Dartford 10

I was saying only on Tuesday last week that I wasn't going to run the Les Witton 10 that weekend. I had made this decision because I had run part of the proposed route in the Dartford Half Marathon last July and had not really liked the route. There was a long stretch which was into the wind on a narrow path by a busy road and as so often is the case when you can see ahead for more than a mile it can become quite disheartening. So my mind was clear I was not ready to do that again.

Then I received an email from my sister and to cut a long story short she had signed up for the race but now was suffering a slight injury and all the advice she received was not to run this weekend. So I said I would take the place and get the details changed.

Sunday morning arrived and I was really in two minds about running. Races are always a buzz but there was this thought that the route was going to trouble me between the 6 to 9 miles part where the mind starts to question and doubt. But on arrival I was quickly immersed in conversations with club mates and the usual pre-race chatter and thoughts of the route disappeared. I was cautious about time predictions but thought that 75 minutes would be the likely outcome as this was the first road race since Hastings, my training runs had not exceeded 5 miles and doubted I had a PB in my legs given how much cycling I was doing.

The race started on time and the first mile included some quick downhill sections and whilst everyone is bunched in a pack its hard to find a steady pace. I was tucked in behind club mates and felt that the 7 and 1/2 minute miling was a comfortable pace (first mile was 7'27) the next mile was flat'ish and was completed in 7'08 and I dont have much recollection of it. The next stage included a climb and turn and further climb and my time reflects the effort, with two miles of 7'27 and 7'32. After this, and although the runners were more strung out, there was a sharp interchange of word just behind me and I put my hand up to apologise ... had I unintentionally blocked someone? As I looked round there was the pale blue vest of the Cambridge Harrier's and the runner in question started to chat to me and we ran together and chatted for the next six miles. I guess I was aware that I had picked up the pace but as we were talking and sharing comments about past races I was not thinking too hard about my times. We went through half way and he asked about our time. At this point I pressed the lap button twice on my watch but I could see we were a fraction under the 37 minutes for half way. I was thinking that a 75 minute time was possible but would require a negative split.

We reached the section I so disliked in the summer and running with the CH I was running quicker and, strangley enough, in a more focussed and positive way ... we were slowly picking off other runners and and my splits for the last three miles were 7'03; 6'59 and 7'08. In total I had run the last 5 miles only a few seconds outside my 5 mile PB!!!!

My finish time was 1 hour 12 minutes and 30 seconds this is 9 seconds slower than my 10 mile PB set 2 years previously at the Sidcup 10 (race without much undulation). Also considering that I had for at least the first few miles of the race yesterday deliberately paced myself to achieve a 75 minute time and had, therefore, run a huge negative split.

Thoughts turn now to what next. Immediately there are ideas about going to race in Sidcup in early February and seeing if I can lower the 10 mile PB. Also I need to focus on recovery and that should include a recovery run later today. I cannot go to Club night on Tuesday due to a work commitment but I will need to run or do some exercise. I am not too worried at this stage of the build up to Paris that I am not following a plan. I will need to build mileage up during February and March but right now I am focussed on enjoying the running.