Ignis Women's 10k

Right now that I have mastered this blogging thingy (and because I am full of hot air), let me post my ramblings about the Ignis Women's 10k which took place on Sunday 9th May at Bellahoustan Park.

Let me rewind to the events of the previous day/evening. Its Saturday 8th May and there is a feeling of what can only be described as a mass escape from the butterfly cage at Edinburgh Zoo taking place in my stomach. I turn to my beloved and say "I seriously am not going to manage this". My darling husband's reply was "oh shut up". You gotta love the support of a non-runner lol. Anyway, belly full of carbs, fully loaded on the water front and I trundle off to bed to get some sleep. Well that was the plan - after what seemed like hours of tossing and turning, I eventually get some sleep.

Sunday 9th May dawns bright and clear to the sound of the alarm rudely awakening me from my dream of running glory. Showered, dressed and the mandatory 52g of carbs in the stomach (my mate will know the joke behind this). Hubby and I set off toot sweet in the car for Glasgow. No normal people are about at this time on a Sunday - not even the dog walkers!!!! We park in Bothwell Street and set off for George Square to catch the free bus service to the start line. We are about 0.5k away from the bus when I discover I have forgot my appendage - my iPhone!!! Arrrggghhh - its sitting in the middle console in the car in full view. So off we trundle back to the car - with hubby muttering in my ear. We turn into Bothwell Street and I comment "this is the hill we have to run up in Sept". So we walk part of the way and I leave hubby and jog the rest of the way to the car (are you impressed? No thought not lol). Collects iPhone and heads back to get the bus. Panic sets in when hubby asks "did you lock the car?". Now I have to say that this is one of the things that winds me up as I always get a set distance from the car and think "did I lock it?". So from Bothwell Street to George Square I punctuate our conversation with "Are you sure I locked the car? Did you see the lights flash?", with hubby duly nodding his head and winding me up!!!

Bellahoustan Park - the madness begins. The crowds are starting to gather and we both head off to the Green starting zone. Routine sets in. Number pinned on - check. Sportsband on - check. Mp3 in pocket - check. Vicks nasal stuff under nose - check (dont ask - its better not to!!). Hat on - check. Picture pre-race - check. Lot of hanging around waiting for the warm up - check. I decide rather late on that I should maybe visit the loos pre-race. Green Zone toilets have a massive queue. Walk down to next colour zone and found the queues okay so that wasnt bad.

9.40 am - warm up starts in Green Zone. Not that we could see anything as the crowds were huge and the stage wasn't that high for anyone to see the girls (apart from hubby who was standing on the wall). Second song in - sound goes and no-one could hear a blasted thing. Still, we all duly bobbed and stretched along with the girls.

10:00 am - the horn goes off telling us the race has started. The women in the green zone start to move forward towards the start.

10:13 am - off we go. Nike+ started and away I go. I was in the zone, I was fighting fit and I was running at a decent pace. "You got this in the bag girl - your doing fine" I was saying to myself. 5k in and I'm still going fine, until I cross into Pollock Park and the dreaded foot pain which had been okay till now started to (dratted work shoes from the previous Tuesday had caused it). The left knee started to niggle - aarrrggghhh noooooooooo. Get to 6k and walk for 30 secs to shake knee out, loosen left trainer, throw some jelly beans down my neck and set off again. We then come to the dreaded hill - which is okay on Parkruns on a Saturday as we run down it but this was a differnt kettle of fish. I had to walk for 10 seconds to navigate and get my mojo in place. 8k - second wind kicks in and then we're out onto Drumbreck road. "Not long to go now girl, no stopping, keep going". As I come to the corner of Drumbreck Road and Mosspark Boulevard, the huge crowds of supporters are gathered here and I take out my earphones to soak up shouts of encouragement. I see the finish line, it seems to get further away from me - like a distant memory. Last sprint and I can see the end in sight - I am over the line in 64m and 19s - woo hoo! I stand in the queue to receive my medal, goody bad and much needed bottle of water and banana. Hubby is there beside me in the crowds taking photos ;-D Meet up with Cazza, more photos, quick chat and then we head for the bus back to Glasgow to get the car. Phew - what a day, what a race and what a feeling. Here's to the next one ;-)