I started off quite well really, but didn't set off too fast like I usually do. It was something of a rolling start to be honest as they race started whilst we were jogging up to the start line. The course was two laps and each lap had an uphill section and it wasn't until the top of the first uphill section that I started to tire a little. This won't have been helped by the fact that I had been awake since 4.00am and had a bad stomach all morning. Once I started going downhill though, I got a second wind and this lasted all the way to that hill again. The second time round, people around me started to walk and it's really easy when people around you start walking to walk yourself but no way was I doing that. This wasn't a fell race, this was just a gentle incline and walking it wasn't an option so I overtook quite a few on there which I was pleased with. Again, once at the top and when we started going downhill, I got a huge rush of energy back and again overtook a few other runners. The downhill pretty much lasts all the way to the finish which was nice. Looking at my Garmin stats later on, my last mile was by far my fastest, with the fourth mile (the one with the second hill in it) the slowest. In fact so slow that it dragged down my entire average.
It wasn't a bad race, few too many roads in it for my liking but I think I'd do it again. The curly wurly in the goody bag was enough to bring me back!
I really feel that I need to practice more speed on hills. I find running on hills in training quite easy because I'm just plodding up and down them but when I hit them at pace in a race, I get pretty floored by them. I need to get my backside to the hill sessions again on Thursday nights and really sort this out. Steve was ace last time and had me sprinting up Factory Hill, which is what I need. It's hard work and makes me feel like chundering but it does me good in the long run.
Speaking to Gemma at the end of the race really helped as we had a discussion about not caring what other people think. I think that's why I found my time disappointing today, not because I'm disappointed myself, because I only set out to jog round, but because I'm bothered about other people seeing my time and thinking it's rubbish. I need to adopt a more carefree attitude as one of the things which makes me dread racing is worrying about what people will think if I get a bad result, which I know is ridiculous but I can't help the way I think. Gemma really helped by telling me that nobody will look at my times and think they are rubbish because people don't think like that and will respect the fact that I'm out running and racing all the time and not just sitting on my backside doing nothing.
Total distance - 5 miles (plus warm up)
Andy will probably despair at this but at 4.30pm I took Ruby out for an easy run. The thought of running outweighed the thought of walking so off we went (this is the joy of dog ownership - you HAVE to go out). It really was an easy one though, nice slow saunter to the barn then up onto 'the driveway' up to George's Lane, past the kennels then back down by the side of Wilderswood.
After a good warm down, a bath with a glass of wine was in order which I think was pretty well deserved. Just waiting for the take away now...
Total distance - 4.35 miles
Week's total distance - 25.25 miles (approx)
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