From Sally Armitage…
A hilly, 2 lap, 20 mile road race starting and finishing in Princess Mary Athletics Stadium in Cleckheaton. This race is marketed as, and predominately used as, ‘marathon prep’. I was perhaps the only person running who doesn’t have a marathon this spring.
This was my first race at this distance, and I classed it as a disaster. It was quite a step up from the 13 miles that had been my previous longest race distance, I hadn’t really appreciated this until afterwards.
I was disappointed with myself for the way I paced it, I let my desire to win override my plan for the race and my common sense. As soon as we set off I attached myself to the heels of the leading lady, despite knowing who she was, and that she was a faster runner than I am.
We set off with a lap of the track and then began the first of many climbs. I knew the pace was far quicker than I’d anticipated, I’d planned for a finish time of around 2 hours 20, we were running around 2 hours 10 pace, but I couldn’t bring myself to let her go. Then when we reached mile 10, in around 1 hour 5, my calves started cramping, this happens often to me in races longer than 10 miles. Sharp painful spasms, starting intermittently and increasing in frequency, I couldn’t run up the hills anymore, I was having to stop and walk for 10 seconds, stretch them and then try and continue. I managed to finish the race, and in the time I’d originally planned, just with a lot of discomfort and a much slower second half.
I finished feeling disappointed with myself and frustrated, the cramps would’ve probably kicked in anyway, but not that early in the race or been quite as debilitating if I’d not pushed so hard in the first half.
I’ve spent all evening researching how to prevent calf cramps from happening, I discovered a new tactic, vinegar! I’d never heard of this, apparently the acetic acid acts directly on neurological pathways and works immediately, stopping the signals from the brain that cause the cramps. Anything’s worth a go!
1st male Jed Bartlett, Hallamshire Harriers 1:50:48
1st female Laura Hesketh, Clayton-le-Moors Harriers 2:14:13
25th Sally Armitage 2:18:06 (2nd lady)
130 ran