This week I have overcome a huge hurdle and I'm chuffed! As I have said before I have never attempted a 10k race, I can run the distance, and have been able to for some time but as I have said before the competitiveness always put me off. I know that I'm not a fast runner, I am in fact rather slow and I always felt that the achievement of running 6 miles would be taken away from me for having a slow time.
I had done a practice timed 6 mile run with running group last week and completed it in 1:08, now in February I had completed that in 1:23, so although I'm a slowy hopefully you can see the improvement!
I didn't know much about the race itself, only that it was two 5k laps and that it was off road, thats preperation for you! Oh and I did find out there was only 500 entries into the race, something that made me rather nervous, the fewer people that were around, the fewer people there would be to hide behind, and fewer people that would be behind me!
As we arrived the wind had really picked up and it was quite chilly, but the sun was fighting to come out so I wasn't too worried as I would soon warm up when we set off. It had rained quite heavily overnight so I was a bit nervous about how this had affected the course. I did start to notice some pretty serious runners about, and started to think that I may just finish this race in last place and that I had bitten off more than I could chew! Well I was there so I might as well have a go, right?
As we set off the paths were quite narrow so finding space to run was quite difficult, add to that it was slippery upnder foot and I wondered how muddy it would get further around the course. I set off at quite a reasonable pace and felt comfortable through the first mile, the second mile was a different story! I lost quite a lot of time here as it was quite boggy underfoot and very up and down, I was actually sliding down the banks as there was little to grip onto!
As I came through the half way point the field had really thinned out and the clock was on 34 minutes so I was doing ok. I started to run with a lady from Birmingham, I was struggling at this point so it was nice to have someone to run with and we helped each other with pace. Again as we ran though mile 5 I was sliding about every where and by this point finding it frustrating as getting cross with myself so I was pleased to leave it behind but it had really slowed me down again and I was getting pain in my achillies so found it hard to make up the time during the last mile.
I tried my hardest to speed up and saw a lady in the distance that I decided wasn't going to beat me, so I started moving at a proper race pace. I think I had forgotten that I was actually in a race and that I wasn't just having a jog around the park! I remember my sister telling me that a 10k hurts and I had got too comfortable and wasn't trying enough. I soon passed that lady and then got my eye on somebody else to run down, if only I could run at this pace for the entire race?!?!
I managed a sprint finish (the one part of the race that I am actually good at!) and came over the line in 1:10, just chasing somebody down as we crossed the line. I wasn't that happy with the time but considering how muddy it was I don't think I did too bad. Looking at my data from Endomono I ran mile 6 in 9:15, that is huge for me and more than 3 minutes faster than mile 5! now, either this is wrong, or I did what it felt like and dug in deep to get to that finish line as quickly as possible.
I am a road runner and this race did nothing to convince me to turn to off road running! It's nice every now and again and it was really enjoyable and nice to be away from the traffic but I'm too girly to like getting muddy! I may enter this race again in the summer as it was really well organised and everyone was really friendly, apart from those few banks on mile 2 and 5 the rest of the course was quite flat so if not for the mud I dont think they would have caused too much of a problem.
I do feel now that I have got over my fear of 10ks, and will be entering some races next year. I just need to choose which ones take my fancy!
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