F1 Chicken Run 10k: Race report

Sunny, probably mid-twenties, and windy

This being the inaugural F1 Chicken Run 10k, there was little in the way of course information available prior to the event. Sure, we knew it was going out into rural roads, and that there would be an airfield section, and that there was a 90-minute cut-off to make way for the Brackley Carnival, but that was it.

I don’t know why, but I’d kind of expected the course to be a bit flatter than it was. Consequently, having told myself repeatedly I was going to try to do something about my pacing, I belted off over the first kilometer (which was largely downhill) and had to try to maintain the pace as I clawed my way up the long hill towards the airfield.

The airfield itself was surprisingly challenging. The strong headwinds meant the recovery stretch was heavy going. And, this being the countryside, there were some distinct and strong countryside smells from a mechanical digger working to the side of the course shoveling through a big brown pile of… well, I can only guess. But it was pungent.

Once off the uneven surface of the airfield, it was back down the hills, snaking through country roads, with a slight incline to the finish line. The course was essentially a lollipop out-and-back route with a slight kink to make up the distance.

In retrospect, looking at the elevation profile, the gains are not substantial, although they certainly felt tougher than they look from the diagram below.

The atmosphere and spirit of the race was great, and it’s got to be the first time I’ve seen almost everyone stick around for the prize-giving at the end of the race. As timing would have it, the moment the presentations and thanks had finished, the Brackley Carnival parade marched past.

For the first running of a race, by a running club that’s still very fresh-faced (Brackley & District Running Club has been around for only a few years), it was remarkably smooth. While a couple of extra toilets at the start wouldn’t have gone amiss (although the organisers managed to negotiate the use of a nearby building’s toilets to ease congestion), the road closure and call to the line for the start of the race was so prompt runners were waiting for a while at the start line. As a small race, the crowds of spectators were relatively sparse, but the marshals – of which there were plenty – were more than enthusiastic and supportive enough to make up for this. Definitely one  worth coming back for next year.

Details

Time: 38:23

Position: 5 out of 162

Mile 1: 5:34 (3:28 per km pace)

Mile 2: 6:10 (3:50 per km pace)

Mile 3: 6:10 (3:50 per km pace)

Mile 4: 6:18 (3:55 per km pace)

Mile 5: 6:07 (3:48 per km pace)

Mile 6: 6:43 (4:10 per km pace)

Mile 6.2: 1:16 (3:55 per km pace)