10th February 2002

They described this race as undulating, but I think the race organisers were being modest.  It was positively hilly!

With Katy providing me with the energy drinks support, this was a thoroughly enjoyable race in the morning sunshine.  A new plan of staying in a B&B made the traveling to the race a totally stress free 10 minute drive.  This gave me plenty of time in the morning to have the full English breakfast and cereal - quality running food!

Having started at the back of the crowd, giving me time to warm up into the kilometers, I found my pace and began working my way through the field of runners.  It's a much better feeling to pass runners than to be passed.  It was good to look around at the countryside and both Katy and I saw some fallow deer with a full antlers buck herding them pass the runners.

I finished strong making this race the furthest and longest run I have ever done.  I was very happy.  It was even more pleasing knowing that I finished ahead of most of the relay teams (doing 8k,8k,12k).

I can recommend to the reader to have a proper sports leg massage after a race like this for novices like me.  It hurts like hell but the next day I had little aches or pains to speak of.  Katy had more having ridden the 30k with me!

Rich

The Stowmarket Striders results are:-

There were 398 finishers.