G3 Snow and Rock 10k
Date: 21st January 2006
Race Type: 10k Cross Country Run
Runners: Steve & Keith
Location: Guildford, Surrey
http://www.allabouttriathlon.co.uk/
Keith: It was a cold dark start for the second race of the year. It’s the first one really, but we did enter the Knacker Cracker and pay our money although we didn’t make it to the start line. Anyway back to AAT G3, the organiser (Toby from All About Triathlons) had emailed all entrants earlier in the week to say that there were now over 400 registered entries but with parking space for only 280 cars! Arriving at just after 8.00am for an 8.45 start the car park was already half full.
The temperature at Newlands Corner was hovering around freezing, with a light frost on the ground. The atmosphere, despite the weather, was friendly and relaxed, with most people milling around chatting and trying to keep warm. A few of the more sensible or less hardy types were sitting in their cars attempting to keep muscles as warm as possible.
As promised the race brief started at 8.40 prompt and within 15 seconds of the race brief finishing the race had started. The first section was slightly downhill over really muddy ground with plenty of water, I saw at least one runner lose a shoe in a deep puddle. The ground then levelled out and most runners were able to get some type of rhythm going although with 400 runners and a single track path this was not always easy.
Steve: I had set off at a decent pace,
but, 10 minutes in I was starting to get a stitch. I
started panicking that I'd gone off too fast, as I
watched the little bald dude (LBD) in the red Nike Run
London top that I'd been using as a pace maker start
to pull away. Then, the first big climb appeared and
saved me. This was so steep it had to be walked - but
luckily I'd been doing calf Raises in the gym for the
last month, so I managed to get past LBD and never saw
him again!
Keith: The first short sharp hill duly arrived and, although only a 100 metres long, was enough to have everyone gasping for breath. Once again the terrain leveled, but having sand underfoot is like running through - well - sand and that’s not easy. The sun was now shining and the next couple of Kms were over gently undulating ground that was firm underfoot. Little did we know what laid in store for us. Coming round a sharp 90 degree corner we were faced with the mother of all hills, even the race profile couldn’t do it justice. I’m sure the leaders ran up it but the group I was running with formed a nice orderly queue and walked all the way to the church.
With over half the race distance covered mentally, you are on your way home and this allowed you to attack at least one hill at full sprint. In hindsight, this was a mistake, as I was soon back running at an even slower crawl than before.
Steve: At about 45 minutes in I got to a section that looped back on it self where I could see the people in front running past the other way. I checked the time and looked out for Keith on the return section. I didn't see him so knew he must only be a few minutes behind.
Keith: Passing the church at St Martha’s for the second time now confirmed my beliefs there is a God but he couldn’t give a shit about me.
Steve: Thankfully, the last half a kilometre was flat (unlike a steep uphill like last year). I had no one close behind me and one fella in front that I was determined to overtake near the end. I went past him with 100 metres to go and luckily he let me go. I finished in 59.40 in 63rd place.
Keith: The last 500 metres took us back through the mud and puddles – although second time round didn’t seem quite so bad. The finish line was now in sight and a final effort from my legs and some shouting from Steve gave me a time of 1hr 4min only 4 minutes behind Steve and 20 minutes behind the winners time.
