Harlow Running Club

Midweek League: Orion (Race 1 of 4) - 2nd June 2010

Race length: ~6.6 Miles

PB: n/a

Course best: n/a

Predicted time: (min/mile) based on 1:28.30, Great Bentley Half, February 2010

Target time: (min/mile)

Outcome: 39th in 45.34 (min/mile)

Nemesis score: +1 (3 runners)

Splits:

Other race splits:

I have been a bit behind with blogs recently due to all the non running stuff going on (house move, no internet access, getting nursery ready etc.), so apologies if things look a bit ‘out if date’.

I was looking forward to this race as it was the first Midweek league race on a fine summers evening. I had not run this course before, but it turned out to be a scenic course through Epping Forest. I went in to it feeling under raced with recent training lacking on faster runs. The race plan was to head out easy and just see what happened.

I set off OK in pursuit of DA and AF, but started to drop back just beyond mile 2. I was not feeling that tired, but my legs were not turning over. We came to a steep downhill where the first lady plus some men went past. The lady was roughly my speed having gone to the line in a sprint at Ware Cross country earlier this year, so I wanted to keep up. I knew a big hill was coming but was surprised when the road went around sharp left corner only to continue down. Guess what this means… Then it hit. I climb pretty well so went back past those that overtook downhill. I was gaining on clubmates AF and RS, but it kept on going! It was one of those hills that make you think walking is faster towards the end. I kept up cadence and got back in to stride at the top – at least my marathon training had given me some endurance.

As I approached the final Km, I wanted to push but once again my fitness said yes, but my legs just did not want to turnover. In the closing stages the 1st lady came back alongside me plus a nemesis from the Harlow MWL last year. I had run the last half of a 10K alongside him and managed to outsprint him them, so was not going to allow the tables to turn here. I beat both to the line so I do have some speed when I need it 

Overall I was happy with the performance. I am way off the 40min 10K that I want this summer, but it is a good platform to build from. If nothing else, it was a very pleasant (but hard) run in the forest on a fine summers evening.