"Each step forward has a sacred meaning of its own"   Sri Chinmoy

Stratford 2 Mile Race - Warwickshire - January 2017

The "Joy Day" 2 Mile race is not serious. No, definitely just a bit of fun. So why do I look so serious in the photos? Because it's still a race, I suppose! In fact the fun of a race only comes from really pushing yourself, otherwise it's just a run, not a race. I was in reasonable shape to run hard but without the training behind me to run fast - in fact this was the first hard session since the 10k at Castle Combe. It had taken me a while to recover from that one!

Dave told me up front that he would take the first mile easy, but as he's over 2 mins ahead of me on a 10k right now I knew he would still breeze past me at some point. Undaunted by that prospect I ran pretty hard (not full gas though) from the start and enjoyed the idyllic course despite a bit of a headwind up a hill on the latter part of the loop! Tejvan had measured a triangle that was exactly 2/3 of a mile so 3 laps would bring us back to a finish right where we started under a road sign just outside the Stratford hostel.

We started on the pavement of a main road, then sharp left downhill along a lane to a tiny village with a church and a few houses and nothing much else, then up a slope to rejoin the main road. Lap 1 came in 4.13 and I felt great, Dave just a second or two behind me and me working hardish at the front. Lap 2 seemed to take a lot longer, the silent village only slowly appearing and the uphill leg into the wind seeming long and testing - Dave passed me easily here as predicted and it was just a question of how hard I could work to stay with him. Lap 2 was again exactly 4.13.

By the time I passed the signpost for the second time, Dave was easing well ahead and I was able to just run my own race as there was not a snowball's chance in hell of catching him up. Lap 3 I worked hard, breathing every step at times, to clock a 4.12 lap and finish spent but not utterly wasted.

Great race and I even got a trophy for coming second  guess Devashishu was using up old medals and shields from previous races, but it was great to "win" something and we all enjoyed a great 2 miler. Kokila ran 21.25, her best for ages. My time was a slight disappointment so I am telling myself the course was long. I'll find out when I get to NYC next month and tackle my old favourite - the immortal 2 miler at Jamaica High School.

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