It didn't feel like we'd done much training, and so I was very surprised on looking through my training log that by Friday I found that I'd covered 60 miles!
The focus for the weekend was TWO 5 mile races!
The first of those was the Midlands 12 Stage Road Races - I was running the 3rd Long (5.4 mile) Leg
The forecast showers and clouds didn't materialise, and the day was glorious. Sunny with a slightly 'sporting' breeze.
I was due to be running the third long leg, so headed over to Sutton Park an hour and a half after the start of the event to be sure of arriving in plenty of time, and I arrived just as Lorna was heading out on her leg
Had a chat with the folk from the Club in our tent, pinned on numbers, and made a half-hearted attempt to warm up. (I'd already run gently to the start area - so I wasn't too concerned about it!)
The runner before be headed off for his short leg and I ambled to the start pen about 10 minutes later to await his return.
In the start pen I bumped into Peter, a "V Older Than Me" and had a bit of a chat.
I was hoping that he'd set off before me, so that I'd not suffer the indignation of being overtaken by him.
He didn't....
Hmmmm
A great deal of the first half was uphill and into the wind! I managed to pass another runner on my leg in the first mile, and set my sights on a Solihull vest a short way ahead, I dragged him most of the way back to me on the steepest climb, and we held station side by side for the next half mile or so.
When the gradient started to climb again, I saw him drop back to my shoulder, so I put the hammer down and drew away from him.
The section that is the Long-Bit was tough - into a decent headwind, and apart from one little downdulate, climbs steadily to the turn.
At the turn I could see a guy in a Red Vest about 300m ahead who I thought I'd try and pull back to me - a big ask, I thought. And shortly after turning I caught Peter's eye as he headed to the turn.
Too close for comfort, I thought. I was sure that I'd lose that place to him!
I was descending better than Mr Red Vest and pulling back reasonably well. I wasn't sure that I had enough distance to catch him though.
A Short Leg runner came thundering past and when I turned Left at Keepers Pool and glance back, I didn't see Peter. As long as I didn't do anything foolish, I should be able to hold him off, I thought.
By the bottom of the final hill of the last 300m I was only a couple of metres behind Mr Red Vest. As I came onto his shoulder he kicked harder than I could, and he finished about 2m ahead of me.
I worked hard for that! It's 5.4 miles and my time was 32:37
My Mile splits were:
6:09
6:12
6:15
5:56
5:49
6:07
So I was very happy with that!
Got to meet up with loads of folk afterwards, which made for a fantastic day
Given the chance, we'd have stayed longer, but we needed to get home to make sure that the children hadn't been experimenting with fire or somesuch nonsense
I expected Lorna to drag me out kicking and screaming for a little run later - and she didn't disappoint
I even caught the sun, despite the prophylactic Factor 30!!!
And so that brought us to Sunday, and the Centurion Grand Prix 5 Miles, a fabulous friendly little event organised by our Club.
Lorna's girls declined the chance to come racing this morning, so Lorna, my 3 kids and I all piled into one car to go racing.
We arrived in plenty of time, and registered and ambled down to the start of the 2K for the kids.
My eldest son positioned himself at the front while I went to the back with my younger son and daughter
Lorna went off to warm up with a Club mate.
Very proud of my kids today.
My eldest paced himself really well to make up a place in the run in to finish 7th just a second outside his BP
My daughter ran beautifully (again) and got 12:37
And my younger son was awesome. Worked his little legs off, put in an incredible effort and averaged sub 11min/miles to break 13 minutes - 12:45 - Brilliant
That warm up told me that my legs were little fatigued, but otherwise in good shape for the race, and I lined up with Thomas in anticipation of Part II of our little 5 Mile head-to-head of the weekend (the first being yesterday, where I came out ahead by less than a minute)
He went off like a man possessed! And the first mile was a little 'hot' But I thought I'd see if I could hold on to him, and see how my legs coped.
I pulled ahead at about 2½ miles, and was pleased with the evenness of the pace I was running.
I was catching another runner in the second long lap, and we both got held up by a rather 'large' gentleman and his handsome canine companion at the one bottle neck there is on the course. Cost us both at least 5 seconds, I reckon - and meant that the Tipton guy just in front got away from us.
He picked up his momentum quicker than I did, and I couldn't catch him on the run in. But all in all I was delighted with my run.
Splits were:
5:52
6:02
6:04
5:59
5:57
And gave me
► 29:55 ◄
Which is a new PB - and my first time under 30 minutes for the distance - and a reasonably creditable 10th place.
Fantastic
Very happy with that!
From a pure running perspective, I was happier with the *way* that I ran today, too.
My lovely wife also ran really well - didn't try to hammer it, and was just a few seconds outside her PB too
The most pleasing factor about this weekend is the fact that I'm clearly running strongly on fatigued legs, and am recovering well from significant efforts.
This was always a focus with our training for the 10-in-10, and we appear to have been getting it right.
The plan now is to start winding the miles back - with still decent maintenance miles, but to ensure that when we stand on the start line for marathon Number 1 on 8th May, that we are properly rested for the challenge ahead.
Getting more and more excited about it
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