EMA 10k

Today it’s the EMA 10k which is a run around East Midlands Airport which is shut on Sundays at the moment for runway resurfacing. It has proved a popular idea and the race soon filled up. L got in but I didn’t due to my policy of not entering races too far in advance in case I get injured.

Those are the risks but I put a brave face on it as I grab a cup of tea and a bacon roll, thankfully not at usual airport prices, while L disappears off into the Departures Hall to check in at Desk 25. It might be a daft idea running around an airport but it’s also pretty cool.

L is in Wave C (which she refers to as C for Chubbies) which is practically nosebleed territory and well ahead of the back Wave F (F for Fatties). I think it's called self deprecating humour and she's not being un-PC, I hope. She's almost in with the Elites unless they’re in Wave E of course.

Everyone has been told that they're not allowed to publish the route probably something to do with the Official Secrets Act but I think the real reason was probably because it was a bit dull. I’m not sounding bitter am?

It’s mostly on the access roads and around the main car park. The upside is that L passes me four times. It’s just me as we left the boys at home because we knew we’d have to get a undogfriendly shuttle bus in from Jet Parks 1 and 2.

The route could have been better as with 2000 runners the two lap course with the second lap being only 4k as opposed to the 6k first lap means the lead runners easily catch the back of the race and have to swim through the tide. Not good. Everything else though is immaculately organised and the race t-shirt is also rather nice.

The airport have also stated that no photos or videos are to be taken during the race and that airport security marshals will be in place around the route and will take action against anyone who does. Well clearly everyone, spectators and marshals alike, forgot about this as photography was rampant.

Having kept my power dry all morning of course and I can now ignite it in the evening. Hence I have booked an SQT session at the Velodrome. This is the last Sunday night session of the year before we are kicked out while the pantomime takes over and its fully booked. The session has a touch of Christmas Party about it, this is if you can imagine a party for hardened trackies who are a tad peeved about their sessions being cancelled and want to knock lumps out of someone because of it. They even wheel in an especially psycho coach to help take the session.

Although they do need two anyway because due to the panto stage being in the middle of the track you can no longer see across it and they need a coach each side in radio contact to maintain safety.

It is easily the most evil velodrome session I’ve ever done but also equally the best Christmas Party I’ve been to. The new guy introduces something I think he called the Six Day Six but I can’t find anything about on the web. I think it was just pure unadulterated evil that he made up himself but then it wasn’t really out of character with the rest of the session.

L doesn’t quite have to carry me into the Exeter Arms afterwards but it wasn't far off that stage. My ever supportive father joins us. Then I have takeaway curry while L saintly has a Subway salad. 

(Sunday 27^th November)

Stress Levels

I drop L at the bus stop at 6:45am with her stress levels reading ‘red’, which is more to do with having to rely on two buses turning up on time and to dovetail together rather than the race itself. The first bus doesn’t even appear on the electronic signs. Some buses do, some don’t. It’s nothing to do with it not being a council bus and the signs being provided by the council of course. Thankfully it is on time, as is her coach to Sheffield. So stress levels falls a little to a kind of deep amber.

While L heads north, I head south to Peterborough, where the weather seems to be fining up after the early rain. In fact it turns out to be another sunny day, at least at the Peterborough Showground.

Up in Sheffield, L claims to be on the front row, of the second batch of starters but even so, that’s nosebleed territory. I’m so proud.

Meanwhile MD continues to frustrate. Beautifully clear for half his first run then a pole goes down, he misses his weave entry, then comes out the damn things completely, twice, then for good measure two more poles down. Faults wise it’s a cricket score and the judge will probably sue us for injury caused by overuse of his arm signalling it all to the scorer.

Second run. MD picks a course with the weaves not only as obstacle number two but also set on the diagonal (which incidentally should not be allowed on this level of course) to release himself before I'm ready. I recover the situation, just, and we storm round clear, yet having wasted several seconds unnecessarily faffing around at the start. We come 19th and oddly get a rosette for that.

So not a great day so far and it's only 11am. Then we sit twiddling our collective thumbs and paws until MD’s final run comes around at about 4pm. I spend some time chatting to the wild life, at what is actually a county show type event.

Then to cap it off a lovely clear from MD on our final run is not ruled lovely by the judge who gave us 5 faults for a see-saw contact that we definitely got. Clearly the judge didn’t agree and he’s entitled to his opinion but then I was a lot closer than him and had the better view of me making sure MD got it. Unfortunately it’s his opinion that counts. We would have been 5th, which wouldn’t have been bad but at least he hasn’t done us out of a win.

Meanwhile Doggo, whose been banned from competing today by the vet, has been ambling around all day, soaking up the concerned attention of everyone and generally having a sniffing good time.

Up in Sheffield L does another 57 minute 10k, so she’s getting very consistent. Now we need to work on getting her to break into the 56s. Her rival for the day is a mere four seconds behind. Blimey. Close then. No wonder she’s straight on the Abbot afterwards as she meets Daughter for lunch.

In the evening it’s my turn on the Abbot as she consoles me in the local.

(Sunday 9th October)