This was the first time I had run the Thame 10K, it is usually too warm for me at the beginning of September. However, the last week has been cloudy and cool and fortunately Sunday started that way. It was a good fifteen minute walk from the car park in the town centre to the Leisure Centre which acted as a good warm up.
The start on the playing fields was very well organised and there was plenty of room as we headed through the town on closed roads. The sun came out after we turned onto the Phoenix Trail (the old railway line, now a wide footpath) to make our way back. There was less shade than I thought there would be and it did begin to get much warmer. But what was most impressive was the finish. You turn off the pavement alongside a road and there is the last hundred metres on the grass and slightly downhill with lots of loud spectators.
My time was given as one hour and four seconds which equates to 9.40 minute miling. I was 373 out of 552 runners and seventh of twelve 70plus males (6th on Age Grade). My actual Age Grade was 64.48% which is very similar to the summer London and Bearbrook 10K's in 2019 when I was nearly two minutes faster. This was my slowest ever time for a 10K race. On Age Grade I was 5th out of the twelve. On the resultsbase website they give an equivalent time for a 20-29 year old. For me, this was 40 minutes and ten seconds, equivalent to the time for the person who came in 23rd. Not sure if this is right? I was pleased with my result, given that I eased off a couple of times when my heart rate went high, but especially that I was pain free for the whole race. Not even a niggle.
It was great to run with other people again, on a very well organised event, there were so many marshals out on the course. There were a few runners there from parkrun, starting alongside Victoria and Nicky was nice. Big thanks to Alison who came to support me.
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