True to the forecast it rained non-stop for the drive to Milton Keynes. I arrived outside the Xscape building with time to spare and discovered I’d parked in a 3 hour no charge space, so far so good. A banana and a drink then I headed off in search off a loo, marvelling at the indoor ski slope through the window, then went in search of the Xpresso Net cafe where I was hoping to meet other VC&ACs and VRUKs for a pre event group photo. The place was heaving with runners not wanting to be out in the rain and Xscape was much bigger than I expected but still we met up successfully and Peter, well organised as ever, lined us up and got a passing runner to take said picture.

Sharon and Peter headed off for the start of the 10k, scheduled 15 minutes before the half, and I headed for the car to deposit my coat etc and commit myself to a couple of hours of cold and wet. I met Keith again outside Xscape and we headed off for the start where I was obliged to try and guess my place due to a lack of forecast time markers. I went against the flow till I was several hundred runners behind Keith and bumped into fellow AUK Rich who, in jacket, cap and longs, looked much better attired for his first ever race than I did for my umpteenth.

I was cold and wet already and pleased that we were soon off and running. There were a lot of us and to stick near my hoped for 7:50 minute mile pace I kept having to overtake or squeeze between much slower runners. Meanwhile a fair few fast looking people passed me. Still I felt fine with the pace and was just about warm enough for the first few miles. We caught the tail end of the 10k and I tried to offer encouragement as we passed them before the 2 routes split at around 4 miles.

Despite what felt like increased resolution, if not actual increased effort, my pace started slipping around mile 6 and somewhere around the mile 8 marker I accepted that any PB was off and my new task was to run another 5 miles in the wet and wind without getting too slow and miserable. We were meandering about the path trying to avoid the deepest puddles by now and the rain had got heavier and colder. My legs didn’t actually feel cold, they were just rather unresponsive. My hands were freezing though and I was wondering whether my sodden gloves were making matters worse rather than better.

By mile 11 I was having doubts about whether I’d even manage a sub1:50 finish, we seemed to have turned straight into the wind and the chill on the wetness was awful. With my hoped for 1:44 now amended to 1:50 I knew I had to loose at least 200 places but the reality of all these people passing me didn’t help my spirits. I tried a few times to focus on someone ahead to maintain pace but either they sailed off into the distance or they turned out to be in a worse state than me and I was obliged to crawl past them.

The long, gentle, climb at the end went on for ever. We climbed then crossed a bridge over a big road, then we climbed some more. At least I was still running, or at least jogging. Some were walking, a few sheltered under bridges, many continued to pass. Stalwart marshalls and supporters sheltered under brollies and offered valued support. A few runners still had the black bin bags they had worn at the start, holding them tight round the shoulders so they didn’t blow away. A shout from the right and Peter was there near the top of the climb with the camera, somehow keeping it dry and managing to get a picture of me in the poor light. At last we turned left over the bridge, then left again, then finished.

I somehow fumbled my chip from round my ankle then grabbed my medal and bottle of water before heading for the car to warm up. Shortcutting through the Xscape building cold runners dripped everywhere. A youngster tried to drag his dad into the shops only to have it firmly explained that dad was cold and tired and they were going to sit in the cafe for a bit, that cafe right there! In the crowded mall soaked vests were being replaced with warm layers and dripping socks removed exposing wrinkly feet, all very entertaining for the local shoppers.

I just stumbled through it all got in the car and started it up, soggy vest swapped for warm coat I resigned myself to driving home sitting in a wet puddle and turned the heater up full blast while I replaced a few calories and regained feeling in my fingers. By the time I was ready to drive the rain had turned to sleety snow. Half an hour later, misery well behind me, I was enjoying the drive back steering round the worst of the puddles with Black Sabbath full blast and the car stinking of warm and wet.

The result was 1:49:04 chip time 945th of 2739 runners which I can live with. My heart rate monitor revealed I’d never got close to full effort but I don’t think I could have pushed much harder, my body has got pretty good at resisting this ‘mind over matter’ malarkey over the years and tends to set it’s own limits.

After a bath and an eat I found I still had enough energy to finish the job I’d started Saturday  – rigging up a syphon system so we could reuse our bath water on the garden now an official state of drought has been declared in Oxfordshire!