Epsom 10 - race report

Well it was foggy with rain early on but fortunately rain reduced to drizzle before the start. The grandstand area was being used by a film company (director, Stephen Fry; star, Judy Dench) which provided a nice distraction from the weather while we waited.
A good race and well marshalled. Surprised by someone calling out "Hi Murf" as I turned a corner at 0.5miles but recognised Annajo. Race plan called for slow (10.30ish) uphill for first 4 miles then speeding up as course levels out. Reached 4 miles in around 38mins which surprised me and did manage to pick up thereafter largly thanks to an injured E&E Harrier (I think) called John who was using the race as an easy run and pretty much dragged me along. Annajo, still at her post 200yds from the end, yelled more encouragement and I achieved 1.33.34 which is 7mins better than I was hoping for on that course, 12mins better than last year and 2mins better than any previous 10miler. Chuffed to bits :))

Thanks to Epsom & Ewell Harriers for a well organised race.

Excellent effort Murf! You sound as if you enjoyed the race.

Yup, well done Murf. Sounds like a good event and a good morning out for you.

Pretty quick off the mark with the report too! Very impressed!

Well done Murf, I really enjoy reading people's race reports they're good motivators.

Murf,
what a result! Sounds like you had a stormer, well done.

Thanks guys. Forgot to mention that I felt pretty good at the end so probably could've gone faster once the hills were out of the way. Sub 1.30 is not beyond the realms of possibility - if I can find a nice flat 10 and the right running conditions!

Well done Murf , nice report

Well done Murf, it was good to talk to you afterwards and hear how you did. I was really jealous of you all by the end of the race and went out for a long run when I got home. I drove around the course to see what it was like, and it was a bit of a tough one, wasn't it. Plus with all the rain and cold weather, it was a hard run, so a PB is a good morning's work!

Excellent time Murf, that's 2 mins faster than my time at Epsom last year & I managed just over 1:22 at Cabbage Patch this year - you'll conquer 1:30 very soon!
Sorry I wasn't there - family rebellion at proposal of two races in one weekend so I did the mudfest Vets cross country on Wimbledon Common on Saturday. Highlights: stream that was just too wide to jump across, and mud swamp where one of our team lost their shoe! Absolutely great fun and highly recommended, I haven't been so muddy since I was about 10 years old.

I absolutely hated nearly every second of that crosscountry at Wimbledon- it felt like every time you came to the top of a hill, you turned a corner and there was another muddy hill to go up! First time I've done a crosscountry that was that hard, but then this is only the second year Ive been doing the cross country races. Its the first time I have had to walk in a race for a very long time so I am a bit gutted about that.
Did anyone else have brand spanking new shoes for that race? I wanted to get them muddy to stop them looking so new... well that was achieved pretty easily!
Having said all that, the old 'selective memory' has kicked in, so Im looking forward to the next cross country now.