Harlow Running Club

Essex 20 (Essex Championship) - 7th March 2010

Race Length: 20 miles

PB: 2:38.22 (7.55 min/mile) at Oakley 20 in March 2008

Target: ~2:45 run as a progressive training run from ~9:15 to ~7:45 min/mile
Outcome: 2:36.35 (7.50 min/mile)

Splits: 8:21 8:18 8:13 8:20 8:12 8:15 8:12 8:02 8:00 7:52 7:57 7:51 7:43 7:39 7:27 7:20 7:18 6:57 7:06 6:55

Nemisis Score: 0 wins 1 loss (although not really playing as this was a training run)

I have never entered this race before, but will do again. A "small" 2 loop affair that had similarities to the Halsted Marathon in terms of course and 'feel but with fewer undulations. To be honest I would describe this a essentially flat - just a slight gradient on the way to 5/15 miles with a couple of more minor undulations near the start/finish.  Conditions were bright and sunny, but there was a brisk chilly breeze in places.

The plan was to treat this as a progressive training run. Long runs for me are a bit effort as I fall apart beyond 15 miles and without care, racing this flat out would mess me up for weeks. I think racing Oakley in 2008 damaged my London Marathon performance as I never ran the same after.:(  I also have Reading Half in 2 weeks, and a PB there would mean more to me.  Finishing this run strongly and without damage would be do me more good both mentally and physically.

I set off a little faster than I intended. It was very hard to remain behind some clubmates who are generally slower than me. I remained pretty diciplined until mile 6 when the field had thinned out and we were running along a section where I could see runners stretched out.  There was a big gap behind and in front to a lone runner, then another big gap to a large group. I was feeling strong  and decided to bridge the gap, accelerating to Mara speed.  Halfway came and was the point at wich I was going to cut loose and start a gradual acceleration.  This I essentially did reaching 7:30 min mile at the 15th mile. Initially I wanted to go no faster than this, but ahead I could see a clubmate and I was still feeling surprisingly good as 15 miles is normally where the wheels start to come off. Still getting faster, I got to the 17 mile marker and really cut loose. I was now traveling at near Half Marathon speed and now powering past past runners as if they were standing still. Even as I got to the final cheeky climb just before the end I was still going sub 7 and reeled in a Haverhill (I think) runner and was dissapointed not to get the woman infront of him as well.

The result was a PB by almost 2 minutes having been a long way off this time at half way:D  I had a massive mental boost for my long run endurance managing to go 2 min/mile faster for the last 3 miles when on a normal 9 min/mile LSR I would be falling apart. I definately think that this sort of progressive run has a place in my schedule, (not everytime as it would probably kill me), but certainly once in a while.

I should be recovered nicely for a sub 1:28 attempt at Reading, and I definately think I am on for my sub 3:30 marathon goal.