier!

If any of you read this many thanks and hope to see you again, but maybe not the back of you disappearing into the distance, ha ha!!!!! 😀