Running on through the winter

Saltwell 10k - 41:15
In previous years I've spent a good part of the summer running, ran the Great North Run and then kept my training going for 3 or 4 weeks before hibernating into the warmth of the living room. However, this year we're into mid-December and I'm still going. 4 or 5 runs a week and a total weekly mileage of anywhere between 20 and 30 miles. Dare I say it, but things are going quite well so far. I've joined North Shields Poly running club and the sessions there are not only keeping me in good shape but also providing a bit of variety in my training.

I represented the club for the first time in the Saltwell 10k this morning. Its hardly the right time of year to be attempting personal best times and I've felt a few old injuries flare up this week so I approached the race in a fairly laid back manner. I have a PB of 38:24 for this distance and I knew there was no chance of running anywhere near that fast. Back in August I'd run a very hilly Hexham 10k in over 41 minutes and I was hoping to perform just a tad faster this time out.

It was a beautiful winter's day for running. The frosty nip in the air, slightly blunted by the bright sunshine. The route involved 3 and a half laps of Saltwell Park in Gateshead. Lots of twist and turns and even more hills. Although I wasn't specific about setting target-times my main goal was to run an even paced race. I'd suffered from starting too quickly in all 4 of my previous races this year and its something I desperately need to correct. The gun went, well actually the starter shouted "GO!!", and I set off into my stride ignoring those flying off ahead of me. It was an undulating route through the park and the first lap went by reasonably well as I reached the lap marker in around 12 minutes. I settled into my running and was keeping pace with a number of people, passing some others and very few were passing me. The second lap however didn't go too well. My legs suddenly felt heavy and some of the runners I'd been keeping pace with left me behind. I decided not to try and go with them but instead just kept my momentum and didn't push it too hard, recording a slower lap time by around 30 seconds

As I crossed the start line for the third time I immediately started to feel better. All of a sudden the spring was back in my step. For the first part of the lap I maintained my pace and stayed with those runners around me. After a while I sensed that I could pick up the pace and went with a runner who had made a break from our pack. The last big hill of the lap hurt but I still felt reasonably good and clocked a lap time of around 12 minutes, almost the same as the first lap. At this point I picked up the pace a little and started targeting runners ahead of me. It was really starting to hurt but I had enough in me to improve my position by perhaps 8 or 10 on this last half lap and coming home in 41:15.

My first thoughts were that the time was a bit slow. I would've been happier with something closer to 40 minutes but I think I got the pacing right for how I felt on the day. The course wasn't amenable to fast times and after the hamstring twinge I felt earlier in the week the last thing I need right now is another injury. When I got home I flicked through previous race times and discovered that this is my 3rd fastest (of 5) 10k races, and the fastest since May 2000. Today's performance wasn't a spectacular time but it was a good workout and its particularly pleasing to be running and racing at this time of year.Just 3 weeks to the start of my 15 week marathon training plan.