Last year when I decided to run a marathon, I was really hoping that April 21st would be the day – it’s my birthday and London marathon was scheduled for that day. Unfortunately I didn’t get a place though and I ran my marathon in Paris two weeks ago. It was an amazing experience and I realise now that it doesn’t matter where you race – you still cover the same distance and feel the same amount of pride.
I still wanted to do a little race on my birthday though so when I saw that there was a 10k in Finsbury Park in north London, I signed us up – me, hubs and the 8-year old for the kids’ 2km one. I hadn’t raced there before so I had no idea it was so freaking hilly! My quads were sore to begin with from being back at Crossfit and the hills just made them burn. I haven’t experienced that during a race before, it probably shows I have to do hilly races more often! 🙂
I had hoped to beat my PB of 49 minutes but after the first 5km lap I was only on track to finish in 50 minutes and I knew that there was no way I could speed up in the last 5km. I wasn’t too disheartened though, I knew I was pushing myself to the max. When I crossed the finish line at 50:50:20, a trophy was handed to me with “female runner up” written on it. I was so confused, I wanted to give it back cause I didn’t believe I had come 4th 😀 I had to wait for the times to be displayed before I kept it.
So that was a good birthday surprise. I’ve never been anything but 300th-something in a race 🙂
Elevation graph from today’s race
The kiddo had fun too – we ran the first lap with him and hubs ran the second as well. He looked totally beat when he crossed the finish line but as soon as I asked him how it was, he said without hesitation, still panting : “Awesome.”
I took a photo of him and his medal and had a tear in my eye.
After racing we had brunch at the park cafe and then let the kids play some more while we soaked up the sun. What a perfect birthday 🙂
9 Comments
Lesley Boniface (
April 22, 2013 at 7:49 amSounds like you all had a brilliant day – congrats on the trophy what a lovely birthday present x That elevation graph looks a killer!
MrsB
April 23, 2013 at 7:57 pmThank you. The trophy was definitely a good surprise at the end of a hard run that I thought I hadn’t run very well (meaning: very fast).
Kitty
April 22, 2013 at 6:38 amHappy birthday!
Finsbury Park is my home turf and every morning I contemplate the mathematical impossibility of the place – HOW is it possible to have a close loop that is 90% uphill and 10% flat but never downhill?:)
MrsB
April 23, 2013 at 7:56 pmI did not think it was going to be so hilly! The race description online said ‘there is a hill’ 😐
Kitty
April 24, 2013 at 9:18 amwell, I guess they’re technically right, there is “a hill”. however, the park is small enough (a run around the perimeter is only just over 3 km) and if you want to do a 10k race or even a 5k parkrun there, you need to keep going up this hill. repeatedly, from every possible angle and direction:)
Claire
April 21, 2013 at 9:08 pmHappy birthday! Sounds like a wonderful day, ESP with the extra present – your trophy!
MrsB
April 23, 2013 at 7:57 pmThank you! I’ll keep aiming for those trophies now, there’s no going back to the 300th place 🙂
kmlv
April 21, 2013 at 6:30 pmIt sounds perfect! And the pictures look lovely. 🙂
That trophy reminds me of when my mum turned sixty and switched age categories, and the first race she ran in the “new” category… They called her up on the podium as the winner of her age group – trophy, gift bags and coupons and the whole lot. 🙂 She was so confused because she’d never placed anywhere out of the double digits before.
And a happy birthday, of course! 😀
MrsB
April 23, 2013 at 7:59 pmYour mom is a runner?? That is so cool. I would cry like a baby (from happiness 🙂 if my mother decided to up her exercise regime.