TRC: a small force to be reckoned with!

Carn Runners hosted the first race in the Cornish Glass and Glazing Grand Prix 2012  Series today, which proved a popular event with clubs from across the county with 545 finishers. A new course record was set in the women’s open competition by Emma Steptoe of Cornwall AC in an impressive time of 0:58:46, taking 8th position overall.

It was a great opener for TRC to the 2012 season too – 23 members crossed the finish line! Four of us crossed in style winning prizes in respective age categories: Isobel Wykes 2nd female under 35 (4th female overall!), Pete Sowerby 3rd male 45 – 49 (first home for the club and coming back after injury), Gary Pascoe 3rd male 50 – 54 and Tony Berry 1st male 75+. There were also a good number of PBs including Helen Dodwell who finished in a speedy 1:16:10!

To complete the series you need to finish 8 races, including 2 of 10 miles or longer – one down, one to go! The next long ones are The Duchy Marathon and An Res Hellys (10 miles), so make sure you register with Alison if you want to take part! The next race in the series is Mounts Bay 10k on 5th February, which is now closed to entries (if you are registered but can’t take part please let Alison know asap as there’s a list of TRCers as long as your arm that want to take part!).

On that note it’s over to Hana for her first inimitable report of 2012!

Storm Force 10, 2012

It’s Sunday morning, I haven’t had a real lie in for about three weeks and I’ve been awake since 5am, I just start to fall back to sleep, when the wretched alarm goes off.

Time to get up and try eat some nice warming and energy providing porridge in the hope that it will settle by the time the first race of 2012 starts at 10:30.

It’s Storm Force, so fairly local for us runners who live in Truro, but looking out the window it looks damp and depressing. What to wear is the big question? Short sleeve top?….oh no too cold for that. Long sleeve light weight top?…….Oh no, still too cold for that. In that case, it has to be the nice close fitting top I have with a fleecy style inner to it. Now that feels really nice.

Next dilemma….hair. A couple years ago, I use to sport a Grade Four short hair cut and there was never any hair dilemmas in my life. It was purely wash and go, no brushes, clips, bands or gels, which was sheer bliss when you are involved in sport. Now as I have matured so to speak, I felt the need to feminise myself and started to grow my hair. I now have hair that no matter what I do to it, rebels. Curls I haven’t seen since I was 2 have returned and hair clips feature once again in my life as does a hairdryer. I hate soggy hair flapping across my face, so maybe I should take a head band as well. Thank goodness my daughter has left a couple in her bedroom, so I pilfer one of them, and it seems to do the job, even if it makes me look like a slightly mad old lady……..NO comments please.

Kit bag packed, well stuffed full actually, as the flyer does say there are showers to use, and I’m off on the 20 minute drive to Camborne.

The venue is easy to find and sign posted clearly, so there is no way of getting lost. Marshall’s direct us to a large playground area where we can park our cars. Then it is into the race HQ to pick up our race numbers. I feel a little lonely and lost at this point, as Julie is off Skiing, so I don’t have her company and knowledge to direct me to where I need to be. There in the distance I can see a very forlorn looking Alison. She is not well, a hacking cough and chest infection has struck her down and she really should be home in bed poor love. So she isn’t running and looks quite cross about this, so would I be in her position.

Number pinned to running vest, I’m 291 this time and there is still some time to have a natter with the other TRC runners who have turned up. Baggage off loaded at the bag drop area, run very well by the local Police cadets looking very smart in their uniform. Toilet found with no queues, so time for that last minute, just in case, wee. It looks a health and safety nightmare as I enter the cubicle, as the seat…yes boy’s, us girls do like to sit down on the job….was placed at a rather jaunty angle, and when touched, fell off. At least I didn’t do the same!

Getting ready before the start

Off to the start we all troop, a bit of a walk come jog but it does serve as a gentle warm up. Congestion now occurs with runners everywhere and cars not able to get through. Someone started shouting orders through a megaphone and I thought they were going to bring in “Kettling” a Met police tactic for containing protesters. People soon moved though, as an elderly female was seen driving towards us with a fixed glazed expression on her face. I would describe her as the sort of driver that only drives at one speed whatever situation they are in and only looks straight ahead. That way anything to your left and right, doesn’t actually exist, so any damage caused, isn’t your fault. Thankfully she passed safely and all runners were accounted for.

One two three and we are off. I have somehow managed to start not far from the front of the pack, and go off quite fast. It isn’t long though before Helen passes me. There is no way she is going to let me catch her.

