Then, as the date of the race approached I realised how much travel and cost was going into a five mile race! Still, I found some bargain accommodation right next to Excel and the Royal Albert Dock through Skoosh.com and drove down to London late Saturday afternoon after doing my 100th Leeds parkrun in the morning.
It was then the usual pre-race ritual, check out travel for the morning (DLR trains every ten minutes, only 13 minutes away from Stratford station for the Olympic Park), picnic tea, layout my kit and early to bed.
After days of sunshine and heat it was slightly disappointing to wake to a misty, almost damp morning, but it wasn't cold and it felt like perfect running weather. The journey to Stratford was quiet and uneventful, a few Anniversary runners on the train, and then the crowds started to appear as we approached the Olympic Park through Westfield shopping centre, a sort of Grand Canyon of brands!
I was quickly through security and free to wander around the stadium - it was very exciting. A montage of Olympic successes was being played out on the big screen and it felt like 2012 all over again (helped by a back drop of Wimbledon success, Ashes glory and the impending Tour de France victory!). An hour spent wandering around and taking photos soon passed and then it was final preparations for the run.
There were 12,500 runners entered into the race and looking at the results nearly all turned up on the day. The start was staggered in waves based on predicted times so I got off in the first wave, with Sir Chris Hoy sounding the claxon and the 'elite' trio of Paula Radcliffe, Victoria Pendleton and Melanie Chisholm (aka Sporty Spice and triathlete!) towing the start line.
To be honest, the course was far too narrow for the number of runners, but once I'd put aside any thoughts of a speedy run, just enjoyed the cut and thrust of dodging between runners, sprints between bottlenecks and the unique experience of running around iconic buildings such as the Velodrome and Anish Kapoor's Orbit.
It took almost to half way to be able to run freely, at which point I passed Queen Victoria (looking very comfortable, and looking like a runner!), and it was getting hot (well, more humid really). The next two miles felt more like a normal race, but still with some interesting twists and turns, but then came the best bit.
As we ran back towards the stadium we veered off right, down a long ramp (marked out with lanes like a running track) and in to the service tunnel that circumnavigates the stadium at track level. It was like being some kind of film set, with Chariots of Fire blaring from the speakers overlaid with Steve Cram's excited commentary from 2012! I'm not sure how far we ran in the tunnel but suddenly we turned right again and out in to the light and noise of stadium. The crowds weren't massive by 2012 standards, but were certainly having a good go and responded noisily to any waving from the runners.
The track felt huge, and lanes really wide and the surface just sped you along. Then, into the final 100 metres I was winding up for the obligatory sprint finished when I saw Paula Radcliffe running back up the track, high-fiving the runners, what a cool moment. High-five done, then mad dash for the line and then, it was all over. Out down a quiet tunnel, up the stairs and back out into the park.
Only five miles, but what a day out! Never having run a five mill race before I of course set a PB! My chip time was 32:10. I finished in 261st place (not bad out of nearly 12,000 runners!) and came 16th in my age category. Interestingly, there were also just 16 female runners who finished ahead of me. And that didn't include Paula Radcliffe who I beat by 17 seconds. How cool is that?!
And, on top of all that, the 365 challenge tally rises to 1,805.
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