Magic Roundabout 10k - Race Report

I didn't go into this race with the right mentality, or even in the best shape. I had been taking it easy all week with a strained gluteus medius, an injury that was still nagging at me when I woke up. Not running had crossed my mind, but only fleetingly. I decided instead to take it easy. Easier said than done, of course! I set myself a target of 45 minutes, which would turn out to be pretty realistic.

The morning's preparations were all a bit rushed. I loaded up with porridge a couple of hours before the race and then got my stuff together. Argh! Garmin not charged and only 20 minutes before we have to leave! Contingency plan: bring the laptop and carry on charging the Garmin in the car! Sorted.

We got there to discover the starting area was the best part of a mile from the car park, which further complicated matters! I ended up having to jog up a sizeable hill to make it on time -- consider it a warm-up, I thought! When I lined up at the start, I noticed a lot of club runners in the crowd. The event was quite small and local but immediately friendly and very well organised. After a quick briefing and a 5-4-3-2-1, we were away.

The first two miles were almost entirely downhill. And having seen the course profile, I knew I would need to make the most of the descent. And sure enough, those two miles went by in 12m 49s, a pace I was pretty happy with.

Shortly afterwards, a deceptively long climb seemed to stop the entire field of runners in its tracks. It didn't look much to begin with but got gradually steeper, totalling 250ft over 0.8 miles. If I'm honest, it probably caught me out, too: I was really short of breath by the time I reached the top. Helpfully, an unhealthy-looking spectator with a camera chirped 'ah, that's not a hill!'. So whoever you were, thanks for that!

It's never nice getting to the halfway point and feeling completely knackered, but that's how I've felt for the past couple of races. Some of that has to do with the events I've chosen, but ultimately it's down to me. I needed a lesson in pacing, and that's what I got! What was nice, however, was seeing my girlfriend and her family just before the 6k marker. I wish now that I'd had the energy to look more enthusiastic when I saw them! Miles 3 and 4 took 15m 47s - quite a drop in pace, but one I was expecting.

Shortly before the 6k marker

I was glad to discover that mile 5 was mostly downhill. I sat behind a club runner who had just overtaken me on the last slope. He had been kind enough to offer a few words of encouragement as he passed my tired and slumped frame, and I just about found the breath to thank him! But just as I was starting to get comfortable again, the course took a hairpin bend, directing us up another energy-sapping hill. Mile 5 took only 7m 02s, but the final 300ft ascent was a real test, and mile 6 staggered by in 8m 24s.

I came over the brow of the hill to see the finish line -- what a relief! Almost straight away I heard the thudding feet of another runner on a mission to gain a couple of places. Not today, squire! I mustered up all I could and sprinted home, averaging 6m 32s over the final 0.2 miles and -- most importantly -- keeping my place :-)

Next to the course profile with a brew and a banana!

Distance: 10km
Time: 45m 16s
Avg pace: 7m 19s / mile
Position: 21 of 144 (putting me in the top 15%)

Official results here and my Garmin data here.