The Stockport 10

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr... someone turned the heating off again today! After two rest days in preparation for my race, during which the pavements were frost-free and running would have been easy-breezy, I opened my curtains this morning to find that Jack Frost had paid a visit, and he'd been making up for lost time!

So, with layers back on, I headed off with Pete and Sara, from Running Club, to Stockport to take part in their annual 10 miler.

This race has a rather infamous goody bag attached to it, that is hilariously marketed by the club in the weeks running up to the race with a variety of videos showcased on the club's own website, Run Britain and Marathon Talk. Obviously, with all this exctitement and mystery surrounding it, I was very much looking forward to my very own Stockport 10 goody bag at the end of the race... and I wasn't disappointed!

As you can see, the goody bag contains everything a modern, running, girl could ever need:
1. A lollypop
2. A Puma transfer tattoo (that makes you dead hard and scares little plastic men away...see)
3. One (yes, just the one) blue, plastic glove.
4. 3 months reduced membership at a local gym
5. A sticker which reads 'I've just run the STOCKPORT 10 and p***ed off a load of motorists (which is very accurate!)
6. A little bag of salt, pepper and brown sauce
7. A dog biscuit
8.A penguin biscuit (not pictured because I ate it in the car on the way back! and mine wasn't magic, like the one in their video - unfortunately for Macvities, who would sell a lot more if they transported you to New York when you ate one!)
9. A meal worm... no, you read that right... well, to be fair, 2 meal worms! Look...

10. And a technical T-shirt... Which is fab as I can actually run in it - I have a lot of 'pyjama tops' after running many Bupa races and receiving the heavy cotton t-shirts as rewards!

As you can see, there is also some lo-salt, heel balm, a Sweatshop voucher and a banana and bottle of water - which, any good race organiser will know, are essentials at the end of a race!

"That's great Maggie, what a fantastic goody bag" I can hear you saying, "But what about the race itself, how did you do?". Well, that is a very good question my friends. And the answer is - Great! I was really pleased with the race... My time (90 mins) was good for the icy conditions; I was only 4 minutes off my previous 10 mile race at Swinton, which wasn't half as hilly. I also really enjoyed it; it's a lovely route that takes you through some nice estates - certainly nicer than Moston! - and even through some beautiful countryside trails at one point.


I should also mention there were a couple of MASSIVE hills - hills are NOT a friend! In the warm up, we'd run up half of the one at the end, however no-one had informed me of the very steep hill that followed a long, slow incline after 5 miles... in fact, running along alone did not deter me from exclaiming, out loud "Oh my word!" ... I am a polite, lonesome runner, even when in shock! Of course, there's nothing for it, I assume the hill-ready position - head down, arms straight in front, big, deep, belly breath, jelly baby in - and run! On the plus side, there was a great down-hill at the end of it!
Before I go, I must mention the Marshalls, who were fab; I always find they can really make a race, especially one as long as 10 miles, as it's not like the big, over-priced subscribed Bupa races where you're constantly surrounded by people, it can be quite lonely. Having the Marshalls cheer you on as they... well...'marshall' can really help boost you at certain points; so thank you Stockport Marshalls!

All in all, I had a throughly enjoyable morning and all achieved after a night dancing (a lot) at my work's Christmas Party,  and a rude awakening from my drunken other-half at 3.30am in the morning because he'd forgotten his house keys!

It's alright... I'm typing with one hand now... the other is already giving me a big pat on the back!!

Distance: 10 mile race, 13 miles (including the warm-up)
Weather: Icy and frosty
Feeling: Great!