Rick's St Mary's Diary

So, today was the day of my big run! Eight weeks on from starting as a complete novice, barely capable of running to my own fridge for some chocolate, I was competing in the Birchwood 10k. And, as you can see from the slightly sweaty image to the left, I managed it!

I had done a couple of 10k runs around Prestwich in the build-up to the big day, and it wasn't until taking up my local runs that I realised quite how mountainous Prestwich actually is! Have you ever tried running up Gardner Mount? Or up Bury New Road from St Mary's Park towards Tesco? It's quite a challenge!

Thankfully, the Birchwood route is fairly flat, save for a couple of nasty motorway bridges near the end. I had been aiming for a time under 1 hour, and according to my watch I made it in just under 56 minutes, so I was very pleased with myself. And I got a lovely pink bath-towel from the organisers as a congratulatory gift! So thanks to them for that, and for their organisational skills in making sure that all 800-odd of us runners ran the right way and didn't get run over.

I'm not sure of my position as yet, I will have to wait for the official results to be posted on-line for that. But I am sure that I didn't come last, which was my big fear. That and leaving the venue in an ambulance. Thankfully neither occurred!

I might explore the possibility of a road race in Bury! I don't know whether there is one already, but if not, why not? From a purely selfish point of view, it's closer than Birchwood! Although I might see if we can avoid the hillier areas of Prestwich!