Consolation

Prepared for today’s 10k finale with a close game of 5 a side yesterday.

I skipped the usual pre-race Mars bar - didn’t really fancy it. This turned out to be a mistake. I was on the right sort of pace - at 5 miles I was just behind Monday’s 5 mile time - but it was really hard work and the legs went to jelly and, for the first time ever, I had to stop. I had no fuel in the tank. There were still 2 kilometres to go. I walked half way and then jogged to the end. For me, Tommy, the tour was over. But, when the result came out, I was still able to get the consolation prize of best old man (over 50).

G got the top OU runner.
I was 23rd on the day.
Top runner staggering across the line carrying a sweaty T shirt.

J had overtaken me as I walked the 9th K. But I had been going fast enough that my time wasn’t absolutely disastrous. Did I have enough of a lead to beat him over the whole tour? We’ll need to wait for the full results to make it to the website!

I was annoyed because it was avoidable if I’d be sensible enough to eat enough beforehand and, after a couple of Mars bars and a sandwich, I was fine for the 6:00 game of football...

Mind you, I felt pretty beat-up afterwards having added a scraped arm to the twisted ankle and bruised toe that I seemed to have already (these didn’t notice while I was running though).
Limped up to the bath like an 87-year-old...