After a long period of what can only described as a period of intermittent running, I entered my first race since Winter 2009. Organised by the Erme Valley Harriers, this race route nestles paralell to and over some of the lower slopes of Dartmoor.
I entered via Sports Systems who must have just done the entries as none of the guys who did our Valentines 10k were evident at the Start or finish.
I’ve been enduring an intermittent tight back problem over the last few weeks and this had recurred in the morning of the race. It was probably not the best idea to run, but sometimes running eases it and stubborness not being one of my most endearing traits, I went anyway.
The Ivbridge 10k is unashamedly a Club Runners race with the majority of entrants were Club vests, strange not to see any of the colours I’ve become familiar with over the years present, apart from my solitary 26.2 vest!
The race HQ is based at Ivybridge Rugby Club and collection of my Race Number and loo stop, baggage drop etc. all went smoothly. I met a couple of people I knew, one of the guys who organise the Endurance Life Coastal Trail Races and a Client of Sara’s who’s a Club track runner doing her first 10k.
A short warm up jog (ignoring my tightening back) towards the big car park at Ivybridge Station car park to the start and we were ready to go. The first few hundred metres were the steepest downhill start I’ve ever done, 10m descent in the first minute and a half, then onto the main road and the start of what totalled another 18 minutes (3.5k ish) of ascent to 77m higher than the start. The worst of this was from just past the 1km mark and involved a very steep rise up under the railway viaduct and up a narrow street at Bittaford, an incline that slowed me to a walk.
Past 4km at the crest of the hill, I started to get back some speed as the route started to descend, which apart from a couple of smaller rises, it did all the way to the finish. I played leapfrog (metaphorically) with a few guys over the last few kms, eventually winning some and losing some!
The last km was mainly downhill and I picked off a few guys, notably a member of the “Roman Gladiator” running club (I kid ye not), who’d surged past me several times who then I’d managed to reel back in. The last few hundred metres was uphill along a narrow lane on the other side of the Rugby Club field past the finish, a quick turn into the car park and the finish was there.
After the usual post race wobbly leg syndrome, I collected a bottle of water and a Technical Tee. By this time, having stopped, my back was screaming at me and having stopped I was reduced to a slow hobble. I got in the queue for a post race massage, but after 20 mins of waiting, my back had solidified and I bailed out seeking refuge in the heated seats of Sara’s car, luxury
So, my Devon road racing duck has been broken and I’m looking at some more races over the summer, I think David Pimm was doing one down here so I may see him! Whilst my time of 46:16 is 6 minutes off my PB from 4 years ago, it’s start of my return to focussed and hopefully regular running again. It’s good to be back!
First: 1 0:32:48 COLE, Jim Senior Men 03:16.8
172 0:46:16 FINCH, Simon 26.2 RRC V50 Men 04:37.6 386
Last: 621 1:20:40 HULCOOP, Jason Moorhaven RC Senior Men 08:04.0 79