Brighton Revisited - Park Run 5k

As we set off for West Sussex on Friday evening in a howling gale, I think either one of us would have readily agreed not to go if only the other had been the one to suggest it. However we sensibly ignored the severe weather warnings and drove through the floods to spend a largely sleepless night being buffeted about in the van, wondering whether it was going to stay the right way up.

After the fiasco last time when we overslept we set four alarms but actually need not have worried because Phil very kindly woke us up at 7.30am – when the text message he had sent us the previous evening finally arrived!!

The number of runners in attendance did not seem to have been affected by the daunting weather forecast and it did actually stay dry, if extremely gusty for the duration of the race. My plan was to tuck in behind two other ladies who were just in front of me on the start line, but at they started at a very conservative pace I soon found myself ahead of them. In fact I was only 20 metres or so behind Martin for the first km. I couldn’t work out if he was having a terrible run or if I had taken off way too fast - until I went through the 1km mark in 3.49 and knew for sure it was the latter.

The first half loop completed I set off up the hill on the second lap and found myself being overtaken by one of my female rivals. However once past me she didn’t pull away so I cunningly tucked in behind her and drafted all the way down the far side of the course which was into the strong wind. I was planning to try and stay with her and go for outsprinting her at the finish, however, heading up the hill on the final lap, and with full wind assistance, I managed to get in front of her again and rounding the last corner with half a km to go there was no way I was giving up the lead.

I sprinted for the line expecting my fan club to be cheering me on in this exciting finish, only to discover that he had lost interest and wandered off somewhere. Despite this uncharacteristic lack of support I managed to retain my lead and cross the line a mere two seconds ahead of the competition, in a time of 20.23, which given the conditions, I was well pleased with - and my first victory at a Park run.

Martin was disappointed with both his time of 19.14 and his fifth place – there’s no pleasing some people! Fortunately a delicious breakfast at the excellent park cafe soon restored him to his usual good humour.

Sunday saw us out for a 9 mile jaunt from Lovington up onto the South Downs Way in clear sunny weather through lovely countryside. The running in this part of the country is excellent and it makes for a great weekend away.