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London 10K
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London 10K - Run10k
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Comments: I joined the runners just a couple minutes after the elites started. To my surprise, for the most part people were pretty slow. Compared to Bolder Boulder anyway. Of course the Kenyans were speedy, but I cought up with some British "elite" women pretty soon. (Paula Radcliffe was not there for some reason.) Something happened to the cross country world champion in the first km - I saw her walking within first few minutes. Very sad, given that she wanted to break 32 min and probably was hoping to win the whole thing... I just ran without worrying too much about my time. Just enjoyed racing in London. Still, I was passing a lot of people. Soon, not too many people were around anymore. And very few women. Weird, in Bolder Boulder as fast as I ran I was constantly surrounded by tons of people. Even though it was raining the whole time I was drinking at every water station - must have needed it after the pub-hopping the night before. They gave out water in bottles instead of cups. People would grab full 20oz bottle, take a couple sips and throw it away - so much waste! Another interesting thing - it seems like everyone there runs for charity. I see a lot of charity outfits in US too of course, but in London there were more people wearing them - seemed like everybody. I got off the course about 200m before the finish since I was a pirate.  Post race
Warm down: We finished a couple miles away from my hotel, so I just jogged back - we had to leave for the airport shortly. Event comments: I am glad the concierge mentioned it and I got to run it! It was fun! :) Last updated: 2007-07-02 12:00 AM
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 2007-07-03 12:52 AM |
Veteran  301  Seattle |  Subject: London 10K |
| 2007-07-03 6:11 PM in reply to: #869990 |
Expert 622 Conifer, Colorado | Subject: RE: London 10K Ok, I'm jealous... not only because you raced in London, but because now your a Pirate. I want to be a Pirate! I even have the tattoo. Great report. I hope you blog some more workouts while you are in Russia. This one was very cool... yeah, the H2O bottle wastage is dumb. Great job though... I love the spontaneity of it! |
| 2007-07-04 8:08 AM in reply to: #869990 |
Champion 6539   South Jersey | Subject: RE: London 10K WOW! That's so cool you were able to participate in a race during your layover in London on a trip to Russia Sounded like fun. And, I guess it's sort of cool that you're a pirate Have a great time in Russia. |
.| 2007-07-04 6:35 PM in reply to: #869990 |
Master 1873 Colorado | Subject: RE: London 10K So cool and so FUN!!! Have a great trip  ENJOY!!!! |
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United Kingdom
60F / 16C
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I was traveling to St. Petersburg Russia via London with my parents. We stayed overnight in a downtown hotel. The concierge told us to give ourselves enough time next morning to get to the airport because of street closures due to the race.
-What race?
-London 10K.
-Really? Where is that?
-Oh, it starts just around the corner and goes through downtown.
Of course, I knew I wanted to run it! Unfortunately the registration was already closed. So I had to pirate it :)
Needless to say, I am in no shape to set PR's with my log empty the last month. Plus, I only slept for about 2 hours on the plane from Denver to London. But what the heck.. Who knows when I'd get another chance to run a race in London..
We went out the night before - had a wonderful meal in a Moroccan restaurant and then visited a few pubs. I couldn't fall asleep till 3am because of the time difference. Watched horror movies like Rekviem for a Dream. Somehow I managed to get up at 7 and go to the start area.
I thought it was supposed to start at 8. I knew the start was in the park, but wasn't sure where exactly. It was freezing and raining - lovely weather after our 100 degree days. So I just figured I'll start running and probably see the race and join in.
I saw a few random joggers but nothing like I was expecting... I finally saw a few people who had race bibs on. I talked to them and it turned out that the race was to start at 9:30. There was no need to wake up at 7 I guess.
I went back to the hotel, had breakfast and got to the start around 9.
There were thousands of people (around 20,000 I think) wrapped around the corner of the street. Elites were at the start line - about 30 men and women including a female cross-country world champion from Kenya. Others were separated from elites and led to the start by race officials after the elites started.
Interestingly, there were no timing chips - not for elites nor for regular mortals. And no separate waves like in Boulder. I am not even sure if people were sorted by there speed at all and how they would find out their finish time.
I was standing on the sidewalk with other spectators and planned to join the racers a few minutes after the start.