Pwllheli fun run 10k: first gold!

I suppose the title of this blog post is a bit of a spoiler alert! But so be it. I had mentioned I saw a race advertised on the Facebook page of the running club, and that I hadn't managed to resist registering. So after work I drove down south to Pwllheli. I had actually never been! I found a parking spot not too far from registration and start, then got my race number. I also knew the start and the finish were not in the same location, so I didn't want to bring my bag to the start. I ate a last sandwich and drank some last water, and then went to the seafront, where the start would be. My club mate Gilly was there too, with a friend.

When the start time got close I made sure to stand close to the front. We were starting on the pavement, and it wasn't very wide. Further in the back I expected a bit of congestion, and I don't like that. I also wanted to see if I could get me another medal, and then you can do without being stuck in a crowd. That meant leaving Gilly behind. But I would see her again at the finish.

When the starting gun sounded I was off, and noticed I was the first woman. I set off quite fast on purpose, but tried not to overdo it, as I had 10 km to go. I had no idea where; I had not found a route map. For now I was just following a bunch of blokes. And I found out that Pwllheli has a complicated seafront. 

Looking determined at the start

After a mile or so I was overtaken by a woman in black. I wasn't surprised! I told her to go for it, and she slowly went ahead of me. Quite soon I think she was about 100 m ahead. But I could still see her on the straight bits.

When we left the seafront we headed straight through town. We had to be vigilant; there were no road closures. There were, however, marshals who would help you cross the road that was necessary. I also spotted some youngsters handing out plastic cups with water by a hotel. I took one! I didn't slow down. I did manage to drink some of it, but quite a lot of it went straight over my face and my shirt. That's OK! And I could store the cup in my belt. I did not want to go littering the place.

The lady in black by the people offering cups of water

We ran out of the village on the other side, and I was slowly coming closer to the la
dy in black again. At the start, the organiser had said it was a there-and-back run, so I kept waiting for the moment we would turn around a retrace our steps. It didn't come! Not any time soon, anyway. At the end of the village we were ushered onto a little path. A bit of trail! I didn't expect that. But it was okay. And then we went through a kissing gate, where I was really close to the lady in black, and we were back in the village. Now we had to make our way from the suburbs back to the seafront.

The route

Not too far from the kissing gate, at ~4 miles, I was level with the lady again. I told her I figured the race might be between her and me! I had seen no sign of any women behind us. But I think she had got a bit tired, and I overtook her. And then I was running pretty much on my own on a little country road that lead me back to a road we had done on the way out. It got back to the seafront. When I came around the corner I was hit in the face by a strong wind! I think my speed dropped, but I think everyone's speed did that. I just plodded my way to the end of the seafront road, and then made the necessary U-turn. Before I could turn off the road I met the lady in black coming the other way, who was cheering me on. I like the spirit of racing, when you are a cheerleader for your rivals!

Feeling good 

I was pretty close to the finish, but the marshal sent me off in the opposite direction. I could see on my watch that there indeed was still a little bit of distance to cover. There was one marshal I had to actively attract the attention of, as she was absorbed in her phone, and I didn't know where to go. But she snapped out of it on time to point me in the right direction. And with a bit of a crazy loop I came back to the junction where I had been sent the opposite way, and this time I was allowed to actually head straight for the finish. And I had seen that there was someone behind me, but it was a man, so it wasn't crucial if he overtook me. When I realised, though, that in the last tens of metres he tried to, do just that, I wasn't having any of that, and accelerated away. I knew I had gold when I finished! That was a good feeling.

I waited for the lady in black, and we hugged. And then I went to get some water. There were toilets in the leisure centre at the finish, and I still had my plastic cup. Other runners were a bit disappointed there was no official water station at the finish. But I think people were sharing containers. I shared with Gilly. 

I let the usual suspects know I had won gold, and then I had a chat with another Eryri Harrier. I had seen him at earlier runs. It is nice to be part of the community! But after a while I thought I should go back to my car and get more clothes, as I was still in my club singlet, which was still quite damp after my water adventures, and there was a stiff breeze. I was getting chilly! And I picked up my bag, which allowed me also have my last sandwich.

After a while I went to the football club building, as that was where the prize ceremony would be. Soon Gilly and her friend joined me. But the organisation was still waiting for some people to finish; I think the third woman over 70 wasn't in yet. And when she would be in they could start. Gilly had to go home though, and couldn't wait for that. Pity! But I found the other Harrier, Michael, and asked him if he would perhaps be willing to take some pictures at the ceremony. And he was happy to. Or rather; he delegated to his daughter as she had a better camera. Fine with me!

Then it started. I was glad to be called forward! My first ever gold. And to my surprise, I was called up twice; I also got a trophy for being the fastest woman over 40. That got a bit dull; all first three women were in the ‘over 40’ category. Go us oldies! The three fastest men were all juniors.

Trophy pic by Michael’s daughter 

There was also one bloke over 80, who had obviously won in his category, but how! He had run it in 49:35, and that is fast. For comparison: I had done it in 43:40. But I knew that in my younger years, a flat(ish) road race like this had taken me longer than 49:35, like in 2011 and in 2014. I hope I'll age like this bloke!

I also thought it was sweet that one of the winners in the women over 70 category was super enthusiastic, and spontaneously gave the bloke who handed out the trophies a kiss. When he then handed the trophy to the fastest man over 70, he asked for one from him as well. And got it! 

When all trophies were handed out I went up and said I could take Gilly’s prize; I could just bring it to a club run and give it to her. In the meantime, the building emptied itself. Everyone wanted to go home. And then I did too. I still had 45 minutes of driving to do! But I was glad I had come…