Morpeth 10k

2nd August 2011

40:44 - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/103778607

I hadn't really capitalised on my promising return at Blaydon and it was almost two months before my next race. By the time the Morpeth 10k rolled around I'd lost any of the momentum I may have had. As the race approached I had perhaps the biggest case of "can't-be-arsed" I've ever experienced. A nice summer evening and a pleasant undulating rural course but my get up and go had gone long before starting pistol fired.

My target of a sub-40 min 10k seemed somewhat modest (PB is 38:01) but it never looked likely to happen here. The target was pretty much out of the window after a lacklustre 6:43 first mile. Mile 2 was quicker, but not by much - 6:35 - before I found some inspiration and a nice downhill section to clock a noticeably faster 6:19 for mile 3.

It was a two lap course, so mile 4 was effectively mile 1 all over again and undoubtedly the most difficult section of the course. The slow mile 1 split was compared to an even slower 6:54 for the 4th mile followed by an equally unimpressive 6:39 for the penultimate mile.

As with any serious case of "can't be arsed" it tends to disappear when it's all too late. With any hopes of a sub-40 already out of the window mile 6 proved to be the quickest of the race at 6:15 before heading into the finishing straight to clock a languid 40:44 finish time.

Disappointing.