On Sunday I took part in the sold out Oakley 20 race. Held 3 weeks before the London Marathon this is a really popular event with over 800 people running.
Although the race hurt I only have positive things to say about it. Race packs were sent out in advance, picking up your chip on the day and handing in baggage was a breeze. You could pick up your race memento (a really good quality hoody) before or after the race. My only 2 bug bears were: lack of toilets (but when isn't this a problem) and having to park almost a 15 minute walk away. The walk back to the car was more painful then the race itself.
The start and finish are both at a school and the race consists of two loops: The first being 12 miles and the second being shorter at 8. I felt really strong up to 14 miles, although the hills were tough and I was enjoying the change in course and not knowing what was ahead of me. Slightly disheartening when the lead runners starting passing me at 9 miles, but I put my head up and carried on going, 1 mile at a time.
Water stations were every 3 miles which helped to tick the miles off and the course was manned with great supportive marshals. The course was lovely and made a nice change for pounding the streets of Peterborough, we ran through some lovely villages which took my mind off running so far. For once the saying 'For every uphill there is a down' was true, and we were treated to some lovely downhill stretches.
A few small negative points, when coming back into the village we had to cross 2 small one car at a time bridges, with the roads being kept open, runners obviously ran in single file but this was made difficult when the lead runners came past and were not going to slow down for anyone. Also you know the race ends at the school but as you approach the school you only pass the 19 mile mark, you have to run up an incline, weave through a housing estate and then finish with a lap of the school field before you cross that line, but when you do the feelings of happiness are out of this world.
So that's it, I've done my 20 miles. Hopefully this will make my 20 mile training runs a little easier.
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