Jurassic Coast 10K

To start in the traditional way – Saturday 22nd August saw a solitary Westgate at the Jurassic coast 10K. But first I had to get there. Since last year when I started driving again, journeys have been just to work in Wellington and back, a total distance of less than ten miles a day, apart from a few longer expeditions with Richard acting as driving instructor. (He obviously missed his calling in life). So it was on to the A and B roads and with a good memory for directions, (no garmins in my car), I arrived safely at Budleigh Salterton at 9.45am. Stretched my legs across the car park to be met by Dave C who had arrived even earlier. However with all this time to spare I managed to remember my number, change into appropriate clothes, do a token amount of warming up and find the start line by 11am.
The race starts by the beach huts on the seafront, heads past the vast car park and on to a trail by the river, which we followed for a short way inland before crossing a bridge and taking the coastal path. It’s the same route as the Exe to Axe but made a bit easier by knowing we didn’t have to do another 13 miles of increasingly hard hills. The path turns inland after two or three miles, still following tracks, some through some woods, before crossing another bridge and heading back down the river. Through another gate and onto the track we came out on and I knew we couldn’t be far from the finish. And just to confirm, there was a sign “300m to go”, then 200m, and 100m. At this point there were footsteps close behind, I could see the finish line, and I hate being overtaken on the line. So taking inspiration from all the athletics I’d been watching, I found some reserve energy and really sprinted those last few yards, preparing to hurl myself across the line if necessary. It paid off as you can see in the results: http://www.jurassiccoast10k.co.uk/2009Results.pdf. Dave C also had a good race with an equally close finish, but being some 10 minutes ahead of me I didn’t see it. Hopefully he might add a few words here.