WESTONBIRT HOUSE EASTER 10K – Race Review – 30 March 2018

After two weekends of snow throughout the month of March (which is supposedly the commencement of British Summertime! ), I was relieved, if nothing else, to see that the predicted #beastfromtheeast3 didn’t materialized in the south, and that the race was due to go ahead as planned. However, the rain more than made up for the lack of snow, meaning that sections of the course were fairly muddy, slippery and pretty much saturated under- foot.

I had been due to run the inaugural Weston Super Half in Somerset two weeks prior, but this, like many races that weekend, had been cancelled due to the snow and freezing conditions, so needless to say, I was itching to get out and run a race and earn some bling!

The race was organised by DB Max Sports Timing and Multisport Events who have an excellent reputation in the region for hosting brilliant and unique events, so I was in no doubt that this would be bang on the money. They are also responsible for the Summer and Christmas 10K’s at ‘The House’ which have received rave reviews over the past year and are themed accordingly with seasonal food and beverages on offer after the race (for an additional charge within the entry fee), using the aptly strap-lined #finishinthebar! The race itself takes place in and around the grounds of Westonbirt School, which is a stones-throw away from the famous Westonbirt Arboretum in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, so being only 40 minutes from where I live, it seemed a perfect way to spend Good Friday!

The event was described as being a two lapped, undulating race starting in the grounds of the school and making its way out onto rural lanes, before re-entering the grounds and then completing an identical lap before eventually finishing by the entrance to the House where the crowds of supporters had congregated.

I arrived fairly early and spent some time in the Orangery area of the House (where the bag drop, timing hub and merchandise areas were situated) chatting with some familiar faces from #visorclub and the DB Max pace team. A number of the guys had recently run the Limassol Marathon and their enthusiasm for the event, couple with the recent snow and rain we’ve endured in the UK, made this race a serious consideration for 2019!

A few selfies later and now changed into my kit, I was ready to go outside and brave the cold to watch the organised warm-up. There were plenty of cubicles in the grounds and also toilets in the house itself that the runners could use, so there were no queuing issues prior to the race. I actually heard a couple of people comment that the number of toilets provided was as good as they’d seen anywhere else, given the number of participants, which was an even 700.

The race started at noon and at this precise moment, the heavens opened. It was already cold (about 4 degree with a chilly wind), so the conditions were not ideal for a soft southern like myself!

I hadn’t really given too much thought to my race tactics as I hadn’t run a 10K since last July, so didn’t believe that there would be a great deal of speed in the legs or familiarity of navigating 6 miles against the usual 13. However, as I’m someone who likes a challenge, I decided to start with the 45 minute pacer, Mark (who was pacing for the first time) and see how I felt at the halfway stage. The only time I’ve ever run sub 45 was at the Bristol 10K, which was a pancake flat course in near perfect weather conditions on the day, so this was going to be a real gamble!

As the hooter sounded, we made our way through the grounds and out onto the lane which wound its way around the back of the house. The rain was lashing down and I could tell very quickly that navigating the endless potholes and muddy puddles wasn’t going to make for an easy race.

We ran through the first mile in 7.05…eeeeek… and it felt quick too! The second was another 7.05 and by this stage I knew that I had no chance of keeping this up. At that point, I was well inside world record pace! Looking back now, it was just one of those days where I didn’t feel I had the strength or speed to run a fast time, so my (revised) strategy at that point was to see if I could at least hang on until we’d completed the first lap. That didn’t happen either (!) and by mile 3, I’d dropped off and ran a 7.25.

The marshals along the route were superb and not only offered much needed vocal support (there were no spectators out on the lanes) but also ensured the runner safety as the roads were still open to cars and with the awful conditions and quality (or lack of!) of the roads, this was greatly appreciated.

Mile 4 was a nightmare for me as this was partly through the grounds of the house and on grass, which had, in places, become muddy, boggy and slippery which meant I had to slam the breaks on on a number of occasions to stop myself sliding over or ending up in patch of ground that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a rugby pitch!

Within half a mile of the race I realized that wearing my lightweight road runners was not the smartest idea I’d ever had and a chunkier pair of trainers with better grips would have been a more sensible option! Oh well, we live and learn!

My mile 4 was over 8 minutes, so any chance of running a quick time had now gone, so it was just a case of getting my head down and finishing as strongly as I could. Mile 5 was better, but the final mile presented the same muddy problems as mile 4 (and it was getting worse as everyone had completed at least a lap by that point), so I was pleased to come in a shade over 47 minutes.

I could tell it was a fairly tough course, as despite running badly by my standards, I still came 84^th out of 700. Despite the time and waterlogged feet, I really enjoyed taking part in the race. The medal was absolutely fantastic and the DB Max guys lived up to their reputation of arranging slick, well-managed and excellent, fun races.

On a sunny, dry day with bone-hard grass and puddle- free lanes, I think I could achieve a far better time at The House, so it’s a real shame that I can’t run the summer event due to my holidays. I reckon the Christmas race will be great fun, so armed with the correct footwear, I’ll hopefully be returning later in the year.

The spectators were great and I have huge respect for the people who came along and braved the elements and offered such amazing support to everyone. If I hadn’t have had to shoot off as soon as the race had finished for a family gathering, I’d have definitely hung-around to swap stories and experiences with the other runners over fish and chips and a pint or two of beer!