Role Reversal

Back in December Lynne completed Marcothon, quite an achievement considering she took up running on the first of December. In the Marcothon Facebook circle she was known as the couch to 5k lady. Lynne was now a runner so I had to encourage her to take on the next challenge, train for and run a 10k race. After a bit of apprehension Lynne signed up for the Garioch 10k and successfully completed a training program (not without some tears and tantrums I must admit).

Sunday 24th March was the big day and I was support. After collecting Lynnes friend Michelle (who was also running the race) from New Deer we drove through the snow drifts to Inverurie. After parking a good distance from the sports centre we got out the car, it was a bitterly cold day. We just made it in time to watch the half marathon and 5k races depart. Lynne and Michelle kept their winter jackets on for as long as possible before handing them over and gathering for the 10k start. It was at this point the race director announced timing chips were not recording the times, some problem came to light that morning. That was a disappointment, I offered Lynne my watch but she asked me to do the timing.

I had my camera so took up position at the start arch, balancing the chores of holding hat and jacket, camera on standby and stopwatch at the ready. The race kicked off and as nine hundred runners passed me I tried to pick out Lynne, to get a photo and to start the watch. Before I knew it everyone was through and on their way, I never saw Lynne so started the watch as the last runners left.

With a bit of time to spare, Skye and I went into the chaos inside the sports centre, it was mobbed as everyone wanted to get out of the cold. After buying water (Lynne was thirsty at the start of the race) we made our way to the roadside. For anyone not familiar with the route, the 10k and half marathon races both pass the sports centre with two miles to go where you run a loop around the housing estate before returning and finishing at the sports centre.

If Lynne was going well, I thought she would pass around 50 minutes so Skye and I waited at the road, bottle of water in hand. It was a good atmosphere watching runners from both races pass by. Fifty minutes came and there was no sign of Lynne. I became anxious as we waited but it wasn't long before Lynne came into view and passed in 52 minutes, it was a relief to see she was going well and looked happy. Skye crossed the road and passed a bottle of water over. With 2 miles to go I knew Lynne would be back in around 26 minutes so we made our way to the finish arch to take some photos.

I captured Michelle who managed 1 hour 19 seconds, then captured our nephew Leon who was also running the race. It was Lynne's turn who came through in 1 hour 17 minutes, an incredible result for a first race and beginner runner.

It was too cold to hang about so we got back to the car pretty sharp and made our way home to heat up.
So what's next for Lynne? I've given her a new challenge, the Fraserburgh Half Marathon in November which I think she might just take on.

Tues 3 miles Wed 6 miles Fri 6 miles Sat 10 miles  Weekly total 25 miles.