Not had much luck with this one the last two times...both short and last year 40mph winds.....this year, torrential rain, oh well, it was not cold and only a breeze so I will take that!
Have been working on shorter pace and not done anything long (above 5 miles) since mara in April so no idea how I will hold up for the full 10.
Anyway pb was just over 1.08 so figured I would aim for sub 7s for first 5 and see how it goes. After the first mile I knew it wasn’t going to be fast.....previously I have had to consciously avoid 6.20/6.30s, this time I was consciously working to keep under 7s.
6.56; 6.52; 6.59 so far so good, not feeling too bad, hr low 160s which for me is fine for a 10.
7.10; 7.08 slight incline and bit of breeze but trying not to work harder too early on.
6.58; 6.59 feeling good, just a parkrun left. I actually do visualise my local parkrun at this point to help pacing the effort. Hr still steady at around 162. The field is spread but there are plenty of people ahead to reel in....and I am one of those for plenty of people behind looking to do the same.
So time to start steadily increasing effort.
7.08; 7.09 as it’s a two loop course these are pretty much the same two miles as first loop, so must have been wind and incline as effort is increasing but pace shows similar drop. Despite drop in pace I have reeled in a couple of guys to within touching distance and gapped some behind.
Last mile, time for the kitchen sink to be deployed. Mentally “they are hurting as much or more than me....I am reeling them in so I probably have more in the tank”
Start of last mile I start to run with good form and look smooth as I pass the first guy (I am trying to signal to him ...don’t chase me I have got loads left ) half a mile to go and I am on the shoulder of the next one and breeze past, 10 seconds later I am thinking “i’ve Gone to soon and he is going to come back”.
Last 4/500 metres are really tough but manage to maintain enough of a gap that as I enter the show ground finish I don’t have to try and sprint. Last mile 6.57 with hr climbing to 10above rest of the average.
Finish 1.10.29
48/325
Ag 4/24
Overall happy all things taken into account.
Not happy with some competitors. At the start 300+ lined up ready to go in 1minute...runner runs up to race organiser at the line to say she has no timing chip, he says something and she mutters something as she runs back...what the hell did she expect? Fb comments afterward include a criticism of one of the marshalls saying “it’s all down hill from here” as the runner was “pushing it” and making that sort of comment was not helpful......the marshalls were in fact great, encouraging and friendly.....and were in torrential rain on our behalf for 3+ hours.
It’s allegedly the oldest road race in the Midlands and well worth it. Free pass to the showground (normally £10), medal and t shirt all for £16 entry fee. Fast and flat, what’s not to like