Tenby 10k - Race Report

This race had been in my crosshairs for quite a while. All the signs pointed towards a sub-40 minute 10k: I had run my PB of 40:17 two months before and come close to that time again in training; I felt strong, notwithstanding a couple of niggles; the course was coastal, so it had to be flat, right? Well, not quite: it actually rose by almost 400ft, but my PB had been on a pretty hilly course too. So on balance, my target seemed realistic.

The start was crowded and there was no timing mat, so official results would be from the gun. With that in mind, I jostled for position. When the horn sounded I got pretty annoyed with a few dawdlers, but the field soon opened out.

The first mile consisted of a gentle half-mile climb (80ft or so) followed immediately by a descent of about the same distance and gradient. I resisted the temptation to let fly, unlike half of the 30 or so runners ahead of me. However, making the most of the downhill stretch, I clocked the first mile in 6:18. I felt well within my limits at that point.

The modest downward slope continued and by the end of mile 2, we were about 60ft closer to sea level than the starting area. So I wasn't concerned to hear my Garmin chirp after another 6:15. I was still happy with my running. Yes, this was a quick pace for me, but I hadn't gone like a greyhound out of the traps!

But from here on in, things started to get a bit more challenging. Mile 3 entailed a short but steep climb, just enough to make my quads burn. My split time fell to 6:36 for mile 3 and I passed the 5k mark in 19:48. Still on course. No cause for concern. All I had to do was hold it together.

Mile 4 involved yet more climbing. Not a particularly challenging gradient, but enough to take the edge off my pace. I had steadily moved my way up the pack by this point, gaining at least 10 places since the start. One runner in front of me had now started to walk, but as soon as I overtook him he sprinted past me again at a ridiculous pace. A few hundred yards later he was walking again. Then he took off again. This game of cat and mouse continued until the climb intensified a little, then he disappeared. Just as well, because I was finding it bloody distracting! I clocked 6:36 for mile 4. My average pace was bang on for a 40-minute 10k, but I had lost the benefit of my quick start.

We carried on climbing gently until about half way through mile 5, when we were greeted with a relatively steep downhill stretch. I managed to win back some time, posting 6:28 for the mile. I was hanging in there, just!

Still feeling pretty strong, I sat in with a couple of other runners for a few hundred yards. I knew the final mile was uphill, so I wanted to conserve as much energy as possible. But these guys were going too slowly, so I pulled ahead of them. I had unwittingly volunteered to be their windbreak. There had been barely a breath of wind all day and now I was running head on into a stern breeze. Then I got a stitch. 'Please, not now!', I thought. My spirits were momentarily lifted when I saw the 9k marker and realised I had a few seconds to spare, but I could see a steep climb ahead.

The hill rose by only 80ft, but it was 'all in one go'. I slowed to what felt like a shuffle and the two runners I had just overtaken came back past me. I wasn't going to let them get away. Mile 6 took me 6:50 and the sub-40 minute dream was slipping away. I had to do something.

The ground levelled off and a sign indicated that there were 400 metres to go. Knackered and not sure if I could sustain anything more than the pace I was already at, I found a kick from somewhere and overtook the last guy to have passed me on the hill. The course followed an 'S' bend, so I couldn't see the finish. Just when I thought I was there, the course took another turn. I looked down at my Garmin: time: 39:xx; pace: 4:40/mile! I was closing in fast on the next two runners, who were already battling it out between themselves. Face contorted, legs burning, lungs bursting, heart pounding, I powered over the finish line in 39:41. My mum and sister immediately ran over and congratulated me. As soon as the world stopped spinning, I thanked them both and we wandered off for a well-deserved pub lunch.


Distance: 10k
Time: 39m 41s
Avg pace: 6m 23s / mile
Position: 26 of 338 (putting me in the top 8%)

Official results here and GPS data here.

Week beginning 4 July

Nose back to the grindstone this week: just short of 43 miles covered, with a bit of swimming thrown in for good measure. Sluggish at times; more spritely at others. Looked like I'd been in the wars by Sunday evening!

Highlights of the week:

- Highest-mileage week to date
- Averaged target 10k pace over a 4-mile run without initially intending to - gotta be a good sign!
- Felt fresher than ever on an 8-mile marathon-pace run

- Spent Sunday's LSR discovering new footpaths. Just call me Columbus.


