Well the annual Great Manchester Run has come round again quickly! It's amazing to think how quickly a year flies by and I couldn't help but think of the Andy of 2008 who'd run a marathon the day before and then got up super early for a visit to the airport where transport troubles made it look a little dodgy as to if I'd even make it! Well this years build up was much more suitable and I'd set myself the target of a sub-40 10K whilst also agreeing to then sneak into the final pink wave and run round in the Stockport County Fide the bear mascot suit! Anyway, quick results below, and Great Run pics here
-----------------
As me, as Fide the bear
Overall Position Age Group position Time Age Grade% 5K time
140 out of 26936 108 out of 14610 38:06 70.5% 18:04
20426 out of 26936 ------- 1:07:41 39.7% 36:10
-----------------
Fresh from my Marathon des Sables endurance challenge I fancied going back to the beginning of my running career... a 10K. The Great Manchester run was the first race I signed up for and this would be my 5th time (and due to ever increasing cost of this event, probably my last). I got there in plenty of time and a quick change into race gear at the Red Cross charity stand I donned for the first time my Stockport Harriers running vest! I got to the start line and finally found out what the mysterious 'A' was for on my race number, as I was allowed to enter a special 'A' pen right behind the elite runners and with space to warm up in, it was brilliant!
By the time we were ready to go it turned out that probably the greatest distance runner of all time, Haile Gebreselassie, was just 6 rows in front of me, touching distance of a living legend! How could I not feel inspired in the circumstances?
The gun went and off I shot. Each kilometer had to be under 4 minutes for me to meet my target and this would be a tough order for me. I finished the first K in a time of 3:06 and realised I was going way to quick, and tried to take my foot off the pedal before I did to much damage.
As I approached Old Trafford I felt strong, but I knew I'd be in trouble as my splits had been incredible up to this point and I was ahead of a fellow Stockport Harrier I knew to be stronger then me. The atmosphere was just to intoxicating though and so even though I tried to ease off, I didn't really. The crowd were great, and with my running vest on I was getting the odd shout of "COME ON STOCKPORT!" from spectators!
By the 5K mark it was now obvious I was going too quick as I'd set a new 5K PB of 18:04 and I still had 5K to go! Now the difficult patch started and by 7K my split was over the 4 minute barrier. The winds were strong in this part of the course and really slowed me down and it wasn't until the final K I managed to pick the pace up the pace.
Coming onto Deansgate I was running on empty but a shout of "Go Andy" just made itself heard (which I later found out was Tim from work). There wasn't much of a sprint in my legs which felt as if they were on fire by now, but I kept it together long enough until I crossed the finish line in a new PB of 38:06, but there was no time to rest, and off the Charity Village I went.
A quick pit stop which would have made the McClaren F1 team proud meant that i was refuelled and back out making my way to the start in double quick time. I got into the Pink wave just as they were brought to the start line, the gun went and now the hard work began. I was keeping it easy to begin with as Fide dur to the fur suit really being an oven. Fellow pink wave runners went past me in there droves and I really felt like I was only walking, but I kept the faith with my pace knowing that consistency is key, not a fast section. Again there was the odd shout of "Stockport!" from the crowd, only this time I couldn't see the person due to Fide's head.
I did manage to scare Ali at the Red Cross cheering point by running up to him and hugging him. I'm still not sure if he realised it was me in the suit, which made it all the funnier! As I approached Old Trafford I bumped into a cousin of mine as I saw Christie Bear cheering from the side lines and another hug ensued! By the 5K mark my time was 36:10 and I felt a little sad that I wouldn't be able to do John and Mini proud and get Fide round quicker then Sharky (there's a bit of rivalry between Sale Sharks and Stockport County who share the same ground). Still there was 5K to go, and I'd overcome tougher challenges and so I decided to give it everything I had.
The windy section near Salford Quays was a nightmare with the giant head of Fide which acting as a sail, it was like having some annoying person constantly pulling your head back! My neck was weary by the end of this section but the long straight into Manchester was all that was left, and so off I went. By now many of my fellow pink wavers who'd given it there all were exhausted, and I felt a little bad overtaking them in Fide knowing how much of a blow that can be from my London Marathon exploits where the same happened to me. At 9K however the time was 1:01:56 and there was a chance of a new mascot PB so I threw caution to the wind and went for it, hoping that I'd reach the finish line before I overheated!
The final sprint must have been hillarious to see with Fide's head bouncing around all over the place. I was exstatic to cross the line with a new Mascot PB of 1:07:41! Looking back at the graph below though I have to say there is no way I'd have carried on at this speed if I'd known my heart rate was over 200 bpm... not advisable in the slightest!
A huge thanks to Laura and Jo of the Red Cross and of course Stockport County for lending me the suit. Stockport County had even been so kind as to dry clean the suit first! It goes without saying another big thanks to all the spectators and the organisers who put on a great event as usual. I'll try and get some pics up in due course.
Cheers
Andy
