Autumn Update #1

A number of races to report on :

Three 10ks ; Firstly the LDNX 10k in Wembley which is a new race with a course that goes round the area outside Wembley Stadium. Bizarrely it starts in and then later goes through some of the Stadium’s Car Parks : This makes for some challenging conditions on bright sunny days. Then later the Middlesex County Championships in Victoria Park. I won a silver medal in the County Champs. Lastly the the London (Vitality) 10000 which is basically a lap of the London Olympics Marathon course starting in the Mall & then going out & back to the City. Times not quite as fast as I wanted but OK just on 50 minutes % 75% age grading.

The Westminster Mile was the day before the London 10000 : It felt frustrating not to run anywhere near as fast as I used to be able to over this distance but I did at least have the satisfaction of being 3rd in my age group.

The Big Half (half marathon) was as usual, a tougher course from Tower Bridge going in reverse over much of the normal London Marathon course to the Cutty Sark in Greenwich. Time was a minute slower than my Hampton Court time but the latter is a faster course.

Finally there was the Berlin Marathon towards the end of September. While it was very hot and very humid, I don’t know why I found this so very hard – my time was the slowest since Sydney for which I couldn’t train while recovering from my Achilles injuries.