Cancer Care Cymru Canter 5K 2009
The day after Llanbedr to Blaenavon, a 5K race in Bute Park. What was I thinking of? Well, trying to bag 40 races aged 40 was the target and with only a few weeks left to do it in I had to grab my chance despite stiff and sore muscles in every department. Still, I warmed up with a jog to the park on another glorious spring day, and spent a whole hour walking and shuffling around in the woods to ease my legs as close to race mode as I could.
The start was at the back gate of Cardiff Castle, so it was a slight downslope and then fast, flat and testing to the finish. I started further back than usual and began to work my way up through the succession of "usual suspects" from Les Croups, Ponty Roadents et. al. First KM came by in 3.42, and I was starting to loosen up. I began to feel the tiredness of the previous day creeping in as we piled through the woods to past Blackweir. 2nd KM in 3.47. I pushed on, finally edging past Andy Davies who was looking strong in his bid to break 19 minutes, KM number 3 taking 3.49. Yep, a downward trend in those lap times...
Next came the toughest bit of any 5k, the fourth kilometre, through the carpark and back into Bute Park with a twisty section near the ambulance station - KM number 4 in 3.47. Mmm, I thought, I might break 19 minutes here - that would be good after yesterday. The long loop in the shadow of the castle saw me overtake for the last time as I passed the last marshal - Matt T - who called out my new name which was great to hear (thanks Matt) as I rounded the corner of the castle wall and hit the gentle slope - a killer in the last KM nonetheless - that led to the north gate. Through the gate and the finish was right in front of me, a surge for a last KM of 3.45 and a final time of around 18.50.
A lovely race, but the compounded effects of that plus the mountains the day before left me crippled the next day with bruised quads and calves that didn't want to move at all. Still, I had 32 races under my belt and every chance of completing 40 before my birthday as planned. Next up, so the plan went, would be a 2 miler and a marathon in NYC.....