Dead Runners society race report
Enfield League 5 mile racewalk, London. - Saturday 12th April 2003.
Next month, as I tapered for Boston, I returned to
Enfield for another walk in the park.
Evenin all
Tony here with a report on his 2nd attempt at a monthly 5 mile
racewalk series. Last month I did my first ever road racewalk race at the
Enfield League in North London. I enjoyed last month's effort but my time
wasn't that good, I did 5 miles in 56.38 and finished 27th/29.
Since then I have done a bit more racewalk practice amongst my marathon
training, I was thinking of having another go today as my last hard effort
before the Boston marathon. I was feeling a bit tired this morning and I wasn't
sure if I wanted to do it but the results of last month arrived by snail-mail
this morning so I persuaded myself to do it again. So off I drove down the
motorway to the big city, no Shelley to cheer me on this time as she was too
busy with her work. Last month we arrived a mere 25 minutes before the race
thanks to a traffic jam so I left nice and early and arrived 2 hours before the
off. So I sat in my car and read "The Salmon of Doubt" by Douglas
Adams for a while until the other walkers arrived. I signed up for the race,
this time I had a plenty of time to warm up so I jogged once round the mile
loop used for the race. I did about 1/2 mile of racewalk practice before it was
time to sign up. About 30 walkers of all ages had entered, lots of older vets
but some little kids as well.
Off we went, I was determined not to go off too fast this time but
it was a bit unnerving to see how fast the main field went away, I was stuck at
the back with some little kids and some of the older walkers, still a long way
to go. After half a mile a lady walker came past me so I decided to try and
stick with her, pace gradually speeded up and I slowly started to reel in some
fast starters. Lap 1 of 5 completed in 11.08 (last month 11.10), so far so
good, no complaints from the judges. The little kids had all dropped out now
after their 1 mile race. The lady I was with was going pretty hard now and I
was working hard to hang on, around halfway round this lap we passed Pam, a
lady who I had walked most of last month's race. Towards the end of lap 2 I was
on the edge of getting a stitch, lap 2 in 22.00/10.52 (last month 22.37/11.27).
The lady then said "that's enough training for today" and slowed
down, I gradually pulled away from her and then Pam (who I had walked with for
4 miles last month) came past. I hung onto Pam and we passed another fast
starter towards the end of the lap. 3 miles in 33.04/11.04 (last month
34.07/11.30), I was working hard and feeling tired by now but I knew I was on
for a much better time, I also felt as if I was walking a bit better than last
month. Just after the start of lap 4 the leader came zooming past, he had a
HUGE lead and he looked like a proper walker. Lap 4 was tough going, Pam put in
a burst to try and get away but I hung on, towards the end of the lap the 2nd
place walker came past. 4 miles in 44.03/10.59 (last month 45.27/11.20). As we
started the last lap Pam said that we were over a minute ahead of last month, I
wanted to break 55 minutes. Off we went for the last lap, tough going but not
too far now, about halfway round the lap I got my nose in front and slowly
pulled away from Pam. It was a long way down the home straight but I kept
going. Over the line in 54.48/10.44 last lap! Last month 56.38/11.11. Very
tired on finishing, left leg felt pretty sore, Pam finished 8s behind me,
revenge from her 1s defeat of me last month :-) That was tough going but fun!
I jogged 1/2 mile very slowly post-race to recover before getting
cleaned up. I hung around for the presentation and I got an award! I won a
prize for "first novice" that I should have won last month, a very
nice surprise :-) My first individual hardware in this country.
Tomorrow is London marathon day, no Sunday long run for me, I will
watch the marathon on the BBC in the morning and then go out for a jog in the
afternoon. 9 days to go to Boston, time to take it nice and easy from now.
After I have got Boston out of the way I am going to concentrate
more on racewalking over the summer. I hope to take a bit more off this 5 mile
time later in the year.
tony....
Tony Bell
Midweek.
Warrington, Cheshire.
Weekends.
Milton, Cambridge.
tony.bell2@ntlworld.com
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tony.bell2/tonyhome.html
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