Bristol 10k

I got to the race about 8am to collect my number before the runners staying at the race hotel started walking over towards us, Wicksy strolled over eating a Mars bar looking relaxed in his bin liner (apparently the new look from Asics) with his lovely wife and we had a little chat while we put the numbers on. After saying hello to a few other runners me and Wicks went off for a little 10-15minute run where I took my Shotz gel to replace a lack of breakfast, but with such an early start I didn't think a breakfast would be that important anyway.

After the jog and with about 20-30 minutes to go we went our separate ways to do our own thing really. The last 20minutes always fly by and before I knew it the time had come to line up. It was quite a squeeze on the start line with half the road so I was a bit surprised when the guy on the microphone called a few women to the front of the line, as I said to Wicksy standing next to me "what's the point in putting them right at the front only make us lot have to go around them within 10meters and basically cause problems". So the gun went (and we did all just run round them) and the plan was to keep it sensible but get to half way in a pb position as comfortable as possible and then see what's there. The leaders broke away with about 12-14 guys maybe and then us lot were about 8seconds behind all the way to 5k really with a very good group with Jon Pepper setting a good pace, when I say a good group I mean experienced guys not jumping around and doing stupid things just keeping a good pace...pointing if they were going to move, no clipping heels etc.

I went through 5k in 14.40 and still felt quite good but the wind seemed to be all over the shop and even behind runners it still seemed to be getting me a bit. Then before 7k it kind of kicked off in front just as it did in our group. Although the pace didn't go up I had to work that bit harder keep pace and our group went to three and by now we had caught a couple who came out of the lead group but for about 2k I had to listen to a guy on the bike screaming at someone called 'mike' to have fast feet and fast hands! I am not someone who responds to screaming anyway, I just like to concentrate and keep working and then shouting was just irritating  to me and was hoping either 'Mike' would shot off or fall off but he didn't.

9k to go and then it was time to dig deep, I knew it was going to be close to 29.35 as I was clicking off the laps on the old Timex and myself and another runner traded blows going back and forth until about 300m to go I went for it even though I wasn't sure if I could hold the pace. As I came around the corner I saw the clock at around 29.10 and just kicked again knowing I might dip 29.30....I just focused on the clock not even realising I was closing fast on Paskar in front, I glanced left to see '100m to go' and the clock said 29.15 but with a head wind it was going to be tough. The harder I worked the faster the clocked ticked until I hit the line but wasn't sure if I hit the matt before it went over.

Sadly I didn't have time to warm down or anything as I had to get home sharpish so rushed off, but the rest of the day I kept checking the website to see the time until around 7pm it came through that the effort paid off and I got my 29.29!

Back to training

simx