Hot hounds and a roasted hare, plus one that was not meant to be there

17 runners today, with me starting 12th. So five fast hounds behind me.

Set of on time. Gelled up on the way down and for the first time in months was there well before my start time and had not needed a 6 minute mile to do it either!

Tied my laces again and started chatting to Martin about his accident where he fell off a kerb and bashed up his knee. He was sporting a suitably melodramatic bandage with more taping than an Egyptian mummy!

Suddenly, I notice someone shouting my name. Oh! Is it me next? YES NOW GO! Bash yells at me. I'm off, but quick start the watch. Bother put it into alarm mode and mess up getting it out and finally at corner 1 there are numbers spinning up from zero.

Feeling strong, but not particularly fast as I push out along Embankment. I see Charlie in the distance, make a mental note to try and keep him in sight.

Go carefully around the road works on embankment and don't fall this time. Get stopped twice by lights and take the long route to avoid a standstill and that's ok. Make it over horse guards and not been taken yet. But I can hear them coming and it is inevitable. Along bird cage they come past, Chris and someone else. I can't hold the pace and heat is getting to me. I focus on keeping Charlie in sight, but even he is pulling away. I get a boost from overtaking someone. Coming out of St. James' park up to the mall I notice the road is busy but there is a gap behind the traffic so I cut long again, around the back and happy days as both those guys that took me on bird cage are behind me again. It is packed on the hill and I lead the group to the top shouting clear instructions to the tourists to keep us and them safe. I heard Chris tell his buddy to let Niall lead the way through them up the hill. Get to the top and they overtake me again! So I can't resist the comment "nice to see you again boys!"

Then I notice this short bald guy in very baggy shorts and a skimpy vest. Not a hare and not a hound, it is running fource's very own Paul Savage skelping along at a very respectable pace. I pass a message to Chris, if you pass that bloke in front of Charlie tell him Niall is right behind you.

Can't recall much from here except that Paul was constantly looking at his watch. But I never caught him. It was all about Charlie ahead and Martin behind.

I caught a glimpse of Tutankhamen less the knee bandage just behind me going into Horse guards. The thought of an injured Martin going past me really did not bear thinking about.

Made it through Horse guards and now began to think through how to get past Charlie. Made the decision to reel him in slowly unless Martin took me then I'd kick and red line from then in. Big guy that took me with Chris is slowing and now I am pulling him back too. Pass some poor guy who is walking and suffering in the heat, a roasted hare if ever I've seen one.

At half mile out I'm still closing and work out that I should take both of them unless they race early. Go super wide and run much of the last half mile in on the road or behind the trees to hide and finally kick at the last road. Never looked back and the Lockett Rocket inside of me was fully unleashed and screamed in. Later Charlie pointed out that the first he'd known of our race was when I overtook him in the last few metres.

Given the heat and very busy muggy conditions 33:33 is not too bad. Plus considering the relative placing, moving up net 4 places and swapping places with one guy three times to get in ahead of him shows a spirited performance.