Who Let The (Mad) Dogs Out?
Parkrun #32.
This week, we took the slower pace of life as we, (Sophie and I) brought her dog Bailey, to Parkrun. Bailey has run Parkrun before, the last Parkrun of 2021, as I was just recovering from Covid and it was a wonderfully festive affair. Knowing the speed Bailey did last time, Sophie and I dressed for the elements with numerous layers on. We were fine to have a slower day today, with Mad Dog the following day. However, it seemed Bailey had other ideas.
It was also a great week as our friend James, ran his 25th Parkrun! He is slowly catching Sophie and I up, yet only started coming to Parkrun with us just before Covid hit, so I would say that this is a much better feat than Sophie and I's 25th. (we started in 2019...) His family came along to cheer him around and join in with the Parkrun festivities for the morning.
After seeing all of our usual friends and smiling faces, we made our way to the back of the pack, we didn't want to get in the way of anyone getting a personal best after all. The gun went off, and it appeared Bailey had other ideas. Dress for your 2nd mile, not your first. Did not matter today. Bailey shot off like a rocket, something that we were certainly not ready for! Breathless, and trying to make a plan to get around the course relatively unscathed, we ran, we walked, we encouraged 2 ladies with prams (absolute kudos to you!) and got Bailey a PB of 37 minutes! We were so proud of him! Bailey is a beagle, who, enjoys the finer things in life so 37 minutes was very respectable for him!
I also think it was a blessing that Bailey paced us for a much slower time seeing as we had Mad Dog tomorrow, and no idea what to expect. With winds predicted at 40mph... things were not looking great!
Mad Dog 10k
Here it is! The day I had been waiting for since December. I have heard so many great things about Mad Dog, and didn't realise what a popular race it was, and here it was, right on our doorstep of Costa Del Southport.
I had been keeping a close eye on the weather in the lead up to today. Southport is a coastal town and never running by the coast before, I was a little nervous of what to expect. Its always more blustery on the coast!
The evening before I had a terrible nights sleep, awful rain was predicted and, it kept me awake banging on the window. All I kept thinking was "this race is going to get cancelled, we can't possibly run in this.."
This was the first time I underestimated Mad Dog, and, this is part of the reason that this race probably is called Mad Dog. Because you have to be Mad to run it.
There was no weather warning in place, and as the sun rose, the rain stopped, but the wind kept rearing its ugly head.
The organisation of this race was second to none. A (free!) car park, not so far away and shuttle busses taking you to and from the start line. (I also have to say there were portaloos at the car park AND at the start and for that I am forever grateful because yes, I am a runner who will go to the toilet and squeeze every last drop out. [TMI - but we are talking about running here!] )
What was also great about Mad Dog, is that the event is so big (but mainly run by locals) that they allowed you to collect your goody bag the day before. (minus medal!) Again, we had James to thank for this and he went to collect these on the Saturday, meaning we could run in our shiny new tops!
Bladder emptied, T-minus 8 minutes to go, we made our way to the labrador pen and awaited our fate.
This was the first time the race was back since Covid hit and the excitement was rising.
After letting out a few howls, the gun went off and we set off to 'Who Let the Dogs Out.' Everyone was in good spirits the sun was shining over the coast and the wind was subsiding. Error number 1. Sharp left onto the front, first singer of the course and, as I said onto the front - is where the wind was waiting for us. It was so hard battling through 40mph wind but I was doing it! Spirits were high from all runners, what could possibly happen. Hail. Hail could happen. I only thought I would need to turn my head to the left to breathe when doing butterfly stroke in the pool. That is, unless you are pelted by hailstone during a road race on a seafront on a Sunday morning in February. Luckily this was a spell and the wind came back.
We continued to fight our way through, and that is when the sand decided to greet us. The right of my face is now beautifully exfoliated. I'm very grateful that I put the extra moisturiser on in the morning.
But again, this did not dampen our spirits and this is why I love running, and fellow runners are the best people ever. Cheering each other on, little comments to each other to spur us on to the next KM, and then the wind blowing me sideways almost into another runner!
There were bands and choirs dotted around the course which was really helpful to help spur you on, and, I'm not sure many of them will read this, but to the bands / choirs and spectators who braved the elements are almost as mad as us runners. It really was appreciated having you cheering us on and getting us around the brutal course. I never thought I would be running across a seafront, attempting to do the dance moves to the Time Warp, whilst running. (I put my hands on my hips, but I couldn't bend my knees in time... I'd run past before it was time for the pelvic thrusts)
It felt like I flew around this course. It was the first time I had ever run a flat course, and 5k seemed to appear quickly - considering the elements that we had seen in such a short space of time. 6 - 8k was hard, but they are always the hardest KM to dig for.
I was aiming for 1hr 10. This was my goal I had set myself, and I was unsure how many races it would take me to achieve it. Running to the finish line, the last KM seemed to stretch forever. I could see the flags, but they didn't seem to be getting any closer. And then, I saw it. The clock. 1hr.06. Surely that must be wrong? I found a last bit of energy to get me over that line. I HAD to find Sophie and James to tell them. I've always battled with being the slowest but I'd got 1.06. I was buzzing. Another lady crossed the line with me and we exchanged a really covid safe high - five (I have no qualms with it whatsoever) and I went to find my two friends. With the emotions I felt, I probably could have run further I was so happy with myself. I got my medal and grabbed Sophie for a hug. ONE -O-SIX baby!
What I was yet to learn, was that this was my gun time and my actual time was 1hr.05 and 16 seconds. Seven whole minutes off my personal best. What I have also come to learn is that 7 minutes in the running world is a lot - or, if you look at it another way a whole KM!
Cold, windswept and emotions running high & another 10k under our belts, we made our way back to the bus to get to the car to go and warm up and get home. This is where I really came into my own. I'd filled my hot water bottle up at 9am and wrapped my jumper up in it. I leapt into the car to find, a beautifully warm hoodie, and a gorgeously warm hot water bottle. Absolute. Bliss.
If you get the opportunity to run Mad Dog, do it. Who knows, I might be sub 1hr by then...
Will I be back next year? I hope so.
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