The organisation of this race was taken over by Nike since the last time I ran. Despite the pouring rain the event was great to be part of and run in. 30,000 runners made the number of entrants as high as for the London Marathon. The race took place this morning in pouring rain yet despite that the numbers of onlookers and supporters was very high. You really are lifted by the crowds and their yells of encouragement.
The atmosphere was quite different from the marathon though with the start being in Piccadilly near Marble Arch and the finish being in Whitehall. There were some brilliantly uniformed army people a band from which played while we waited and whose involvement reflected those runners running for their comrades fallen or wounded in the various wars that sadly have been knocking the planet, in for example Afganistan and not so long ago in Iraq.
It being the 'British' 10K 3 verses of God Save the Queen did not surprise and then after a brilliantly sung solo popular song, we were off. The race was very well organised this year and all credit to Nike for that. However with everywhere now cleaned up and awash with flags for the forthcoming Olympic games due to start in under 3 weeks London was looking as brilliant as I have seen it for years, despite the rain.
The weather could not have been much wetter but that made little difference to me anyway. However at about Westminster Bridge at kilometre 8, an ambulance with blue flashing lights started to weave its way through the runners. Hopefully no one was badly hurt.
A great race and I managed then to take a fast train back home from Waterloo in time for lunch with friends at Woldingham, where we watched Andy Murray, the first Brit in a Wimbledon final for 74 years play. well against the brilliant Federer who went on to win again.
I'm hoping my time for the British 10k was good - better than the 1 hour of my most recent Wimbledon 10k anyway - but the results are not yet published.
Murray will do it some time but a great day all round. The British 10k is maybe a precursor to the Olympic Games.
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