Tynedale 10k - 39.06

Spent the afternoon getting caught in a torrential downpour picking the kids up from school, navigating flooded roads and a major lightning storm. Fortunately by race time things had cleared a little. Still cloudy and some drizzle but quite sticky and hot. The course is undulating with more downhills than up, but as we all know the uphills hurt more than any downhill helps. Wasn't sure of my race plan but thought I'd go out optimistically at PB pace (38:01) and see what happens. Mile 1 is all downhill. Tried not to get carried away and go to fast. Purposely hung back behind runners I usually beat and yet still hit the mile 1 marker in 5.45. At least I hadn't got as carried away as many others and I managed to pick a few off in mile 2, recording an undulating 6.11 split. A leading contender in the ladies race passed me and I tucked in behind her. Legs we're beginning to hurt but we closed on the group ahead even though the pace had slowed. It was a 6.18 for mile 3. The next mile took in the birthplace of George Stephenson but I couldn't take off like a rocket, in fact I was beginning to realise the PB was well out of reach tonight. More ups than downs now and me and my unofficial pacemaker clocked a 6.24 for mile 4. Now every little incline seemed like a mountain and mentally I eased off. My watch bleeped as we went through mile 5 but I didn't even check the split time knowing it would be a demotivating factor (it was a 6.38). Into the last mile and I seemed to have nothing left. The woman I'd been following eased away from me and one or two blokes overtook me. Finally I found some motivation and I managed to dig in for the last half mile or so. I picked up the pace and almost felt guilty as I caught and overtook my 'pacemaker'. As I did another of the fast ladies came whizzing by me. I tried to go with her but to no avail. Mile 6 was a 6.24. Managed a decent sprint in the last 200 metres and clocked a time of 39.04. Seems most people ran slower than usual, so my time was not bad. A bit disappointed I gave in to the 'Why do I do this mentality?' in the latter stages of the race. Feeling a bit lethargic probably not going to race again this month then target a 10k PB in August before I go on holiday. Morpeth 10k is a possibility.