There was a bit of a kerfuffle at the Stockport 10k today. The marshaling wasn't great, to be honest, not enough, which ended with a few people taking a wrong turn, missing a chuffing great hill and 1k of the course. The result, so to speak, was an unexpected winner and a few others finishing out of position. Does it matter? Yes and no. It's not life and death, just a game we enjoy. But for the club summer series, this was a 'good for points' occasion, and as we all know, points make prizes!
In the club, opinion is divided as how to resolve this. Words such as 'fair' have been used, and indeed 'not fair'. A word I have thrown into the pot is 'honest'. Not to suggest dishonesty, but really, it puts a different perspective on the black and white of it all. If there is one thing I love about running, it's the honesty of the sport. It's simply you, the clock and acknowledgement of the route you have run. Time and distance. Nothing more. But due to the poor markers and absence of marshals, there is a move to rebuild the finish order to represent what might have happened. Tricky.
The Stockport 10k and my other running around of the week has got me on a roll...literally. A modest week of barely 30 miles started with calves of lead after Meerbrook. They needed some professional attention courtesy of Physio Wayne and a spot of self help at home. The trouble with the roller is that is makes my runners arms ache. It becomes more of a hardcore triceps dip session than a therapeutic lower leg rub down. What I could really do with is having it rolled over me...or some device with wheels I could sit on.
And the feeling of fatigue continued in the week. 2 club sessions in 30 degree heat were both exhausting, but also liberating in an oddly perverse kind of way. To be immersed in that kind of heat was something else...and I suspect somewhat counter productive to be doing speed drills for pretenders like us. Fun though. I have two more races coming up this week, then there is a change to the schedule. A bit of trip, or part participation in a trip and some new running around experiences to enjoy!
