Sunday, Week 4
Run: "1M jog, then race 10K, then 1M jog. Aim for a sub-43:00 10K"

Total Mileage This week: 33 miles

Total Mileage So Far: 134 miles

My first race of the year and this schedule- the Dewsbury 10K.

I knew I was running slower than last year and so told myself not to expect too much.

Arrived at Dewsbury in brilliant sunshine and clear blue skies, and was fooled into leaving my gloves off. After 10 minutes warming up I could no longer feel my extremities and had to go back to the car.

My start was a complete nightmare as I found myself much too far back. I still don't have the hang of that. Fought my way through slower runners for the first kilometre, by which time I'd lost 15 or so seconds.

Soon settled down and made it up hill to the turn around in 20:46. I obviously knew my old sub-40 nemesis had beaten me again, but instead of letting it get to me like last year, I just tried to enjoy the return stretch. Hit solid splits all the way back down to the finish, and managed a comfortable sprint at the end to finish in 40:47 - a 20:01 5k back.

Felt a bit disappointed, but as a marathon prep race, it was great. The race has recharged me after a couple of weeks where I have felt myself losing motivation, and I feel ready to hit the next four week section of training.