Finchley 20
9th March
2014

 

Official Results

Alex Rothwell 3.09.53


The Finchley 20 - 4 x 5 mile laps. Supposedly the oldest 20 mile race in the country dating back to 1933. 

Four laps felt a bit strange for a road race, especially psyching myself up for 3 more after the first one. The start was on an A Road and everyone just seemed to mill about onto the road with very little traffic management. The cars just had to stop by default, I don’t think we’d ever get away with that on our races. The first ½ lap was also a bit congested with cars and runners and there was at least one incident that the police and medics turned up to. I think they need a Harriers / Steve Crane lesson in race organisation, it was probably OK in 1933 when there were no cars about! I’m not sure whether I'd bother with this race again or particularly recommend it, although the T-shirt is good!

My race was terrible, I honestly don't think I've ever felt worse during a race. The only advantage of a lap course is that the toilets are there for emergency pit stops on each lap!  I don't know what I'd eaten or done, but my leg muscles appear to have morphed into jelly overnight! I guess the heat didn’t help but everyone suffered from that yesterday. At least it's done, I expected to be lapped but when the lead runner came past me at 7 miles I was gobsmacked!! That meant he was on 12 miles and I dare say he lapped me again, but I was delirious by then!! 

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