Trent Park 5km Handicap

This weekend I headed down to London for my goddaughter’s 1^st birthday. Her mum being an avid runner (and Jorjia surely due to follow in her mum’s footsteps very soon), we decided to give the Trent Park 5km handicap race a go before the afternoon’s party celebrations! This race is organised by Trent Park running club on the last Saturday of every month, and was the first time I’d given it a go. Katherine had last tried it only a few months after having given birth to Jorjia but her times have been getting faster ever since! Having not done this race before I told them a recent 5km time and was instructed I’d be setting off 15 minutes after the first runner. Katherine was going off after 14 minutes so would have a minute over me. The course was mostly off road through the park, with lots of up hills and down hills. A really nice course, though the cold weather made it hard to warm up in the early kilometres. The final 1.5km was along the tarmac, before doubling back to the finish. I could see Katherine as we crossed each other on the route back, she was running well and there was no danger of me catching her up! Katherine finished in a great time of 20:28, her quickest since Jorjia’s arrival. I came in only 10 seconds faster – she’s hot on my heels once again! I really enjoyed this run. Then it was time for a quick cappuccino in the café and off to make sandwiches and set up ready for the party. With 18 babies arriving I was wondering whether the 5km was going to be the easy part of the day…..???