End of Phase 1 - "Build Your Base"

Sunday, Week 4 of 15

Run: "Race 10K or 5 miles"
Actual Distance: 6.2 Miles (10K)
Time Taken: 40 mins
Total Mileage So Far: 113.5 miles

Week 4:
Total Weekly Mileage: 22 miles
Time running: 2 hrs 47 mins
Sessions missed: 1 (Inappropriate Nasal Condition)

Finally got my first race day of the year, and my first race as a veteran, out of the way.

Got to Dewsbury in plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere and relax before the race and also managed to avoid my usual mistake of starting too far back. For the first 3 kilometres I was spot on my intended splits of 4 mins/km.

Then at 4km there was a final last (slight) incline and my body started complaining. I took 4 min 23 secs for that km, to reach the half way point at 20 mins 32 secs and then my mind kicked in telling me it was all over if I wanted to hit under 40 minutes.

The second half was all downhill, and not a great experience as I knew I wasn't making up enough time. Managed the second half in 20 mins 16 secs, to finish in 40 min 48 secs (the official clock was showing 41 min 5 secs, just to really rub it in).

My first reaction on crossing the line was real disappointment at missing my target by so far with no real excuse or reason. Cheered up a bit after meeting a couple of other runners I knew, and two people from work who'd come to watch, and then starting looking for the positives:

1. I've now finished the first quarter of the training in good health.

2. Got a PB (by 2 seconds!)

3. Based on this time, according to the race time predictor I should aspire to a 3 hour 7 min Marathon!

In fact, to be honest, a sub 40minute 10K would have been way ahead of anything I've done before, so I'll leave it for another time when I can do a specific 10K schedule.

Have got a day and a bit before my next run, and sure I'll have completed my spinning of the experience by then.

STOP PRESS - Official time is 40:43. That 5 seconds has made me feel even better.