BMC 1500m Stretford

Well the time came last night, the first race of the season for me. It wasn't in the original plan but I didn't want to go into Sports City this weekend having not raced. We chose to do this 15 to get the legs turning a bit just to blow the cobwebs out. The idea was to just get through 800m nice and easy then start to push on and hopefully have someone to race on the last lap.

I asked for the pace to go through in 1:59 in the hope of running around 3:46/3:47 although I knew it would be a big ask first race out having not done any speed work.

I spend a good 90 minutes warming up, I was pretty cold sitting about so I did a 35 minute run to get warm and spent a while doing drills, stretching and strides. I did some pretty long strides, some 200s in about 30/31 just to get a feel for that pace again but as soon as the gun went I knew it would be a tough race as the first 200m felt fast!

I just tried to get in a rhythm and went through 400 in 61/62 feeling pretty relaxed although slightly behind the pacemaker. So i closed the gap and settle down again going through 800 in around 2:02 which wasn't too bad considering my legs felt like they didn't want to turn. The pacemaker moved out at 800 and I just strided out really trying to again stay relaxed. I got to the bell in 2:48 feeling ok and again tired to push on but my legs didn't want to move so I ended up maintaining my pace right round the bell feeling really strong up the home straight as if it was rep!

I finished in 3:49.4, only 0.5 from my personal best but slower than I would have liked but I guess I can't complain first race out. Sharpy was 2nd behind me in around 3:55, so I didn't have anyone to run with on the last 700m but I wasn't too fussed really as long as I got a good workout. I jogged round to get my kit then went out and finished off with a 10 minute threshold run pretty much straight after. Normally i'm full of lactic at this point but the weird thing was I didn't feel too bad so I just cracked on along the road outside the stadium.

All in all a productive day for me, I got through the race feeling easy, it was all even paced at 61s and I haven't got any injury problems and I can now look forward to the 5000 on Saturday.

Also I think RunnersLife should employ Maria (Sharpy's otherhalf) as their chief shouter or should I say screamer! I could hear here at every corner of the track throughout the whole race! I'd love to have that sort of support!!