I was delighted to participate in the annual New Year’s Day Hyde Park Serpentine 10k race on Monday to commence the new year. I first began doing in this event in 2007 and have persevered with it almost every year since, missing only a couple of races due to illness or the unfortunate cancellation in 2021 amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Even last year, when a severe knee injury left me barely able to walk let alone run, I was determined to complete the course, walking the entire 10 km distance in 1 hour and 33 minutes.
Thankfully, after 7 months of break from running, my knee felt vastly improved since the end of July 2023 and I could resume my running. Back in October when I did the Lee Valley Run The River 10k, I finished in one hour 10 minutes. Then this time in the NYD 10k, I finished in 1:07’21”- not a personal best by any means after my injury-induced hiatus from training for much of 2023, but a promising starting point for the year ahead.
My sister Fidelia rather showed me up by achieving a time almost 2 minutes quicker than mine at 1:05’47”. I also bumped into our fellow Comets RRC member Jacqui Reid, who looked strong crossing the finish line having completed the course in under an hour.
Although John has also signed up for this event, he can’t run due to a Plantar Fasciitis injury on his right foot. He can walk but he can’t run as he feels very painful on his sole. He is seeking a podiatric appointment. He came to support me and my sister instead and took photos and videos of us.
The weather on New Year’s morning was kindly dry and sunny, albeit rather cold. Due to an incident near the Winter Wonderland attraction on Christmas Day, the race route had to be adjusted this year. The new course configuration seemed less convoluted than prior years, with fewer sharp turns and tighter corners. However, I may be underestimating the impact those changes had on the overall difficulty. Nonetheless, it was an excellent way to commence 2024 with a revitalising run and inspirational community of runners. I look forward to diligently resuming my training regime so that I may improve my time in next 10k event.