I came 20th apparently, with a new PB, 41.36. Very pleased. A last minute entry, I wasn’t expecting to race again until the Chiltern Chase, but I saw the signs and thought, why not. The wallingford event was the most chilled out atmosphere for a 10k i’ve seen yet (only my 3rd), quite flat, which – i think – explains the fast time. In the heat it felt very slow though, I was certain it was more around the 45 minute mark. I broke the 7 minute mile for the first time, which is something i’ve been aiming for, but considering you do that consistently over 26 miles it’s perhaps not that much to write home about. But a milestone for me nontheless.

Great day, and i’ll definitely be running it next year. I will never tire of that finish line feeling. It’s magic, and I concur, cheering from people makes all the difference in the world. I always make a point of thanking those I finish near, if they have set a pace for me or given me something to chase, I wouldn’t miss that feeling for the world. Some kind of, perhaps not solidarity, but pretty close.

Approaching 500 miles now on my current Mizunos and my legs/shins/feet are hurting more than i’m used to, so its near time for a new pair I think. Reckon i’ve earned it.

Well done again, put your feet up for a bit.

I really love this sometimes ridiculous game. It’s come to mean everything to me.

Best foot 4ward…

Thanks for your comment. A couple of years ago Runner’s World had an interesting article about the costs and effort involved in organising a race. There’s an awful lot that goes into it, and since there are so many races with relatively small fields that manage to keep entry fees below the £20 mark. I imagine that you can effectively triple those elements for a triathlon.

Races are arranged as business events to raise funds for various causes. Race directors need to make sure their race is attractive to competitors in order to get enough entries to cover their costs. I think Anthony’s point about the added value of ‘free’ race photography as part of the entry fee is an interesting one. It’s a competitive advantage, and if I had to choose between two races on the same day – one with, say, a free t-shirt and one with free photography – I’d go for the one offering photography every time.

I think runners are generally keen to share race photos, and I would imagine this could help add a bit of free publicity to build interest in the event for the next year. I guess the key to making the most of it would be to ensure the course passes suitably striking scenery that can be used as a backdrop for race photographers.

When you next enter a race, look at what you get for your money. Before you rant about ‘not much’ consider some of these:

Road closures
Crowd barriers
First Aid cover
Portaloos
Venue hire
Ensuring the volunteer marshals get a drink and some food
Affiliation fees to national bodies

and so on until you get bored. By the way, this list didn’t include the fun stuff like medals.

BUT when you choose your races, see what gives you a real memory of the race. In my mind, this is usually something that i want to keep or reuse. So for example my Ironman Canada medal is one of the best medals i have from 30 years of running and 15 years of triathlon. The pictures i have from my last triathlon were also really good.

A free photo download that you get from a race can be put on your social media feeds, if you use them, your club website or just your screen saver. Or print them out 100 times and use them as Christmas cards.

As a race, we like seeing people use their free downloads that we pay for. I think the model will have to go this way in future if we want Anthony and his team to sit on the side of a road for 5-6 hours at a time going forward.

Glad you like the blog. That’s a great time for the Watford 10k – I ran it last year and it’s certainly not the flattest of races! Should be good preparation for the Chiltern Chase, which is also hilly, but with some great scenery.

It’s interesting that you mention losing interest in seeing the photos from races as you get more experienced at racing. I suspect that runners actually stay equally interested (or at least, I have) because race photography is often the only way to check your running style. The number of races I’ve run where I thought I finished with a flourish, only to look in photos like a broken man heel-striking all the way to the finish line… It’s certainly helped me to identify areas for improvement.

I used to live in Abingdon, so you’ll see quite a few reports from races in the area on the site. If you’re looking for a PB course, try the Andy Reading 10k near Bicester towards the end of the year, and if you don’t mind hills give the Frieth Hilly 10k a go come the winter. And if you fancy reviewing any of the races as a guest post, let me know.

Good luck with the other races!

Lewis