Great Winter Run 5k

I would call this a 'race report' but I'm not sure you could call what I was doing "racing"! :-) However, I lined up at the start with about 2000 other people, with cold winds biting at my fingers and legs, and the first few gentle snowflakes suddenly appearing - wishing I'd brought gloves, and worn full running tights instead of capris - and never once thought about giving in and going back to my car. So, you know, this is progress...

The Great Winter Run is a 5km run around Queens Drive in Edinburgh, which is a road that loops around Arthurs Seat, without actually going up to the summit. It's still quite a tough climb though, that goes on for the first 2km, and I knoew I would be mostly walking it, so I made sure to run the whole of the first flat 400m (with a strong wind behind pushing me on), and managed about 100m of the start of the climb, before I started to walk. I decided I would try to keep a steady, brisk walk up if I could, and fell in behind two other women doing the same. There was another lady behind me, and for a little while the 4 of us marched silently in line up the hill, until our paces started to differ slight, and I overtook someone, and was overtaken, etc. At this point I was glad that the route was sheltered from the wind, and the snow had stopped, but I wasn't counting any chickens as I just got my head down and carried on moving.

At this point, not even 1km into the race, I should like to take the unusual step of standing up for rude runners in big crowd races, who get a bit arsey with walkers getting in the way. I imagine many, many times their behaviour is absolutely unwarranted, but as someone who always moves the very side of the road when I walk in races, I was absolutely gobsmacked by some of the things I was seeing from other walkers. Walking 4-abreast, chatting away, while no runners could get past you, and then tutting at each other as eventually someone elbows a gap through, is uncalled for. Taking up a position at the very front of the slowest wave, with hundreds of others behind you, and then walking in the middle of the road from the very outset, is really pretty selfish, as hundreds of other runners try to stream past you at one of the most crowded sections. Walking slowly up a steep hill in the slap-bang middle of the road is just ignorant. So, yeah, mini-rant over. Turns out some slow runners are just as rude and selfish as some fast runners! Who knew?!!

Anyway, we turned a little at around 1.2kms, and all of a sudden the wind was upon us. Right in my face, which didn't seem fair, as I was probably facing about 90 degress turn from when it was behind me! Stupid weather, playing unfair!!! I had cleverly worn a peaked visor, so I lowered my head a little, and let the visor take the brunt, as the snow started to fall - and in the wind, it was 'falling' sideways. Right into our faces. Ow.

I just focussed on marching steadily up the hill, looking at the floor about a metre away from my feet. I rarely looked up, the weather wasn't nice and I just wanted to keep moving. After a little while, my calves felt a little less tight, and I - in a less-than stellar moment for me - thought 'ooh, it's getting easier'... before finally looking up a little and realising I was no longer marching up a hill - I was on the flat!! Eejit.

I tried to run a little at this point, but the wind was tough, and the climb had taken a little out of me, so I walked again, then did a bit of run/walk intervals. When we reached the pond, which I think is about 2kms, the snow showers started again, and the wind whipped around us as the road turned directions. It was never behind me, though, somewhat unfairly!! Turning a corner at about 2.5kms, I think, the Pentlands came into view, looking stunning, and I watched in amazement as in front of my eyes over the space of 30 seconds a thick dark cloud descended and the Pentlands were completely gone from sight. I was so busy thinking of the view, and of trying to do a little more running again in this slightly sheltered part of the course, that I didn't stop to think what a dark grey descending cloud meant. A minute of running later, I found out, as pea-sized hailstones started to fall from the skies. I laughed - at least they were falling down!! The hail mercifully didn't last long, but the snow started again, and I tried to take a selfie. My fingers were freezing though, so I put the phone away and focussed on running.

I knew we weren't far from the top of the hill where the glorious 2km downhill would begin, but as we turned, the wind gusted with a speed I'd really not expected, throwing snow in our faces with bitter violence. I was almost held in place as I tried to run, so I slowed to a walk, put my head down a bit to let the visor take the brunt, and plodded on. Other people around me were really struggling - many turned around completely and tried to jog backwards!! Coming out to the top of the hill is a very open part of the route, and instead of being able to throw myself down the downhill and get some speed going, I was just struggling to stay upright. I did, however, start running, being careful my feet didn't slip on the fine layer of wet snow. The wind slowed to normal again, and the snow fell almost-down, and I laughed loudly as I ran past another runner (and a second one wearing jeans - yeah, this is what happens at the very-slow end of a race), yelling "WE SURVIVED!!" - yeah, really. *shakes head sadly* I don't know what came over me. of course, the wind and snow were back with a vengeance not long after that, but by now I was on the downhill - 2kms of descent ahead of me. I checked my watch, and realised I was definitely going to make it under my target time of 45 minutes. I just had to keep going - I knew I would walk again once the descent levelled out to flat with about 500m to go, but I just plodded on best I could.

I ran/walked the last km, as the snow stopped and the sun came out, and crossed the finish line in 43:34 - it's my slowest time ever for a 5km run, but with my current weight, level of fitness, and the course elevation and horrendous weather conditions, I'll definitely take it!! My plan is to use this 5km loop as part of my training throughout the year, so when I do this race again next year, no matter what weather is thrown at me, I'm getting a huge PB. Huge. :-)

So, yeah, I could have got miserable, upset and down about that run, but I'd had a word with myself over breakfast and said that I was just going to accept whatever happened - it was a start point, and I would be proud of myself regardless. And in the weather conditions we had, with the current level of fitness I have, I have to say I really am!!