It is done...

Santa no. 98 completed his 5K in 47' 13s.

I am not ashamed to admit that I was nervous, I have never run anything like this far...well not in several years.

The day dawned grey and chilly, but not cold. On the journey over to Marlow the rain started to fall lightly. I arrived and parked next to Jumile, amid a large selection of Santas, male and female, a few elves and a 'Holly Parton'. I donned my Santa outfit in the wind and rain in the car park and headed into the allotted building to register. After standing around for a few minutes, we headed down to start/finish line, from where I did a little gentle warm up and stretch.

Before I knew it, it was time to start, the klaxon went and we were off. A shuffle at first, gradually gaining speed as we headed for the High Street. By the time we crossed the High St I was up to stride and pace.

The first 1KM was easy enough...slowing once or twice to recover. After this the trousers of my Santa suit started slipping down. I had to stop to pull them up on more than one occasion. By the time I reached the 1/2 way point ( aka a water station - with no water) I'd decided to take them off, I tied them around my waist and off I headed again.

By about 3.5K, my right ankle/achilles was playing up, it started as a dull ache, by 4KM came round it was really not happy, I told Jumile to go on without me as I was holding him up and he was too nice to say so.

I walked for about 1/2KM at a gentle pace, and found that my ankle had calmed down a bit, so took a few yards at a time with a gentle jog, before I knew it I was on the High St, heading for the park where the finish line awaited. I entered the park at a gentle pace, but picked it up as I saw the word FINISH.

My number had fallen off long before and was tucked inside my hat (which I was now carrying) so was asked for my number, I could barely say 98. I was given my official time and collected my medal and a bottle of water.

My Nike+ setup tells me I ran 6KM.

So, having calibrated it, the accuracy dropped from a stated 95% out of the box accuracy, to a 80% accuracy.

This has knock on effects..especially in that I have been running "3KM" a couple of times a week. I have actually been running closer to 2.5K. So todays exercise is twice as far as I have run in nearly 30 years.

I have already agreed to do it again next year...dressed not as Santa, but as Scrooge.