27th August Did I double or quit?


Daft question really. Off course I quit, what kind of fool do you think I am. Oh right...THAT sort of fool!!

Yesterday, to coincide with the late August Bank Holiday weekend, it was the Double or Quit race in Shipley Country Park, organised by the Ilkeston Running club. The double or quit part being either run a single lap of 5 miles or double up to make it 10 miles.

There had been rumours that the race might not actually take place due to a poor take up and it was obvious that the number of starters was reduced compared to previous years.

What wasn't reduced was the lumpiness of the course, which I had kind of forgotten about. I ran for a little bit of the race with Natalie (from our church BB group) with her portable music system blasting iur a selection of high tempo dance tynes until she disappeared into the distance, despite her actually running the double dose of 10 miles.

The weather forecast had predicted showers, instead we had sunshine which made it hard going as we undulated along a variety of tracks, trails and pathways. Now I have done this race twice in the past, and when I came to look at my previous times I was actually quite surprised as how quick they were. Well quick for me anyway. 

At the end of the day, just like on my two previous attempts, I quit at the end of the 1st lap, but in a time that was only 3 mins slower than the fastest time I have ever run the race back in 2018. Not bad for being 5 years older. Or maybe I was simply shocking for my age back in 2018, who knows?


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