Vernons 5k

Tonight I took part in the Vernons 5k race.  I haven't done a 5k for about 18 months or so and my aim was to get under 24 minutes.  I did it in 23.19 (watch time, haven’t seen official time yet).  I felt great all the way through and probably could have pushed even harder but I still have that fear of burn out.  I also have a bad back at the minute and it did start to ache half way through so I’m sure I could do better once I sort that out.  I intended to use my Garmin as a pacer but I was too scared to look at it throughout the race because I was worried that if it said I was running too slowly, rather than spur me on, it might make me thing ‘what’s the point’.  Silly I know but you know my mind works in mysterious ways!

At the end, there was a girl in my sights and I tried my usual sprint finish to get past her but, unfortunately, all her team mates at the finish line warned her of my approach and their shouts and cheers brought her home ahead of me.  I would be disappointed but I love team spirit like that, and it’s one of the best parts of racing which is weird coming from me, seeing as I shy away from races where there are lots of other Horwich runners because I feel embarrassed.

Speaking of which, I was warming up with a guy named Nigel and when I told him that I was a slowcoach and he might not want to warm up with me he said ‘I’ve seen the vest you’re wearing, you can’t be a slow coach’.  I then said that my goal was a sub-24 time and his reply was ‘Seriously?  But you guys are all really fast!’.  Nice to know Horwich have such a good reputation, shame I don’t live up to it ha ha. 

There were a couple of other Horwich runners out tonight – Gareth Booth and David Barnes.  I’m not sure of their results as they aren’t out yet but I’m guessing Gareth was up front somewhere.  David was probably just under a minute in front of me as I had him in my sights for almost the entire race. 

My greatest achievement of the night probably wasn’t my PB but my great manoeuvring skills at getting my van out of the space it had been blocked into.  This is something I really dislike about races – parking!  So many people are trying to park in a small space that cars just end up abandoned everywhere.  I had parked out of the way in a layby but other cars had parked behind me, in front of me and at the side of me! 

Total distance – 3.1 miles plus warm up and cool down.

https://www.strava.com/activities/294377785