British 10k

London 12 July 2009
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Mayfair for a change this year. Previously we've stayed at the Washington Mayfair and tbh both of them were on a par as far as facilities etc. I think I'll try a more modern hotel next time though as both of these seem a bit tired.
Anyway, I didn't sleep too well due mainly, I think, to the extra strong coffee I had at Fran's. she doesn't have de-caf and I know I shouldn't've had it, but after 3 or was it 4 glasses of champers, I'll drink anything.
So where does Fran come into all this???? Well, it was Rick's 70th birthday and Graham and I went down to help her to do the catering and to take a cake and some curry. A lovely relaxing party. Lovely to see Steve, who'd flown over from SF, Nat, Lucy and Archie.

Back to the race. Well I set off to the start at about 8:15 but as i saw other people walking back towards me I thought it best to go where I should and be "walked up" to the start with the others. That's not what I've done in the past, though, in the days when they had a wave start.
The old marine band played away to rapturous applause (or was it more like thanks -very- much -now- can- we- get- on- with -it applause?).
I got talking to a couple of people as usual whilst we waited the 50 or so minutes for the gun to go off. I started to look around and noticed the bus stop sign which was quite strange as it said people are not allowed to embark here - what's the point of a bus stop where you can't embark?
A man with a 'tach was standing on one of the balconies at the RAF club on Picadilly. There was also a couple in the same building but further up and along. I wonder if they all knew each other.
Some of the elites were warming up on the other side of the road in front of the start line - can't be long now - 09:30am 5 minutes. National Anthem then countdown and we were off.
As I ran down Picadilly I heard a very loud cheer in fact several very loud cheers coming from those still waiting to start. When i looked up there was a woman in a bath robe and i can only assume she was entertaining the crowd. Down St James Street and past the palace then on to Pall Mall and out under the footbridge to the embankment. It's funny, but I go to London because of all the sights of the capital but when I'm running I don't really notice them. Down the embankment and the elites are passing us in the opposite direction. On under Blackfriars tunnel where my garmin lost the signal and round past St Paul's (which I never see) back over the bridge and down on to the embankment again. Eventually seeing big ben in the distance and westminster bridge beckons. Over that and back then round the streets a bit and back in to whitehall and the cenotaph to the finish. I'm sure the route has got longer. The finish seemed much further past the cenotaph than it was in the past.
1hr 3 mins showed on the official clock, but my garmin said 1hr 2 mins. I think it was really 1 hr or less because it wasn't spot on time when I set off from hyde park.
I'm not going to do this race again because of the long wait at the start and the lack of goodies in the goody bag also a cotton t shirt which is neither use nor ornament.
Next race is the Granny's bay race in Lytham St Annes. I've not entered in yet, but intend to right now!