As predictable as running 5k in Bushy Park on Christmas Day, on Boxing Day the local race is the Cabbage Patch 4, based from the Cabbage Patch pub in Twickenham.

I first ran this in 2006 and had a pretty good run (finished in 24:40 and 8th out of 64). In 2007 I was flying and ran a superb race, finishing 3rd overall in a time of 23:08. Because of my lack of training (and indeed running!) over the past few months I wasn’t expecting anything special from today so just set out to enjoy it.

Well, I find it very hard to hold back in races and my planned 7:30-8:00 minute miling pace was soon thrown out of the window as I ended up on the front row of the start! I had a great first 100 metres (well, my friend Guy was there with a camera so I had to try and look good!) and then eased off a little. After a few people overtook me I settled into a solid pace.

From here on in not much else of note happened for me. Just ahead of me was the leading lady and I could hear the puffing/panting of the person behind me but didn’t know how close they were.

It was lovely weather but with a cold Easterly wind I was wrapped up in running tights and a thermal base-layer and gloves. There were quite a few families walking alongside the river and I think their surprised looks as 100 or so runners race past them makes this one of my favourite races of the year.

I crossed the finish line in 15th place (out of 74 finishers) with a time of 25:27, which although being the slowest of the three times that I’ve run this race I was happy with how I ran so am not complaining. 2009 will be a much better year and I’d love to run as well next year as I did in ‘07. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see…