Well, you learn something new with every race. Admittedly it’s usually something about pacing, or fuelling, or dehydration, rather than that the national anthem has three verses, but there you go. Yesterday I took part in the British 10k race, a closed roads run around central London. And when they say central, boy, they really do mean it. It starts in Piccadilly, takes you around Pall Mall, Regent Street, Westminster .. not necessarily in that order as this rather insane map of the route will show you.

I wasn’t ‘racing’ as such as I’d done a hard track session the day before, though I did get a little caught up and run a bit faster than I’d been planning, something I regretted as I then had to run the seven or so miles home after the finish. In fact, I sneakily rejoined the race so that I could cut through to Westminster, then ducked out again (much to the concern of a marshal who gesticulated wildly at the thousands of runners going the right way) to run – race number still on – along the Embankment. This earned me cheers from a party of French schoolchildren. Allez! Etc.

If you were running the British 10k too, I’d be interested to know how you found it. It has a somewhat notorious reputation for poor organisation, though I didn’t encounter any problems at all on the day. Full disclosure though: I ran as a guest of New Balance, so got treated to a lovely breakfast beforehand and a place near the front of the start line – so hardly your average experience. One thing I did find odd was that the ‘elite’ field seemed to consist of some club athletes who weren’t really much faster than anyone else at the front end of the field. Also, if I’d paid the £50 entry fee (again, sorry, I know I am lucky) then I would probably have expected a goodie bag, rather than simply a medal and a bottle of water. That, after all, is more than the fee for the London Marathon.

So, how was your weekend running – were you racing, pacing or um .. lacing your shoes? (sorry). As always, share your triumphs and woes below the line.

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