Part of the process of trying to become a better runner has been more than just getting quicker and stronger. It includes learning to run more intelligently and how to structure a race.
Last night at Catforth 5k, I had a race plan in mind, but failed to stick to it. I wanted a 5k PB last night, and although I know you can't do it in every race, last night I should have done. Catforth is one of the flattest 5k courses in the area, and the conditions were just about perfect. It was dry, not too hot, and only a gentle breeze. For my part, I am in good condition and training well. I knew it was on as long as I ran sensibly.
My PB is 15:24, which breaks down to around 4:58 per mile - so to break that would require me to run 3 miles at 4:57 pace or less. However, I also managed to let myself get roped into a bet with club mate George's Kennedy that I couldn't break 15 minutes (which I know is probably a bit beyond me right now, but I feel confident that I am capable of running a low 15 in the right conditions). Furthermore, race organiser Alan Taylor was keen on me trying to break the course record, which is held by Stuart Robinson (15:30), so there was quite a bit of pressure on me to run fast!
Turning up, I knew that there wasn't likely to be much in the means of company and competition to push me around in that sort of time, so much of the race was going to be run alone (this is becoming a bit of a theme in these race blogs at the minute isn't it...) This made it even more important that I stuck to the race plan and ran smart.
I had aimed to run the first two miles at approximately 4:55 pace, and try to get through the 2 mile mark in under 9:50 to leave myself in with a shout of these fast times if I could then throw down a big last mile. My quickest 'in race' mile so far recorded is 4:40, so if I could repeat that it would give us the sub 15 I aspire to achieve.
Unfortunately, the plan went completely out of the window inside the first mile. I failed to reign myself in and set off way too quickly. I didn't check my watch until it bleeped to tell me I was through the first mile mark, and a quick look told me that I had done exactly what I had intended not to - 4:46, some ten seconds too fast. It might not have been such a disaster if I had of had people around me to push me on, but as it transpired the extra energy that I put into that mile sapped out of me as the race went on...
Mile two was much steadier, but the damage was already done. If anything I became too cautious in this second mile, relaxing a tad too much. A 5:04 mile meant that I had achieved my goal of getting to two miles in 9:50, but I knew that I was already slowing and wasn't going to have that energy for the 'big last mile' I spoke about earlier in the piece.
I am surprised at just how much damage that first mile did for the rest of the race in a way - the wheels came off in the final mile a bit, 5:11 leaving me to finish in 15:34, four seconds outside of the course record. It is still a solid performance, but God I was mad at myself afterwards. All I could think about on my cool down was how I had blown an opportunity. There will be others - with the next Catforth race just a month away, and plenty more around. But last night was a genuine chance to run a really great time.
The pace seemed to have a knock on effect with everyone else too, speaking to Joe Monk (who ran a great PB of 16:15) he said his first mile was much quicker than intended, as he tried to keep me in sights, and looking through Facebook it is the same story - Helen Lawrenson and Kerry Eccles further down the field both speak of a first mile that was too fast. So sorry guys if it was because of the pace set at the front!
Finishing on a positive - that is now 5 race wins on the bounce, a new best run of form for me.
Next up? Preston leg of the interclub series in 10 days time.
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