Harlow Running Club

Ely NYE 10K – 31st December

Race Length: 10K

Course Best: 42.56 (December 2007)

PB: 40:40 at Harlow MWL 10K (June 2009)

Target Time: 43 mins

Outcome: 44.01

Nemesis Score: 0 (no runners)

This was never going to be a fast one due to the excesses of Christmas and having just got over the flu.

The course is essentially flat in the fens with a decent at the start and climb at ~8.5K, which to be honest looks worse than it is as everything else is so flat.  If conditions are windy, then it can be very exposed, but today ws cold and still - perfect really.  The race plan was to attempt a 43 minute 10K, something that I could do in my sleep earlier in the year.

I started the run down the hill trying desperately to congratulate a runner on the birth of her son earlier in the year.  For the 1st 2K, I was about 3 metres behind and unable to close the gap.  I had to let them go just after the 2Km marker as she was running at @40min pace - too fast for me!

I slowed down to the 4:18 min/Km I needed, but come 4K it was very apparent that I was not going to be able to hold this.  I was overtaken by a bloke pushing a baby jogger!  :(I slowed towards 4:25-30 in an effort to recover, concentrating on form for the run through Pymoore and the run in for home. 

The 8K point sees the start of the slight climb towards a bag piper who is always stationed at the top - and that is supposed to encourage you up!  Rested, I decided to put on an effort and it was time to identify the person who I was no tgoing to let beat me.  At that moment, someone came along side to overtake, so it had to be them.  we climbed steadily together, but at the top they were able to regain speed faster and pulled out a few metres.  As I hit the final Km, it was time to go for it a bit morem so I realed them in.  The finish is a little twisty and comes upon you very quickly.  The final 200m or so is over a rough grass field.  Previous runners had made the centre muddy so I went to the left where there was better traction.  I got along side and we were reeling the guy infront in too.  As we got to the line, they made one last effort and just got ahead by the smallest margin.  Awarded the same time, but I was that 1 place behind...

Once out of the finishing funnel, I went back to see who was now finishing.  I was horrified to see my new race nemesis finishing in ~45 minutes.  What makes this nemesis more unusual is that THEY ARE A DOG!!!.  Finishing not far behind me was a Saffron runner AND her dog...  To be fair the Saffron runner is only just slower than me at the moment - but to run that speed WITH a dog is simply amazing!

In all, not a good performance in terms of time, but I was able to run a positive finish, so something to build on.