Initially, I didn't worry too much about this lack of racing, and I have of course managed a couple of crosscountry races in the period in between. However, I class crosscountry separately to road racing, as it is a different style of racing. I began to become increasingly concerned about missing out on races after the cancellation of Inskip Half marathon a few weeks ago.
It wasn't so much that I was worried that I was getting out of shape - I have been training consistently and putting in the miles - but I mean more in the way that it is easy to lose your rhythm and forget your instincts about tactical racing and pacing at the front end and out on the roads. I felt that it was important to get back out there and race sooner, rather than later, in order to try and build a bit of momentum and confidence up again before my big targeted races that are looming on the horizon.
So this weekend I made the trip over to Witton Park, Blackburn (once again!) I don't think I travelled out that way more than twice all last year, and have found myself racing there 3 times in 5 weeks since the turn of the year!
The Blackburn Harrier's winter warmer 10k isn't a race that I had done before, and being placed on a busy racing weekend - up against the likes of Alsager 5 and Dewsbury 10k - it did really well to draw in the numbers, with a sell out 500 participants. I have to say that I loved every minute of my experience. He hospitality of the organisers and marshals was first class, and the course was every bit as challenging and tough as I had been expecting! It was everything that I could have asked for for my first road race of the calendar year, and represents a solid platform from which I hope I can now build on from.
The race itself took in a lap of the Harrier's track, before climbing out of the park and out on to Buncer Lane. The assent began from about 800 metres in, and continued to rise steadily up to about the 2k mark. At this point, there was a break from the uphill, as the course took in a local housing estate for roughly 500-600 metres, before continuing out and climbing steeply back up the rest of Buncer Lane. The assent ceased at around the 4K mark and a long downhill section then followed through to 6k, before levelling off, and then another shorter climb through 6-7k. From then on in, there was another steep downhill section, before the course levelled off through the park grounds, finishing with another lap of the track.
After sitting in behind Danny Collinge of Clayton-Le-Moors for the first lap of the track, I then led pretty much all of the race, holding off a bit of a challenge from a Blackburn Harrier on the downhill section between 4-6k. I was delighted with my performance, in terms of it being a solid controlled run, and felt as though I had a nice rhythm throughout, without ever really eye-balling it. The time wasn't he quickest - but I had expected as much with such an undulating and challenging course, but I was very happy to take the win in approx 33:45.
I gave my new Team Fastrax kit its first outing too, and so hopefully I have done Terry and the vest proud!
This weeks training saw a solid week of mileage, consistent with what I have been doin so far in the year. My track session was done alone and so was slightly slower and shorter - with 8 x 800s ran in 2:28s. My tempo run was 5 miles ran at 5:19s, and my long run was moved over to the Saturday and cut shorter to accommodate my race - with a 13 miler at 6:23 pace.
Total mileage for the week: 73
Average weekly pace (m/pm): 6:28
This months mileage (February): 73
Total mileage so far in 2016: 388
Average miles per day 2016: 10.2
