Pain, Suffering and Misery, but holding on at the back

Back to Petts Wood Runners tonight. Good to see the familiar faces of David and Liz. I knew Richard (My usual run leader) would not be running. James Wong stepped forward to lead the run. With glee he said the route would take in Summer Hill in Chislehurst. Everyone looks nervous.

I notice Liz and David slip off into the slower group but I decide to persist. The first 5km I hold the front. As we move towards Summer Hill I start to slip. Up the hill I slip further back. Half way up the hill I see David and Liz's group running down the hill and give them a cheery salute. Eventually I reach the top, second last. From here on I am struggling but I hold on. Around 9k I am still holding on to the back but am slipping. I wonder if I can keep going. I could quit and use the SatNav to find my way home but that would be embarrassing.

I suddenly see a sign saying "Petts Wood". I say out loud to myself,
"Well that's a good sign"
I laugh at my "humour". I still hurts badly. I feel as if someone has put a belt round my chest and are tightening it.

As we enter the suburbia of Petts Wood proper I start to reel in the back markers. The stronger runners at the front disappear off into the distance. In the last half mile I drop a couple of stragglers. It looks like the front runners had increased the pace, the stragglers had tried to keep up and blown up. My steady pace had saved me.

On getting back, I see a distance of 11.48km and a time of a few seconds over the hour. I do some mental calculations and reckon I have just run a 10km PB (but over Summer Hill)

Nights where you hold on at all cost are where you build character in your running and for life in general.

11.5km @ 5"15/km