Wednesday 29 June 2011

PLATT FIELDS 10K...post race reaction.

                                   PLATT FIELDS 10K RACE JUNE 26 2011 (on Youtube)

Examining the video it shows how many shot off into good upfront positions at 1K, only to subsequently suffer in the unfavourable conditions and fall back, some  quite dramatically.   At my age I CAN'T start fast, going through in 4.25 after the slow get away on the narrow paths  and  maintaining this pace meant steady progress from 51 at 1K to 32 at the end.
 I thought I had come through the race unscathed  in terms of collateral damage to the old legs. .  But whether it was a delayed reaction or a tumble I experienced in the garden, by Monday night the left thigh was extremely sore. 
  So more time spent icing the leg on Tuesday than running. Just a very slow 2 mile jog  in 21 minutes(!)  on the grass to see how  well my self treatment had worked.   More work followed with the polystyrene cup ice massager last night and I managed a much less painful 4 mile this Wednesday morning.  Panic over!   But I'll be having an easier week than normal.  

1986  A look back at this week 25 years ago.
 July 1st.  Carnegie athletics facility.  Leeds City had been organising a series of track meets this summer and as one incorporated the YORKSHIRE 5K CHAMPIONSHIPS a few of us who trained up there on a Tuesday night decided to do it. It was to be my first track race for some years.
  Quite a big field lined up, over 30,  including a 22 year old RICHARD NERURKAR  who just nudged ahead of an M. Salt in 14:26.4.   Holmfirth's international GRAHAM ELLIS  was 4th in  14:54.8 with myself ( 15:18.1) outsprinting my friend and Valley Striders clubmate HILARY McEWAN (15:20.6).   Sadly no longer with us.  7th was now renowned triathlon coach JACK MAITLAND (15:31.2) ;  one of my former puplis RICHARD PALLISTER was  9th (15:35)  with ALWYN DEWHIRST (HOLMFIRTH) 10th in 15:36.   International Alwyn had a best of 28:48 for 10K from '79  and was one of the greats of English cross country running. He is still out every weekend at meets and races in his capacity as a Holmfirth Harriers coach.
      There would be no return to track for races until 1989, competing as a vet for the first season.

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