My Third Race Blyth Valley 10K 12 April 2015

 Well, I am now three down in my 65 race challenge having completed the Blyth Valley 10k yesterday, Sunday 12 April 2015.
Until I sat down to type this latest blog I hadn't realised that all three of my races had been on the coast, infact at the water's edge. At this time of year this has meant having to deal with the cold and for the first half of the races, running into a strong headwind.
This was very much the case as fellow Tynedale Harrier, Brian Stonehouse,  and I set off from Blyth Harbour south to Seaton Sluice. On a nice warm day (is there such a thing on the Northumberland coast?) this would be very pleasant. Yesterday it was just cold and hard to enjoy.
As is becoming the norm I held back my usual 'go for it' pace to just below the 7 minute mile pace through the first mile and then settled into 7.10 / 7.20 until the turn for home at Seaton Sluice. Would the wind be behind , would it push me home? In a word, no, or it certainly didn't feel that way.
When I last raced with Brian (Prudhoe Miners) he had passed me after a couple of miles. In this race he was behind and I expected to see him at any moment in the second half. Coming back into Blyth there was no sign of him and glancing at my watch it was all about keeping to a decent pace and finishing in 44/45 minutes - oh for the old days of sub 40 minutes! Head down with the finish in sight, pace up and through the line in 45.29 by my watch, followed by Brian about a minute later.
By now the heavens had opened and I was shivering with the cold. Would it be worthwhile to wait for the results, was I in the prizes? No and possibly, yes, was the immediate response. No, because I was cold and sore - that's the last time I go for a hard cycle ride before a race - and yes, I might be in the first three for my age category. I knew that I hadn't won the category for I had seen Harry Matthews from Elswick Harriers ahead of me at the start., but how many prizes were on offer?
Overnight the results have been published showing Harry (209) was first in the category with a time of 42.43, Ian Richardson of North Shields Poly (292) was second in 45.27 and I was third (296) in 45.34. No word yet on prizes.
Today, Monday,  I am still sore and suffering yet another new niggle, this time my right thigh. This had started after about two miles into the race and was no doubt caused by my cycle ride the day before. If I can jog tomorrow without too much pain I will consider my first fell race , The Grisedale Grind , in the Lakes on Wednesday. Lets wait and see.