So, it’s finally here, after 10 races, starting in April all the way to October, through every weather condition the great British summer could throw at us. The last race.
I have completed 9 out of the 10 races but it’s only the top 5 scores that count towards your series score. (The number of races each year does vary, therefore the number to count varies too). It’s your overall male/female score that counts not age category, the 1st male/female back get 250 points, 2nd 249 points etc. At the end of each race, they have prizes for top 3 in each age category, the points go towards your series score. At the end of the series there will be a prize giving evening where the top 3 overall, top 3 in each age and team prizes are awarded. I don’t know much about the teams, as I’ve been flying solo but there’s mixed, whole club, top running in each age group added together for a team score & age category team scores (I think, they maybe more).
At the beginning of the series, although I didn’t know it at the time, I was struggling with low iron levels, which due to lack of hemoglobin increases fatigue. I placed 15th & 9th in the first 2 races, although in both races I placed 3rd F45. I noticed a big difference for the 3rd race in June after the iron tablets started to kick in and improved my overall results. Having three overall 4th places and three overall 3rd places, each of them races I either came 2nd or 3rd F45. The female 45 age category has been strong with the overall winner normally coming from this group.
Today’s race was in Ackworth, Wakefield. I missed race 9 due to my shenanigans in Finland, Becky, my nearest rival, took full advantage overtaking me in the series. If I wanted to claim 2nd place back, I needed to finish either 1st or 2nd overall female. Becky and Margaret, the two key players in both F45 & overall were missing, I fancied my chances until I got there and saw a few from different age groups that haven’t done a lot of the races but are very good. A slightly different approach to this race, the start line wasn’t the finish line, that’s the first time that has happened in the series. We had a ½ mile walk to the start line, 2 laps around Fitzwilliam country park and we finished on the cricket ground (race HQ). Dispute all the recent rain the ground was good, being mainly solid paths rather than woodland trails. The route didn’t have as much variety as some of the other races, but it was okay. I finished 5th overall and 2nd F45, I found today hard work, despite it being one of the flatter routes in the series. My legs started to feel like lead again, so I was either pushed really hard or I need my iron levels checking again.
Overall, I have absolutely loved this series, the people, the routes and the post-race spreads have been great. It’s hard to pick a favorite race, Honley, West vale & Slaithwaite are my top 3. Least favorite was Kirkstall Abbey, half the route was on the A65 in Leeds, definitely not my idea of fun.
Now the results are in, I can confirm my series results are:
Female 45 age category = 3rd place
Overall female = 3rd place
