After Friday’s surging heatwave, the temperature dropped to something slightly more manageable this morning, but we were still already verging on a muggy 20 degrees (in the Newcastle area, at least) as 9am rolled around.
Of those spreading their wings, Cate Walker was down in the Midlands at Evesham, collecting a final ‘E’ to complete her full name for the ‘namely’ challenge. Nikki Szlovák finished as 3rd lady in the literal heart of Midlothian, south-east of Edinburgh at Vogrie Country Park, while Jim Crinnion returned to Temple Newsam near Leeds for the first time in almost 3 years, picking up a course PB in the process.
Back in the North East, in what is fast becoming the norm, Roberto Marzo clocked another sub-19 minute time as he finished 2nd at Denton Dene. Catherine Young continued her own personal trend, hitting another post-pregnancy PB in Chester-le-Street, and Lena Lou was struck by near-nominative determinism at Whitley Bay, having to break for the thankfully nearby toilets mid-run.
In an odd absence of any actually fast runners, I unexpectedly wound up finishing 1st at Leazes. Alex’s call for anyone expecting to finish under 20 minutes to make their way to the start, was met with complete inertia, followed by a ripple of bemused laughter. After a few recent unpleasant experiences running in the heat, I hadn’t planned to push too hard this morning, but as I neared the end of the first lap realising there was no-one anywhere near me, it dawned that first place was well within my grasp, and I finished as the only runner (just) under 20 minutes. Presumably the usual sub-18 minute crowd will return next week!
