Got up this morning at what seemed a ridiculous hour for a Sunday morning (I know it was only 7 o'clock but I was tired and cosy). It was absolutely chucking it down and the thought of going all the way into town to run 3 miles was not a great one. However, I mostly entered this race because it ran through the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh. When I lived in Leith in the early years of Alistair and I's marriage I used to frequently run past the Botanics and into Inverleith and wish the nice people in the Botanics would let me run just once around the gardens. So I couldn't turn up the opportunity to actually be allowed to do it!
I got to Inverleith at around 8.15am and headed off to pick up my number and drop my bag. The rain had dried up by this point and it was turning into a really nice morning. I chatted to some people in the queue for the numbers and really noticed the nice feeling about this race. I think because it was a Jog Scotland event there was no ego's, no pre-race chatter about how fast you thought you were going to go or how tough particular bits of the course were. It was just a nice supportive feeling.
Got my number and then headed off to find the toilets. I sat on the floor inside the building and pinned on my number.
Once my number was pinned on I headed off to hand in my bag to the baggage tent. I wandered back towards the start line and who should I bump into but a running buddy from Penicuik, Alia. Alia and I live really near each other and bump into each other on training runs and at different races. She is really nice and just a bit running bonkers like me! She was there with a few of her running chums and her sister Nadia who is home for a visit from Dubai.
We had a bit of a giggle during the warm up. Nadia was taking it very seriously whereas Alia and I were totally unco-ordinated and not taking the whole thing seriously at all. Alia kept on saying that she was glad it was only 5K as she was too tired to do anything else. I was feeling guilty that I was only running 5K when I should really be turning out a 15 miler for my marathon training (which I am going to do tomorrow for the record.) Anyway, warm up over we headed for the start. We walked towards the start line and then the whole field realised we were facing the wrong way. Very amusing to watch the looks on the faces of the people who thought they had safely gone to the back of the field only to find themselves at the front!!! So runners sorted out, we waited for the hooter to start us on our way.
At 9am we set off for our 5K. Very quickly I realised that maybe Alia and I were hasty in being so relaxed about it only being a 5K. I had totally underestimated my own ability and had stood at the back of the field where I normally go in a race. I was forgetting that this was a run for people who predominately had just started running and were challenging themselves to their first race. I got totally stuck in a bottle neck as we ran into the botanics. I was faster than the runners I was stuck behind. So I managed to get myself past them and then my shoe lace came out!!!! This was turning into a harder run than I had imagined. Shoelace tied and crowds negotiated I was finally free to run in my own space. That is when I noticed I was running past the Chinese Garden and then the Palm House. This is great I thought, I am finally getting to run in the Botanics. Then I hit the first hill. Blooming heck I thought didn't really expect hills (although I know they are there I have pushed buggies up them often enough in the past). Then we headed out of the Botanics and into Inverleith Park.
It was a odd part of the route as there were several doglegs.
It was a really good route for this type of run because there were runners everywhere, so anyone who was finding it tough there was a lot of support. I was also smiling as there were loads of Jog Leaders all the way around motivating and supporting their runners. I had a lady behind me shouting "you are doing great, we are nearly there, you have nearly done it". She was of course supporting her own runners but it helped me too. It was a fabulously supportive atmosphere, more so than a non jog scotland race where there a huge variety of abilities. Fabulous.
Last dogleg done I was feeling really good but sure my time wasn't great (hadn't looked at my watch) but knew where the finish line was so picked up my pace to head for the finish line. Got round the corner saw the finish flags and then took a quick glance at my watch - 27 mins. Yeah, I had wanted 28 mins and was under it. So I ran as fast as I could to that finish line.
I crossed the finish line in 27:30 mins. I met Alia at the end and we both laughed at how you should never underestimate even a 5K! It was a tough course with a lot of hills, it is Edinburgh afterall we shouldn't have expected less. We stood and watched for the rest of Alia's group to come in and it was really great cheering everyone on to the finish line and watching the delight on everyone's faces at the end of their very own challenges. Great atmosphere.
Oh and there was a great wee goodie bag - got a fabby running belt for holding all my gels.
I am a Jog Scotland Jog Leader but since Alan (the other Jog Leader) left at the college I haven't really done anything about it at work. Maybe this is the year to start trying to get a group together. I saw a slogan on someone's t-shirt which said "Running is cheaper than therapy" and whilst it raised a smile it also made me think how true. I have said before running is not about exercise for me it is about wellbeing and a healthy lifestyle. We work in a stressful environment and maybe I could help some people with that by sharing my passion for running and encouraging them to take up the 5K challenge. Will need to work on that when I go back.
Great way to start Sunday morning. Will need to motivate myself to get out tomorrow to do my 15 miles - maybe not so easy!!!!
don't worry, be happy :)
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