On 9th May, I raced the Mow Cop Killer Mile for the fourth time having ran in 2017, 2022, and 2023, each year getting faster so no pressure. Just like last year my daughter took part in the kids U12’s race which I ran with her as a “warm up”, although judging by her recent Junior Parkrun, she is starting to get to a pace that is too quick for my warm up!

To be honest though, I came into this race fully expecting to be quite a bit slower than previous years. The Killer Mile fell 3 weeks after running the Boston Marathon and London Marathon 6 days apart, which I did do in 2023 as well and still ran a Killer Mile PB. The difference this year, I collapsed after the finish line in Boston and hit my head and shoulder hard. The facial injuries had healed up really well and quickly too, however, the shoulder injury has being causing a lot of issues during my runs since London. The pain has progressed into my neck, feeling something similar to having whiplash. That neck pain is now there 24hrs a day and I am quite limited in what I can do with my left arm. I can’t lift it above shoulder height, can’t carry or lift anything heavier than a cup and even then, keep dropping things in my left hand.

So with the excuses loaded and logged, we’ll crack on with the recap.

For those who haven’t done the Killer Mile before, they have a 1km kids U12 race which starts part way up the course but still clocks an impressive 430ft of gain. The adult race follows the U12’s and is split into three races, two “fun runs” an A & B, the only difference between the two being a different start time and sandwiched between the two fun runs is the more serious Club Run. All three races are 1 mile with 574ft of continuous climbing averaging around 12% for the full mile but with a tough 25% section near to the top, just when the legs are giving up.

You can register online ahead of time and there are usually bibs available on the day for all four races, you just pay £1 extra on the day I believe. Bib pickup is in the field at the bottom of the hill near to the start of the 3 adult races with a coffee van down there to give you that caffeine hit, although for me, I am not partial to a coffee passed 11am so not something I was interested in.

This year, the kids pre-race e-mail advised to collect the U12’s bibs up at the start of the U12’s race not in the usual field with the adult bibs. This turned out to be an error and caused a lot of confusion and ultimately a 45min delay to all the races. Fortunately for me, I had already gone to the field to collect my bib and was told that the kids bibs were also down there so we had no issues. Everyone who was just running the kids race had already walked up to the start to collect their bibs and discovered they weren’t there.

The kids got going 45mins late which wasn’t an issue for me, it was nice and sunny so me and Sienna were ok waiting around.

Sienna did really well in her race. 12 months ago this was her first ever running race, coming in with no real training or experience of running, let alone a race and talk about going straight in at the deep end!

12 months on, she has ran 4 kids races, 32 Junior Parkruns finishing 1st girl in quite a few of late and she is stepping up to the full 5km Parkrun the weekend after the Killer Mile (she has now done 3 Parkruns and already closing in on sub 30).

In 2023 Sienna finished in 94th place in 9min 50secs. This year she crossed the line in 24th place in 8mins 52secs beating a lot of kids much older than she is. Super proud dad moment seeing her pushing herself to beat her best time. There were some tears and a lot of complaining that her legs hurt but with some gentle persuasion she kept going and did her best. Something I could learn from in my races when things get tough.

Having ran the 1km and 430ft of climbing, I had to quickly turnaround and run back down for the Fun Run A. Not sure why I thought it was a good idea to do this race in the first place but also sign up for the race that starts 30min after the kids race. I didn’t know it at the time but I would end up running down the hill fast to make the start but only to find the Fun Run was delayed a further 15mins so I rushed down and smashed my quads for nothing.

And look at the state of that hair at the start line too!

Knowing my quads were in bits, a total lack of training and my body being beat up from the fall in Boston, I set off at a fairly stead pace (compared to previous years). My plan was to save a little for later on and see if I can make it all the way up without walking.

I didn’t make it all the way up, stupidly I ran up to the 25% section, which is were I normally walk, but continued running up that part then felt that knackered I walked after the steepest part. Oh well, at least I ran further up before walking this year.

But those quads! from the get got they ached and knowing that things just get steeper once you turn the first corner, I knew I was in for a sufferfest tonight.

I gave it my best and finished in 9mins 10secs in 6th place overall and 3rd v40 and don’t get me wrong, that is a really good time but slower than the 8:46 in 2023 and 8:50 in 2022. To be expected though with how the body was feeling. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have run the race but I can’t send my 8yr daughter up there and not put myself through that pain. Well…. I will next year lol.

All in all, a good night of racing. Sienna smashed out a PB, I smashed out my quads before the start but another really good event put on by Mow Cop Road Runners. After this race was missing from the calendar from 2019-2022 it is really good to see it back on regularly and more and more people showing up each year.