Longest day 10k - Sunday 21st June

A race report??? How can that be?? I hear you ask! 

Now we all love a good medal but with all the race cancellations this year I was beginning to think that my medal collection for 2020 was going to consist of one very beautiful cow medal and not much more! (which I love BTW– Thanks DHHM!)

A favourite of Hayley and mine has been the Chippenham Longest Day 10k. On a Wednesday in June an increasing amount of EGRC ers have headed over to the beautiful Chippenham’s town centre and met up with the cheeky monkey that is their mascot! 

This year, the event opened and loads of us signed up, knowing as well that we’d have a well-earned EGRC social afterwards – then disaster struck – the event was no more and kicked into the long grass until the winter! The Longest day became the shortest day, postponed until December…. Clever twist but left us all with ANOTHER gap in our running diary. (still open if you fancy joining us!) 

 

But when DB Max announced they were organising a virtual equivalent we both signed up within about 2 minutes! The official race day was indeed on the Longest day – Sunday 21st June and we looked forward to having a “race” together.

On Sunday morning we met in our usual place and decided on a rough route that would cover the 10k distance. We set off at 0900 when the on-line start gun “fired”.  Having not run that much in the past few months I knew this was going to be a bit of a struggle but, as usual when I’m in a race, I went off a bit too fast! Hayley reigned our speed back in to make sure I even had a chance of finishing! 

So we started at the end of Emerson’s Lane, towards the “Now and Then” structure before heading towards the cycle path and through Lyde Green. The temperature was rising and I was grateful for reaching the crossing at the Beefeater where the lights were kind to me… we had to wait to cross! Phew!!  Quick catch of breath before our route took a turn left back up towards Sainsburys. This is where I realised that I really don’t like that slope… never have, never will! 😊  but we got there! 

Once that little mountain was conquered, we pushed on as we had reached our half way point. A return journey along the Dramway path made a nice change from just pounding the tarmac of the cycle path. An enormous puddle also gave us the delight of dirty trainers – definitely classifying the run as “multi terrain” now 😊

At the end of the Dramway we crossed another road (aka another breather-phew!) and then headed back to Mangotsfield Station and into Pomphrey Hill Fields. It was absolutely perfect that our 10k  (well after a few extra loops around the cricket pitch!) finished at Changing Room 4 – the home of our beloved EGRC! What a lovely way to finish our Longest Day Virtual 10k. 

It wasn’t fast, or furious, or race like, but it was great to get out there and challenge ourselves to “Race” with my running pal.

Wend