Annual Round The Reser local 8km race (300 runners). A good turn out from our club as the organiser is a club stalwart. It's a two lap course but slightly altered this year to ensure maximum covid safety, this meant twice up that stinker of a climb. It's short but sharp, especially second time round.
We set off in small waves based on 5k times. Having not run a 5k for years I didn't know where to position myself. As it turned out there was maybe only 20 people ahead of me so we all started in the first wave. The small numbers basically meant we were running in small groups (6 max).
I was with the front of our B group guys who are all younger than me. We got up the first climb easily enough on lap 1 and pushed on through 3km. The group began to split apart after that and another club runner came along with me. We ran strongly through 4-5km until the second lap and the hill again. We trudged up this but it took me at least 30 seconds to slowly recover. Unsurprisingly everyone said they died on the hill second time around during the post race chatter.
Me and my 'companion' got going again and he took a couple of meters out of me up to 6.5k. However the switch-back path decent allowed me to catch up, pull alongside and then pull away from him decisively.
As my watch lapped 7km I focussed on speed and leg turnover. I also used another runner ahead who was slowing before a sharp left then right kink onto the bridge towards the finish line.
30.13 and 16th overall.
On a flat course that's sub 30mins I reckon. Very pleased with that. My first race since York marathon 2019.
I also tagged on an extended warm-up/warm-down which included another big hill back to the car for approx 21km for the day.