Sedgley/Himley

After the disappointment of the Seven Pools Run I wanted to try another cross-country race, and the Himley 5k seemed ideal. And then when I discovered that the men’s race wasn’t starting till 7.45, I knew I could also go to the orienteering event at Sedgley Hall Farm beforehand. This small area (along with some others) was mapped for Dudley Council back in 1987, and Barry, tonight’s organiser, claims that this was the club’s first event there for 21 years. Neat. And we used Terry Foxton’s original map, which was misleading, but we all knew it would be! Most of what was orange or yellow on the map was very difficult to run, and it was a real puzzle how to get in to some of the controls. In one mad attempt I climbed up a vertical streambank and fought my way out through the brambles and goosegrass at the top. Frustrating but fun…

 Spot the Sofa Competition: a prize for the first person to work out (or guess) where the sofa is. (Those of you who ran in the event are excluded from entering!)

My time of 43 minutes for 3.6 k was nothing to write home about, but it was a good thing that I’d had to stop a few times – it meant I hadn’t taken too much out of myself before the challenge ahead… Best wishes, by the way, to Rob Vickers, who suffered a cranial blessure thanks to an unscheduled anterior-postern rendezvous. (He bumped his head on a gate.) I hope he’s back from the hospital and okay.

 Russ returns  Adrian awaits

At 7 o’clock I parked up at Himley Hall just in time to see the women set off. They were led home by two teenagers from Halesowen ACC (nos. 55 & 56 in the big pic) in a time of around 19 minutes. I don’t know who won my race – but I know my time was 23:27. (It was around 11:15 at halfway.) My strategy was to start fast and then accelerate (!) but that was easier said than done. I did keep running all the way though, and was able to overtake a couple of guys on the run-in.

Because of the wet ground, and to give extra support to my legs, I wore my O shoes. At about a quarter distance I had a short bout of wobbly kneecap but it settled down. I’ve still got the crepitus, but otherwise my knee seems to be happy again.

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Results: men women

Seven Pools Run

Where was I? Oh yes, Sutton Park, last Sunday. Suffering. The first shock was realising as I got into my stride that the last time I ran this race I was in my twenties, and now I’m in my forties… It was a great event though, 600 of us setting off at 11 am for a 6-mile run in the sun. A kind of poor man’s London Marathon!

All those years ago… 

My aim was to keep running the whole way, so I set off at a steady pace, and was probably on a 55-minute schedule when disaster struck in the shape of my old friend, the left knee. I started to feel it at quarter distance, and by halfway I was in trouble. I gave it a final try on a downhill section after Little Bracebridge but it was no good and I walked the rest of the way. 86 minutes, but at least I got my t-shirt! And my walk to the finish was made much more bearable thanks to being able to chat along the way, first to a young chap who’d rolled his ankle and then to a nice lady called Glenys who’d hurt her back.

So now I’m going to have to take things easyish for a bit. Back in the 90s the knee went a couple of times, once I remember during an orienteering event at Grace Dieu in Leicestershire. All I did at that time was rest it for a couple of weeks, plus buy a cheap knee support. I don’t know what’s wrong exactly. I guess, looking at SportsInjuryClinic.net, that it’s the meniscus or patella, but there are so many possibilities I can’t really work it out. I’m 95% pain-free, and there’s no swelling, but if I lift Catherine, or turn my leg quickly, or use the clutch a lot, I’m reminded that there’s something not quite right.

Photos