"The beautiful village of Lymm provides the backdrop to this 5k race..." the blurb reads. True enough, but two crossing of the M6 made me think otherwise. Trudging up that last hill under the motorway I was contemplating the insignificance of our efforts, the sun beating down on our backs reflecting heat up off the Tarmac, the relative silence of us runners, racing, gasping for breath, hearts pounding, all lost by the noise and mayhem above. I did ok, certainly not quite as on form as I have been these past few weeks.
Under the circumstances, the result was a fair reflection. Unlike Chris, who ran both ParkRun and the Lymm 5k, I chose to volunteer at Wythenshawe and was handed the time keepers watch. That focuses the mind, I can tell you! And it's not just the matter of waiting for the finishers to appear, there's the funnel to erect, cones to collect and so on. I do not profess to claim any kind of contribution to the setting up and running of this particular ParkRun, but the more I do, the more I appreciate the efforts of the regular volunteers. Who do it for fun!
Fun is something the timekeepers and officials weren't having at Lymm yesterday as we waited for the results and presentations. There was a degree of chaos at the finish, overtaking in the funnel, congestion and so on. You could feel the angst as the race director made his apologies, listing the issues they were dealing with and stating they would have to verify the results by referencing with the video later that day. The tea and cakes were good though, more than compensating for any delay!
This morning I rounded my week off with another 12 miles, stepping out into quite heavy rain with a degree of reluctance. Clutching my fiver and house key in my gloves, I could think of only two things. What time would I make it back to Starbucks and why do all the gullies and drains appear to be blocked creating huge puddles. Puddles in trail shoes and rough ground are targets, something to aim at. On the country lanes and in road shoes, somehow they become obstacles to avoid. Until the first splash, then the smile comes on your face!
