A great day and a good time to boot. As I said earlier my training has been inconsistent and I didn't really know what time to shoot for on race day. I decided my strategy should be to start conservatively, pick up the pace gradually and really go for it in the long downhill section between 5 and 8 miles. From there I'd be in a position to push on for a PB or consolidate and log a respectable time.
It pretty much went according to plan. I resisted the temptation to push to the front of the start zone, not wanting to get caught up with faster paced runners. I restrained myself in the first mile and clocked a 6:50. Not too fast and not too slow. I picked up the pace a little in the next mile and tried to keep it going up the long incline from 3-5 miles.
As I reached the 5 mile point the clock read 33:22 then I went for it. Logging the next 3 miles in splits of 6:23, 6:12 and 6:12. Possibly miles 7 and 8 were a little too fast but I felt good and was running comfortably reaching the 8 mile point in 52:10.
I'd put myself in the position I wanted to be in. The question now was whether I had fuel in the tank to push on for a PB. The uphill stretch of the ninth mile answered the question for me. It was tough and although I held on well the mile split of 7:04 confirmed today wasn't to be a day for setting records.
I gritted my teeth and pushed on for the last few miles. The long uphill in the twelfth mile was testing but didn't damage my hopes of a good time. I flew down the steep hill and turned onto the sea front. That last mile was a killer but I dug deep and picked up the pace. One last surge and I crossed the line in 1:27:12, quietly satisfied with myself but with an eye on better things next year.
The most pleasing aspect of it all was I ran hard and yet still managed to really enjoy the atmosphere. I took it all in. The crowd, the bands, high fiving the kids on route, the bloke on top of the bus stop with a hose, everything.
It pretty much went according to plan. I resisted the temptation to push to the front of the start zone, not wanting to get caught up with faster paced runners. I restrained myself in the first mile and clocked a 6:50. Not too fast and not too slow. I picked up the pace a little in the next mile and tried to keep it going up the long incline from 3-5 miles.
As I reached the 5 mile point the clock read 33:22 then I went for it. Logging the next 3 miles in splits of 6:23, 6:12 and 6:12. Possibly miles 7 and 8 were a little too fast but I felt good and was running comfortably reaching the 8 mile point in 52:10.
I'd put myself in the position I wanted to be in. The question now was whether I had fuel in the tank to push on for a PB. The uphill stretch of the ninth mile answered the question for me. It was tough and although I held on well the mile split of 7:04 confirmed today wasn't to be a day for setting records.
I gritted my teeth and pushed on for the last few miles. The long uphill in the twelfth mile was testing but didn't damage my hopes of a good time. I flew down the steep hill and turned onto the sea front. That last mile was a killer but I dug deep and picked up the pace. One last surge and I crossed the line in 1:27:12, quietly satisfied with myself but with an eye on better things next year.
The most pleasing aspect of it all was I ran hard and yet still managed to really enjoy the atmosphere. I took it all in. The crowd, the bands, high fiving the kids on route, the bloke on top of the bus stop with a hose, everything.
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