Monday

3-mile recovery run

Distance: 2.93 miles
Avg pace: 8m 56s / mile
Avg HR: 137 bpm


Tuesday

A sluggish 8-miler first thing in the morning. Barely got under 8-minute mile pace until halfway through. But it's all miles under the belt ;-)

Distance: 7.98 miles
Avg pace: 7m 41s / mile
Avg HR: 151 bpm


Wednesday

AM: 1km swim (getting a bit quicker: 40 lengths in 26 minutes, but still swimming breast stroke like an old woman).

PM: 4-mile easy run. Plenty in the tank this time. Felt pretty fresh.

Distance: 4.00 miles
Avg pace: 8m 30s / mile
Avg HR: 139 bpm

Thursday

What was supposed to be a 5-mile tempo run turned into a 4-mile slog after I got giddy during miles 2 and 3 (split times: 6m 44s; 6m 13s; 6m 06s; 6m 47s). On the plus side, that's an average of 6m 27s per mile -- my target 10k pace. 

Distance: 3.97 miles
Avg pace: 6m 27s / mile
Avg HR: 168 bpm

Friday

Rest (phew!)


Saturday

8 miles at bang on target marathon pace. Fresh as a daisy :-)

Distance: 8.03 miles
Avg pace: 7m 20s / mile
Avg HR: 159 bpm

Sunday

Long slow run which involved climbing over 1,700ft, being repeatedly stung by nettles and cut by brambles, trudging up to my ankles through mud and getting lost both in a potato field and on a 4x4 off-road course. I think I'll limit myself to one of these kind of runs per month!

Distance: 15.71 miles
Avg pace: 9m 12s / mile
Avg HR: 151 bpm

27/6 - 3/7 - A week of rest?

After three consecutive weeks of building distance from around 28 to 38 miles, 27 June - 3 July was scheduled as an 'off week'. I ran 33 miles in all, but perhaps overdid it here and there (at least, I didn't feel particularly rested by Sunday!).

Highlights of the week:

- Running injury free (nothing more than tightness/niggles)
- Had a really quick, successful interval session
- Slotted in another 1km swim -- variety is good!

- Managed to stay disciplined on my long run


Monday

3-mile easy/steady run finishing with a small spurt.

Distance: 3.07 miles
Avg pace: 7m 38s / mile
Avg HR: 149 bpm


Tuesday 

Really pleased with this session! 4x 1km intervals with 2-minute recovery jogs -- check out the split times: 

Km 1: 3:54 (6:16/mile) 

Km 2: 3:43 (5:59/mile) 

Km 3: 3:32 (5:41/mile) 

Km 4: 3:38 (5:51/mile)

Distance: 3.34 miles
Avg pace: 6m 48s / mile
Avg HR: 163 bpm


Wednesday

Rest


Thursday

AM: 1km swim (my technique is still horrible, but I might be getting some lessons in September!).

PM: 7 miles steady, finishing at 10k pace. Experimented with cadence: increased turnover during the last couple of miles and felt I could run faster with less effort.

Distance: 7.03 miles
Avg pace: 6m 59s / mile
Avg HR: 158 bpm


Friday

5k recovery run with Annie. Nice to have company once in a while! :-)

Distance: 3.09 miles
Avg pace: 10m 06s / mile
Avg HR: 127 bpm

Saturday

Did my long(ish) run today instead of Sunday, just to suit circumstances. Stayed disciplined and hovered around 8 mins/mile. Tiring, but in a different way to the quicker sessions earlier in the week.

Distance: 9.86 miles
Avg pace: 7m 57s / mile
Avg HR: 151 bpm

Sunday

7 miles at marathon pace -- heavy legged! Don't think I refuelled soon enough after my long run yesterday. My Garmin also went crazy and lied to me about my first two split times, so I ran too hard for the remaining 5 miles (in fact, I stopped about one-third of a mile short of 7 miles because I knew something wasn't right). Ate within half an hour of getting back this time!

Distance: 6.71 miles
Avg pace: 7m 10s / mile
Avg HR: 157 bpm