Little did we know when we signed up for the British 10km during our long cold winter what a scorcher the day would turn out to be! We were both more than a little nervous to run in the 30 degree heat that has enveloped the country in the last couple of weeks. Our preparation had been good; with plenty of mileage under our belts, but nothing could prepare us for this!
The start line was staggered and we passed the London buses marking the start line about 15 minutes after the race had officially began (I made a mental note of this for the finish line so that I wouldn’t be disappointed when I turned the last corner of the course to see the finish clock!). Music lined the course and we started at a fairly steady pace. My confidence grew as we passed a number of people who looked far fitter and better prepared than either of us.
Shortly after the 2km marker I heard a member of the crowd tell her friend that she saw someone running in a Winston’s Wish vest. She sounded surprised; and this spurred me on further – it is nice to hear the murmurings in the crowd as you run past. Lots of people shouted ‘Go on Winston’ at us as we ran, keeping us motivated around the course.
The official crowd of Winston’s Wish well-wishers (a bit of a tongue-twister there!) waited for us on Embankment and shouted & cheered as we passed by. I can’t begin to explain what a boost it gives to you as a runner to have people cheering specifically for you when running in a crowd of thousands of people. The course looped around through the City and back along the Embankment at which point we passed the Winston’s crowd again and received a second big cheer.
The final few kilometres of the race went by in a bit of a blur – the heat was getting to us and I longed to see the end of the course. Our final time was a respectable 52 mins and 30 seconds – not a personal best by any means, but something we can be proud of amongst the throngs of people and blistering heat.
Thank you to all of you who sponsored us in our race. It was a fantastic event to be part of, and such a good cause to be raising money for. Our sponsorship link is still up at http://www.justgiving.com/samantha-alan if you have not yet sponsored us but would like to; we would both very much appreciate it.
