I Move London Relay 2018

I pulled out of a running event for the first time in 2018 last week, and still feel awful about it.

The I Move London Relay took place continuously for 30 days and 30 nights, and saw 2000 participants run 5K and 10K legs through day and night to complete the 4014.52 mile course – beating the previous Guinness World Record for the longest, continuous running relay by 510 miles. The Relay, brainchild of ex-GB Triathlete Danny Bent and powered by ASICS, started on Friday June 29 with the ambition of uniting London communities, raising funds for charity and breaking the previous record held by Keep on Running (Ireland), in 2012. It smashed these objectives and raised over £50,000 for its charity partners – The Running Charity, Laureus and Sported – helping to improve the lives of young people who are affected by homelessness, gang culture and mental health. Runners came from all over to run with ‘Rod’, the baton, and in all sorts of guises: from blind runners with guides to those in fancy dress during Pride, night runners to father and son duos, wheelchair pushing carers to after-work running groups and even World Cup fans who managed to watch games from an iPad-wearing marshal.

I was registered to run in a 10K ‘leg’ on Wednesday 25^th July, and was really looking forward to it. I’d seen so much about it on social media, and even one of my colleagues had taken part. However, on 25^th July the temperature reached 33C and I found it too hot to even sit outside for long periods of time. I really struggle to run in the heat and don’t enjoy it. When I completed the British 10K recently in 25-28C, that was my absolute limit and I knew that even if the temperature dropped down to that level, I would struggle. The I Move London Relay 10K would not have had the three water stations, numerous mist showers and the crowd/encouragement that the British 10K had.

I ummed-and-ahhed all morning, but eventually admitted defeat and made the decision not to travel into London for the event, as the temperature was not getting any lower. There is no way I can run 6.2 miles in 33C, especially without the support mechanism of a running event. I can’t stand pulling out of running events and always feel guilty about it, and then get ‘missing-out syndrome’, particularly when I see photos of the event pop up on social media.

I sincerely hope that I don’t have to pull out of any more events this year, but this one was probably for the best. How does everyone else feel about running in the heat – am I the only one who struggles in it ?

NEXT UP: London’s Glow in the Park 5K, Saturday 29th September 2018

 

Advertisement