Incorporating the England Athletics selection for England Representation race, Birmingham 2024.

Twelve Striders made the trip to Leicester for the Jane Tomlinson Run for All 10k road race on a cold, and sunny early March Sunday morning. The welcome sign of Ashleigh Barron’s Race Vest Prints stall near the start made a great meeting place for us all.

My task, along with Kate, Waddicor, Louise Rowley and Lucy Broom was to qualify to run for England Masters in Birmingham in early May. This is the last of the 2024 qualifying events. The first three women and three men from each age group are guaranteed a place for the representation race.

The course rises from Jubilee Square near the Cathedral, where the tomb of Richard III (1452-1485) now lies, to Victoria Park and the University before making a dizzying number of switchbacks for several k until the runner is spilled out onto New Walk and a welcome 2k descent back to the finish line. Race pacers joined the jostling crowd of around 1000 runners to help us judge our timing.

I lost sight of all my green and gold companions as we jogged about for warmth in the start funnel apart from Lucy who wished me well and found her place on the line.

At 8:59 we all joined in the countdown and leaped off and over the timing mats at 9:00 sharp. It’s like all the other City Centre races really, a few wide streets giving way to the dual carriageway and a steady incline up to the park with green open spaces and lots of helpful volunteers shouting encouragement. I was in awe of the wheelchair athletes who laboured up the hill managing to negotiate kerbs and bollards with real skill.

I settled into my usual stride pattern, pushed up the incline and then started my 10k game of picking out a runner ahead and trying to draw them in and even pass them if I’m lucky. The Masters qualifying group are required to wear their age group on card on their back so you know who you have to chase down. I got myself into a reasonable position having passed a few older women and was happy when all the twists and turns eventually gave way to the return to town with a good downhill stretch to the finish. With around 2.5k to go I closed in on a young distressed woman crying and gasping for breath. She had done all the hard work so I called out a couple of what I hoped were helpful comments and watched her as she slowly got herself back into the race. It was good to see her come in just ahead of me at the end. We exchanged smiles, enjoying the brief connection. I was very happy to collect my goodybag with medal, Cliff bars and water before meeting other Striders and sharing our run stories.

Louise Rowley, 3rd W70 and I, first W70 along with Sarah Moss, 1st W45 successfully qualified for the Birmingham race. I believe it will be Louise’s first England vest though I hope she’ll correct me if I’m wrong. Kate Waddicor, still V60 for a few more months narrowly missed as did Lucy Broom who had fierce competition in her age group. If I’ve missed other England contenders please comment so I know who will be there on 5th May.

First male was Anthony Woodward, M40, Notts AC in 32:37
First Female was Gemma Steel, FS in 34:40.

Dot Kesterton
4th March 2024