Thorney 10k - a year on
Last year Thorney 10k was one of my better runs - 36.30 for 11th place. Today I had a 1 min 40 sec course best and 58 sec PB in 34.50.
It sounds wierd and arrogant to say I was dissapointed with the run but conditions were perfect and I just didn't feel smooth today. I worked hard for the whole race but I never felt like I could really pick the pace up much at any stage.
Compare to Thursdays tempo run (5:37 pace last 5 miles after a 6:43 first mile) to today (5:40 pace last 5 miles after 5:25 first mile) it's not outstanding.
So, the long self indulgent version...
Got to the start an hour before kick off with the whole family in tow. With the clocks going forwards it was an early start for a non-morning person :)
Good warm up, hit the start feeling light and good.
Bang, were off. John Herbert goes like the clappers and is way in front before we even get to the pub. I settle in with Jack boy and Mike Chapman. Push on a little and Jack is running quick. Mike want's to be in front so I settle behind and try to relax. Feel OK. First k marker in 3.20 and Garmin mile 5:25.
2nd mile I push in front and bring Jack along. Mike drops off a little and Paul Halford goes through like we are standing still. 5.35 for the mile and slight uphill.
3rd mile just try to keep gap behind Jack steady. Hill is a bit of a bastard to be fair, remember last year this mile was about 6.11 but this year it's 5.41. Feel ok but am aware I am working pretty hard.
Hit 5k marker on the course in 17.15 - that's not a terrible 5k to be fair and bang on the target I set myself pre-race.
4th mile turnaround point, run up at 5.3x pace and do a 360 in the middle of the road. Group behind me are 10 seconds. Jack is about 10-15 secs up on me. Feel like I am running strong but about as hard as I am going to go. 5.40/mm
5th mile - onto the farm tracks. Underfoot it's not great. Work pretty hard here knowing that it's coming up to the last mile. Jack's gap is staying the same and from the group behind me I am pulling away a little. Hit 8k in 27.47 and 5 miles in about 27.51. 5:34/mm reflects a bit harder effort having a go at Jack.
6th mile - twist through the tracks and back onto the road. Feeling a little harder work now, gap behind is done and I'm not going to catch Jack. Working hard to keep splits around 5:3x pace. 5.37/mm for this mile is OK. It's what DC and I were running Thursday night. Know sub 35 is in the bag but 3rd place is not!
Last .24 miles - 5.09 pace. Job is done, work hard to get up the hill in the school.
So 6.24 miles @ 5.35/mm and a big PB. Not entirely happy with how I felt running and I think a massive part of that was not running with a group of people to work with. I think I have trouble concentrating - at the Frostbite I was always catching or running with someone and it felt so much easier. Today it felt very hard on my jacks. But, that's no bad time and something to work on next time.
Home early, nice italian lunch and some noncing about in the garden. Feel good now so will probably get out again tonight for a nice easy one to round off the week.
It sounds wierd and arrogant to say I was dissapointed with the run but conditions were perfect and I just didn't feel smooth today. I worked hard for the whole race but I never felt like I could really pick the pace up much at any stage.
Compare to Thursdays tempo run (5:37 pace last 5 miles after a 6:43 first mile) to today (5:40 pace last 5 miles after 5:25 first mile) it's not outstanding.
So, the long self indulgent version...
Got to the start an hour before kick off with the whole family in tow. With the clocks going forwards it was an early start for a non-morning person :)
Good warm up, hit the start feeling light and good.
Bang, were off. John Herbert goes like the clappers and is way in front before we even get to the pub. I settle in with Jack boy and Mike Chapman. Push on a little and Jack is running quick. Mike want's to be in front so I settle behind and try to relax. Feel OK. First k marker in 3.20 and Garmin mile 5:25.
2nd mile I push in front and bring Jack along. Mike drops off a little and Paul Halford goes through like we are standing still. 5.35 for the mile and slight uphill.
3rd mile just try to keep gap behind Jack steady. Hill is a bit of a bastard to be fair, remember last year this mile was about 6.11 but this year it's 5.41. Feel ok but am aware I am working pretty hard.
Hit 5k marker on the course in 17.15 - that's not a terrible 5k to be fair and bang on the target I set myself pre-race.
4th mile turnaround point, run up at 5.3x pace and do a 360 in the middle of the road. Group behind me are 10 seconds. Jack is about 10-15 secs up on me. Feel like I am running strong but about as hard as I am going to go. 5.40/mm
5th mile - onto the farm tracks. Underfoot it's not great. Work pretty hard here knowing that it's coming up to the last mile. Jack's gap is staying the same and from the group behind me I am pulling away a little. Hit 8k in 27.47 and 5 miles in about 27.51. 5:34/mm reflects a bit harder effort having a go at Jack.
6th mile - twist through the tracks and back onto the road. Feeling a little harder work now, gap behind is done and I'm not going to catch Jack. Working hard to keep splits around 5:3x pace. 5.37/mm for this mile is OK. It's what DC and I were running Thursday night. Know sub 35 is in the bag but 3rd place is not!
Last .24 miles - 5.09 pace. Job is done, work hard to get up the hill in the school.
So 6.24 miles @ 5.35/mm and a big PB. Not entirely happy with how I felt running and I think a massive part of that was not running with a group of people to work with. I think I have trouble concentrating - at the Frostbite I was always catching or running with someone and it felt so much easier. Today it felt very hard on my jacks. But, that's no bad time and something to work on next time.
Home early, nice italian lunch and some noncing about in the garden. Feel good now so will probably get out again tonight for a nice easy one to round off the week.
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