Crewkerne 10K Race Report – PW
I set out
for my 10K this morning with high hopes of a PB... aiming for sub 52 minutes (and
secretly dreaming of a sub 50). I had my
usual breakfast of porridge with honey and pumpkin seeds and in an effort to
channel the famous Tarahumara running people, I also sprinkled Chia seeds on
top.
For those of
you who have not heard of the Tarahumara, they are a reclusive native American
tribe who live in the canyons of northwest Mexico and are renowned for their
long-distance running abilities and are the focus of the book Born to Run byChris McDougall. I highly recommend this
book and still re-read it regularly when my motivation is beginning to
wane!
We headed
over to Crewkerne early in order to park and pick up my race number in plenty
of time before the start (and of course ensure at least 5 toilet visits before
the run).
At race registration!
As we lined
up at the start I got talking to a couple of other runners and discovered that just
around the first corner was a 500m climb.
It turns out that my first mistake was not checking out the course
profile beforehand. The course was
extremely hilly with only about half a mile of flat road the rest consisted of
steep and winding (and never-ending) uphills with some fast downhill
sections.
So, after
the gun went off I powered up the first monster of a hill and could have done
with an oxygen mask at the top but undeterred I continued passing people up the
next hill. By the time I got to the top
I was starting to get concerned, I was purple, very out of breath, my legs were
complaining and I was only 1 mile into the race.
And so my
second mistake becomes obvious... lack of sensible pacing. I managed to hold on for the next mile and a
half and then the wheels really fell off.
I went through the 5K mark at 26.03 minutes and then just got slower and
slower and all those people I had overtaken started to overtake me... it was
somewhat depressing but there was absolutely nothing I could do about it but
watch them zoom past me.
In the final
two miles it became obvious that the Tarahumara gods had abandoned me and no
amount of chia seeds was going to rectify this situation.
Then I met my saviour in the form of a local
club runner (Unfortunately I didn’t get his name). We chatted and he paced me up all the hills
and got me to the end in one piece (I am fairly sure that left to my own
devices I would have crossed the line on my hands and knees). Not only that but the poor chap had to put up with me breathing and puffing like a steam train into his ear... what a champ!
The finish
line was up yet another hill back into the centre of Crewkerne... I think the
organisers must have sadistic tendencies to devise this course ha!! I eventually (and painfully) crossed the line
in 55.32 – a personal worst!!
Down the finishing stretch
So, lesson
learnt. If I had researched the course
beforehand I would have paced myself – taking it really easy on the inclines in
order to maintain a reasonable pace and I would have probably managed a more
respectable time. Despite this I had a
great time and really enjoyed the race.
It was really well organised and I would definitely do it again next
year.
Me with my finishers pack
I’m back on
nights again so I have had to balance this coming weeks training around my need
to sleep!!
Monday
- Rest Day
Tuesday
- Easy Run – 5 miles
Wednesday
- Strength Training
- Brick Session – Cycle - 30 minutes then Run – 30 minutes
Thursday
- Swimming
- Cycling – 30 minutes spin session
Friday
- Tempo Run – 4 miles
- Swimming Lesson
Saturday
- Cycle – 1hr 30mins
Sunday
- Easy Run – 7 miles
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