Heanor 10k (Matthew Walker Xmas Pudding Run)

Left Lincoln at 8.00am this morning ready for a 10.00am start and yes you've guessed it - arrived far too early yet again. Well, at least it gave us ample time to walk from the car park and get some race numbers plus have a look at the cheapies on offer at the running stall.

The race was also delayed by ten minutes (something about a large queue, probably at said running stall!) and we were not set on our way 'til about 10 past the hour.

Having taken part in yesterdays Parkrun I wondered how I would hold up in the first few miles and honestly for most of the first mile I was cursing my two race weekend ! The first mile is a lap of a trading estate, and it felt very hard and not very fast ! I didn't even glance at my watch on this first lap and it failed to vibrate at the mile split ! The second mile leaves the estate and heads out of Heanor - uphill !!!

The three years since I last did this race must have seen my memory wiped because miles 2 & 3 are predominantly uphill with some flat sections to suck you into a false sense of security - there is reported to be 58m of climbing on the course but I reckon you must do that in mile 2 alone. My watch did tease me with a vibrate at 2 miles and showed a second mile at a slow 8.02. Mile 3 was kinder in terms of the flat sections and I think I managed a 7.19 or something akin to that. At mile 3 something wonderful happens and there is a good mile or so of downhill and I made up some more time here ! In fact, it was great to continue to see my race average fall by a couple of seconds every time I looked at my watch, and mile five was soon completed with an average of 7.30 in tact.

The last mile is not so kind with two climbs contained therein and I was spent as I crawled up the second of these to cross the line with a better than expected 47.53 which was good enough on the day to finish 230/881.

November 2013 Parkruns

Clumber Parkrun 30/11/2013

After two weeks of Lincoln it was time for a change this morning and we headed out to Clumber Park to try another Parkrun that we hadn't gone to before.

It was St. Andrews day and the organisers had gone to the trouble to dress up and find some Scottish bunting for the finish area. It was a really pleasant atmosphere and I was really looking forward to the start of the two lap race at 9am.  I had googled the course and saw that it had 42m if climb, so I had presumed that it was going to be a slow course, however, as we were gathering I chatted to a chap who described it as fast with just one bump !

At 9am I found out exactly what the course was like - it was fast ! In fact the first mile flashed by in just 6.56 which was my fastest first mile all year. This first mile felt pretty much all downhill and was mostly run on forest trail - I felt on my limit but had moved into what I had worked out to be 5th place so I knew that I was running a good race. I tried to keep tight lines on the course too so that I could maximise my efforts.

At the end of the first lap there was the first short sharp climb and I managed to get up and over this without too much fuss and started my second lap in good shape. My second mile flashed up 7.27 but this included the climb from the previous lap so I was happy although blowing by now. I was still holding 5th place on the day but not for long, cos that last mile felt like a killer and I soon started to slip back places as the latter stages wore on.

The last climb up that hill really stung and my legs lost forward motion at the top of it. I eventually finished in 14th place of 65 on the day and a seasons best of 22.53 !

Lincoln - 23/11/13 24.50

With a trip to Heanor tomorrow for a 10k looming, todays outing at Lincoln was just about completing and not knackering out any part of my body.

I ran at what I guessed was a normal Tuesday night club run place and I think I achieved that with lap times of 8.08, 7.53 and a finishing average of 7.55 !

Happy with todays run and I don't feel too stiff for tomorrows Xmad Pudding race !

Lincoln - 16/11/13  22.58

Lincolns inaugural Parkrun took place this morning in Boultham Park after a few years of the organisers grappling with the local council. Finally, I have a Parkrun which is about a mile from my house and in a park that I know from my childhood - and best of all its flat !

There were nearly 300 people in the Park this morning ready to race, and I met up with lots of people from my various clubs before the race. My brother Dave also rocked up for a go, and Heidi did her 6th event - so it was also a family affair.

The pace was hot from the start and with the even gradient of the course I was able so knock out a 7.02 first lap. I felt the second lap was a lot slower, but the clock still showed 7.07 to maintain an average of 7.05 at that point. The third lap slowed a lot and I had some issue with my ankle again, but in all a finish of 22.58 was not to be sniffed at!


Rushcliffe - 9/11/13  25.44

With the Grafham Water Duathlon scheduled for the following morning, and with it being my 41st Birthday weekend, I thought I'd treat Heidi to a nice flattish fast parkrun.

So the plan was just to trot round and not push things too hard, but I found the more I relaxed the faster I went and was suprised to run an 8.18mm average to sneak in with a fresh finished 25.44.