7th Wirral Seaside 5K 2002

Conditions: hazy sunshine, moderate, slightly gusty SE breeze, 15 deg C. Breeze would be mainly across but also a bit against for most of the way. So no fast times today.

Lack of daylight forces the Seaside Runs to move to Sunday mornings for the March, September and October races. Not ideal with a large car boot sale taking place nearby and lots of congestion. Maybe this was one reason for the small field (51).

Delighted to meet a fellow forumite for the first time - FatFace aka Rob (sporting URWFRC colours), with bride of 8 days Nicky also racing. However, disaster had struck as they'd locked themselves out of their car!

Away we went -at once it was clear this was also a weak as well as small field - I was 5th and keeping company with the leaders. Even allowed myself to fantasise about winning - for a short moment. Then eventual winner Ian Magill started to ease away and was 10m clear at the first corner (500m). 4th there myself in 1:44 and HR very high (175) - must have got myself excited!
Out onto the embankment and tried to settle in just behind 2nd and 3rd. Was finding it difficult to stay in touch, and by 1 mile a gap had opened up. I'd been dragged along far faster than I'd intended in these conditions - through in about 5:38. No wonder my HR was way up.
And errrr....that was about it really. The gap to 3rd just carried on widening, and 4th was where I stayed for the rest of the race. Having lost my visible targets, it was difficult to stay focussed all the time. Got thru the difficult 2nd mile in just over 6 minutes, and really should have done 17:45, but every so often concentration drifted, the stride lengthened and slowed. In the end barely broke 18 mins - 4th in 17:59. Avge HR was 178 which for me is incredibly high - don't know why as I didn't feel totally wrecked. Something to keep an eye on in the next few days.

FF was pleased with his time - but I'll leave the details to him. A great effort anyway in conditions which are usually a lot easier than they were today.

Jogged back up the course to the cars. FF insisted on calling the AA rather than be driven back home for his spare keys and was last seen jogging off with Nicky to a nearby greasy spoon to have a coffee & await the arrival of the AA. Hope it was all sorted for you Rob...

Result: 1st Ian Magill Liverpool RC (16:16 I think)
2nd Michael Boyd Wallasey RC (17:16 - apparently a successful race-long piece of tailgating!)
3rd Dave Farrington Southport& Waterloo (17:17)

Comments

  • Well I actually quite enjoyed myself Mike. It's always good to see a fellow fourmite and put a face to the name.
    I had decided that today was going to be the day for really having a good go and so it was to be with my fastest time for 5K this year (22:05) and only 10 seconds off my fastest time for several years. OK, so it's not exactly speedy, but I was happy. I would love to have another go with a SW gale blowing from behind me (if you pardon the expression).
    Anyway, thanks for the offer of help Mike, it was much appreciated. The AA man was into the car in less than 5 mins with a bit of wire. The greasy spoon wasn't too bad!!
  • Well done, both of you, and thanks for a good report, Mike.
  • Nice report Mike, glad to know a little forum bonding took place in the North West as well as the South today.
    Shame about your car keys FF, well done on your time, never having done a 5K I'm sure I would have been dead pleased with 22 mins. I see you're down for Helsby too,what about you Mike?
  • drewdrew ✭✭✭
    Nice on Mike. 4th is good!
  • Laura,
    Helsby's a 1/2M - last such I did was in 1983!!!
    Having said that, I know it's a highly regarded event and am quite tempted even though I still regard myself nowadays as basically a 5K/10K merchant. I'm looking at the Llandudno 10 in 6 weeks as a means of finding out if I can get away with doing a 10 miler on a 10K schedule. If so, then, who knows..?

    FF - the SW gales do occur - and on this course you get the full benefit. Next race is 27th Oct - keep your eyes on the weather forecasts in the preceding week...
  • Good work Mike and FF - I had hoped to be there, but little cougies first friends Birthday party, and I wasn't aware of the unwritten rule that states parents can't just throw the kids into the party and tear off at high speed :-(

    Sooo ran out of time to get there, so ran from Neston to Thurstaston and back. Mike - whta would you reckon that is ? About 5 miles each way ?

    I'll pencil in 27th October.
  • Well done Mike - fourth place is excellent in any circumstances.
  • Congrats Mike + FF,
    sounds like both of you ran really well considering the conditions, nice one.
  • Mike,
    Cannot make the 27th Oct. It is the first XC race of the season. The good news for you is that the likes of Ian Magill, Paul Sankey will be missing so that dream of a first place way soon become a reality!! Unless I can persuade you to join my running club ........
  • Cougie - which bit of Neston? Parkgate? (The Old Quay down on the front there I seem to recall is a favorite kiddies party venue).
    If you went from there to, say, the Cottage Loaf, I'd guess it could q easily be 5 miles. One or two nice little climbs on the way up to Thurstaston as well.
  • I have been trying to run a sub 20 minute 5K all season have been pretty close with 20:02 and 20:16 but I only had a couple of
    races left to achieve it, the first was the Wirral seaside run and the second will be Chester Corporate Challenge.

    Turned up on Sunday for the seaside run and the wind was across the course so had a chance of a good time, not many runners so I started
    off at the front and rather foolishly led for about 300 yards, settled into a good pace after being overtaken by about 15 runners (including Mike S).

    A man jumped over the embankment wall with his dog, the mutt stood right in front of me, somehow managed to avoid the little pest and get back into stride.
    I came off the sandy stretch at 12:50, so I knew I was in with a chance of breaking the elusive 20 minute barrier.

    Pushed on and finished in 19:52 (joy!), so I was very pleased, although the course is a little short of 5K. I will still be having another go at Chester next week.
  • Hi Tony - fancy meeting you here as well!

    Congratulations on your PB!

    Did Chester a few years ago. If it's the same course - starting and finishing on the racecourse on the Roodee and climbing up out of there round the city centre - the inclines and grassy stretches will make any PB attempt difficult.
    Having said that, you managed one at the Tunnel 10K last week in really tough conditions, so good luck.
  • Hi Mike,

    Party was slap bang in the centre of Neston - the Civic centre, so I just ran down the Wirral Way. Lovely day, not many people around, but the bike/horse path was better for running on - lots of nice soft sand. Got as far as the Picnic site at Thurstaston before I ran out of time. Turned around and realised I had a headwind all the way home. Still it did cool me down. 41 mins out, and I normally run my 6 miler course in under 45. I reckon it could have been about 4 and a half miles or so.
  • Hi Mike,

    I got half way through your Mersey Tunnel report and realised it was you.

    Congratulations on your 4th place in the 7th seaside run, might see you in the 8th if not before.

    Tony
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