I tuck in behind a colleague from work who runs for Falmouth and as he is well over 6 foot acts as a sort of wind buffer. I’m now running much faster than my usual pace, belated birthday Garmin registers 6:50. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that number before. This won’t last, if it does I could be dead before the end of the race.

Now last year, I had been tempted to pick up a baton of Brussels Sprouts that were for sale at the side of the road at Carnel Green, but my eyes were drawn very early on in this race, to a lovely Veg stall with tasty looking carrots for 40p. No, too early I thought and I had no cash on me, the last thing I wanted was to be chased by my colleague from work, and arrested for stealing carrots. Can you imagine the headlines in the West Briton on Wednesday!

That reminds me, whatever happened to Richard who used to run for us and worked at that paper? [He's still alive and running with us Hana!!!]

Sorry, back to the run. The first hill approached and passed quite easily. My pace is still too fast for me, but whilst I’m able to maintain it, I’ll give it a go. New running shoes are working well and feet and legs feel good. At this point a male TRC runner comes past me and tells me I’m running well…….yes for my age, but Helen is still miles ahead and I was able to beat her last year…. I had to console myself with “she is much younger than me”  but she also and trains harder!

Down a muddy track we all go and now we are at the half way point. Legs still feeling OK. Lungs protesting, but then they always do. I’m the one with the irritating cough at all races. A good slap on the back would probably clear my lungs, but no one has offered yet.

Bl—dy hell, shoe malfunction at mile 8. This has never ever happened before to me, my right shoe lace has come undone…ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. From behind I hear a familiar voice and it’s Claire now passing me. I beat her last year (by seconds) and she is ahead with no hope of me catching her. She too is much younger than me I hasten to add, so I tell myself to get a grip and keep on running.

I do hate mile 8 in 10 mile races. Strangely enough this feeling doesn’t appear in the 7, 6 or 5 mile  races. My legs are feeling like lead, my willpower is being tested, but somewhere from within, I carry on.

Mile 9 passed and the finish line is getting nearer. I look at my Garmin and I can’t believe what time it is showing, I could beat last years PB. Sharp left turn, and there is the school and the finish line is crossed. 1hr 19:37, which is 5 minutes, yes I repeat 5 minutes faster than last year……..wow! this old woman still has some running left in her yet.

I stagger past Helen and Claire who look fresh as daisy’s watching us slow coaches cross the line. Youth………….no way am I going to get that back, with the BIG 50 approaching.

Water, Banana, goody bag collected and I head for the shower, as I’m starting to feel cold. I walk into the changing rooms expecting the showers to be full. Off I go with towel, shower gel and shampoo in hand, and then let out a very loud squeal………Cold or what……….. bl—dy freezing. Now I know ice baths are supposed to be good after racing, but I’m wanting warmth and this isn’t providing any. Too late, more squeals and I’m less smelly than I was 5 minutes ago. The legs actually feel refreshed, so maybe this is the way to go. Christmas compression socks on, and I’m ready for a mug of tea. Hair issues bad though, I now look like a witch, so nothing new there I hear you say.

Just like last year, a terrific spread of food was laid on for us tired and hungry runners. Donation placed in the tub, and then you could choose a selection of cakes, biscuits, soup and bread roll plus tea and coffee. Fantastic, but sadly no hot baths.

Debbie, Steph and myself are the only TRC runners left at the prize giving [Diane was also there, consorting with - well we know who!!!!]. I was awarded 4 trophies by the organisers…..yes really. I now have several different names which I run under, but the prize giver was a little confused when I accepted the one for first male over 75. It must be my youthful curls or was he just turning his nose up, as the cold shower hadn’t done the job?

So all in all:

• Parking…..very good.
• Marshalling…excellent, no one got lost.
• Drink stations….appeared adequate, but then again I never use them. Well done police cadets once again.
• Goody bag…..Not bad at all. I now have a slap on high Viz arm band, something I can use, plus some running socks. Now that’s something we didn’t get last  year. I need gloves though, so maybe next race?
• Will I run it again……if the legs, feet, hips and body allow, yes, but please, please give us hot showers next year!!!!!!!!!!!

Results

Open Competition

Men

1. Dan Alsop, St Austell RC, 0:54:21
2. Noel Kindon, Cornwall AC, 0:55:35
3. Colin Snook, Cornwall AC, 0:55:47

Women

1. Emma Stepto, Cornwall AC, 0:58:46
2. Naomi Tier, Cornwall AC, 1:02:10
3. Anne Luke, Tamar Trotters, 1:03:14

TRC Results

Overall Results

Download the .xls file

Gallery