Dead Runners society race report
Enfield League 5 mile racewalk, London. - Saturday 22nd March 2003.
And now for something completely different, my first
serious racewalk. The start of my summer 2003 racewalk experiment.
Hello folks
Today I took a step into the unknown with my first ever serious
racewalk event. In recent years I have had to just watch and cheer as my
beautiful wife Shelley has competed in various veterans/masters track events.
Last month I finally turned 40 so I could join in the fun. Shelley is a pretty
good veteran middle distance track runner for her age group. However, if I were
to try competing in similar track events I would be way back, my strength is
not in short track races but in long road races. So I have recently taken up
racewalking so I could have something different to try when I compete in
veterans track meetings.
2 years ago I tried a racewalk track event for fun off virtually
no preparation and only walked sporadically after that. After the Manchester
marathon last October I decided to try racewalking again as my 40th birthday
approached so I have been regularly racewalking in training a couple of days a
week. I had hoped to make my racewalking debut at the British Masters Athletics
Federation indoor championships in February but the BMAF inconsiderately
scheduled the indoor champs 4 days before my 40th birthday :-(
Looking around for a race after that I came upon the Enfield
Racewalking League, a 5 mile racewalk series held every month in North London.
This is a category B racewalk event where "creeping" (bent knees) is
permitted although "lifting" (both feet off the ground at the same
time) is not. The more rigorous category is category A where both creeping and
lifting are not allowed, category B events are good for beginners. So today off
we went down the motorway towards the big city, we left in plenty of time so I
could get there nice and early to familiarise myself with the course and get
warmed up. Unfortunately some road works at the M11/M25 junction slowed us down
and we only arrived 25 minutes before the start. I signed up for the race and
did 2 laps of the athletic track at the Queen Elizabeth stadium to warm up
before heading off to the start.
The course was all on footpaths through soccer pitches next door
to the athletic track, 5 times round a T-shaped 1 mile loop. You could do as
many laps as you liked up to 5 miles, there was a special 1 mile race for
children. About 40 racewalkers of all ages shapes and sizes lined up, I lined
up at the back to start my walk into the unknown.
Off we went, took it very easy at the start for the first 1/4 mile
or so and then started to work my way through. Unfortunately my runners
instincts kicked in as I speeded up to catch some walkers ahead and towards the
end of lap 1 one of the judges cautioned me that I was running not walking.
Oops, slow down and walk properly, I got repassed by two men who I had just
passed. End of lap 1 in 11.10, as I started lap 2 I got repassed by a lady
called Pam. I decided to try and hang on to her for a while before trying to
speed up later. Off we went round lap 2, I felt a bit more comfortable by now
and I seemed to be walking properly. With the out and back nature of the course
I got to see all of my competitors several times and it was interesting to
compare the different styles. The walkers at the front looked pretty good,
those further back weren't really racewalking, just walking fast, still they
were ahead of me! 2 miles in 22.37/11.27, round we went again, felt OK I was
just staying in contact with Pam. There was plenty going on the sidelines with
lots of soccer matches taking place, twice we had to dodge footballs bouncing
across the path, there were plenty of dogs being taken for walks and kids on
bikes. 3 miles in 34.07/11.30, as we started lap 4 the leaders came past on
their last lap, now it was getting harder to stick with Pam. The entertainment
on this lap was provided by a dog barking madly at a tree with had a squirrel
in its branches. Towards the end of lap 4 there was Shelley, having finished
her track session, to cheer us on. I told Pam to smile for Shelley's video
camera. 4 miles in 45.27, 1 more mile and I was finding it tough. Last lap and
I was working hard just to hang on to Pam, we both lapped the last walker. As
we came into the finish straight I tried to get past her but I couldn't
overtake, just as we approached the finish Pam spurted ahead. Over the line 1s
after Pam in
56.38/11.11.
Very tired on finishing, that was a tough race but fun. Thanks to Pam
for me round, no complaints from the judges after lap 1 which was encouraging.
I had only racewalked further than that in training once before so I was
finding it tough at the end. Not a bad start in cool and windy conditions, I
want to go back next month and try going faster, sub 55 next time. Afterwards I
saw the results and I was 27th out of 29 finishers. Several walkers didn't do
the full 5 miles distance.
back to
running tomorrow, 30 days to Boston.
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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