Fade to grey

Zola Budd. A bright start but faded away to nothingness. Blimey Sturminster was tough, the hardest run I've done since Stoke. In all honesty I wasn't feeling on top form before the race, but throughout the first 6/7 miles I was tidily ticking off the miles in just under an 8 min average. Weather was kind, if a little on the warm side, and the course has to be called "rolling" in the kindest parlance. By eight I was starting to fade a little but decided to give it a go at 9 and put in a 7:40 mile. Come 11 I'd set myself up for a chance of a PB and was jollied along by the two clowns at the final water station (and I mean that literally), belly-laughing at all the runners as they went past. What I didn't know was the reason why as the next mile and a half was a steady incline - a real killer which put paid to any chance of a good time. I really fell away at this stage, struggling lke crazy as the people I'd gone past at 9-10 all passed me. Cramp set into the right calf half way through that hill (not steep, but never-ending) and I was so thankful to see the finish line, hobbling over in 1:46:39 and finishing 194 out of 416. Not my Guy Garvey finest hour, but a decent enough run over a tough course in a race mainly involving club runners - top half going down as a reasonable achievement. Need a rest now though. Total mileage to date: 608.25.