parkrun 51: Sun and mud

The weather has been mixed lately. It had been quite sunny, but then it rained again yesterday. So I was expecting there could be some mud at Henlow Bridge Lakes. It was a nice morning today as I jogged down there. At the place I enter the site there were a couple of trucks and some guys working on the power lines to the camp site. They had churned the mud up a bit and we had to divert around them. I wandered up to the start and there was nobody there about 15 minutes before kickoff. I did a little jog around the corner and confirmed the quagmire was still there. It was going to be a matter of just ploughing through it.

I did not set off too quickly, but the runners soon got quite spread out. Afterwards the guy who finished just ahead of me said he thought I would pass him on the first lap, but I did not have the energy. I just did my own thing and kept him in view.

My pace varied a bit, but then there was the mud to get through. Overall it was not too bad. Any time I finish in under 27 minutes is okay. I came 18th, but it was a smaller field than usual. We really need more people participating, but it is not near to a large town. Most will have to drive there. I will see if I can get more local runners along.

I thought I could wear the colours of the Ukrainian flag to show support. I spoke to a guy who had a yellow and blue shirt and had thought the same thing. My parents own a property in Italy that they will make available to refugees if required.

I will volunteer again soon as that gives others a chance to run. Nobody is getting paid to be there, but I think it does a lot of good keeping spirits up.

Run free and stay well.