Whew! That blew away a few cobwebs! I had been nursing a couple of minor injuries so hadn't run at all since the Tenby 10k on 31 July. It's funny how even a small break can knock your confidence. While I had managed to get in some cycling and swimming over recent days, I really wasn't sure what to expect from my body.
This was actually my first ever 5k race. My running 'career' has all been a bit backwards. My first ever race was a 10-miler and I ran a marathon before I ran my first half. Going into this race, my 5k time was 19:16 (set unofficially in training, last year). I wanted to come in under 19 minutes but wasn't 100% sure I could. My strategy was to start at target pace and then hold on for dear life!
In the pre-race briefing, the organiser said the course was a good one for PBs. 'Mildly undulating' were his chosen words. The race was an out-and-back along a coastal path, so we were running into a headwind to start with (although oddly, there was no tailwind on the way back). I nestled in at the front of the pack and waited for the hooter, then we were away.
A young runner (16, it turned out) set the pace for the first couple of kilometers, and to begin with I was quite comfortable sitting in with the leading pack. We wound uphill to a bridge and then hit the tarmac path out to the sea front. The headwind was quite strong and I struggled to find cover. Approaching 1 mile, I was still sat in with the leaders (not something I'm used to!). My Garmin chirped. Split time for mile 1: 5:59. Body check: panting a little, perhaps going into oxygen debt. Oh well! Crack on!
A few hundred yards on and the lactic acid was definitely starting to creep into my legs. The halfway point was a welcome sight, even if the 180-degree turn did break my stride. I was overtaken for the first time. I knew he was coming, but I didn't fancy stepping up a gear just yet. And besides, I'd passed a few people myself. The leading pack started to pull away from me and a gap also opened up behind me. Bleep! Mile 2: 6:10. Body check: flagging, but close enough by now to kick my own arse to the finish.
We climbed the gentle slope back towards the bridge and my pace dropped noticeably for the first time. Only one kilometer to go. My Garmin showed 15 minutes and a few seconds. All I had to do was manage the final stretch at 10k pace and I was on for a PB.
On the other side of the bridge, I lost sight of the runner in front of me. "Which way is that arrow pointing?", I thought. Straight on, I decided. Still couldn't see anyone. "Is this the right way?!" I shouted to an old lady with a dog. She motioned to the right. Argh! I had gone the wrong way! What an absolute muppet! Turns out the arrow was for the way out, not the way back. I shouldn't even have been able to see it! The next runner had closed the gap on me (obviously!). I cursed under my breath (probably out loud, actually!) and rejoined the path. I was determined not to lose a place. Mile 3: 6:09.
Right, now go! Sprint! As I hit the final strait, I saw the big clock: 18:56, 18:57, 18:58... Arrrgghhh! Push!! And over the line in 18:59! Woo hooooooooooooo!!! Making my target time by the smallest possible margin somehow made it all the more enjoyable. I was absolutely thrilled.
Distance: 5k
Time: 18:59
Avg pace: 6:07/mile
Position: 7 of 89
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