Timber!!

Thanks a mil lads, I'll keep an eye out for ye at the start. Yaboya you're some man

39.16 this morning in the lakes 10k, 35th place I think. Happy with that, feels like job done and a pb by about 40 seconds. Will do a report over the next couple of days but will enjoy a few pints later. Absolutely brilliant race, a great credit to Lakeshore striders.

I was really looking forward to this race due to reports from here and had targeted it for a good run almost since London so it was great to finally get it done. Training had gone fairly well over the last 6 or so weeks so I was hopeful of a PB and ultimately a sub 39.30.

I got down in good time and did a quick warmup running into outforarun and Tom Joad before the start, the lads were in good form and before I knew it we were lining up at the start. There was a great atmosphere and the start was smooth and uncongested with the specific starting sections. I always start too far back in races stupidly erring on the side of caution but stepping into the sub 40 section I was across the line and moving within a second of the gun, great stuff. The pace was brisk early on with slight downhill once we got off the bridge so I just went with it, keeping an eye on the breathing. Mile 1 6.11
I found miles 2&3 tough going, maybe because the first mile was a bit quick, the course was mostly flat with little rolling ups and down along the country roads. I wasn't hitting pace along here but was working quite hard so I didn't want to force things before half way, there was a bit of a wind but overall I was feeling sluggish Mile 2&3 6.29, 6.32
Coming through halfway somewhere around 19.58 I knew I needed to get my act together so I upped the effort and really began trying to catch runners ahead of me. I wasn't panicking as I could still see outforarun about 100m up the road but I was starting to properly hurt by the time we hit the hill at the start of mile 5. I knew the hill would be tough and it was, I got myself up it and thankfully I recovered fairly well. Checking the watch I could see overall pace at 6.25 so I was confident of at least getting in under 40, now it was just a question of how much. I really got stuck into the downhill and went all out to the finish. I passed a good few runners over the closing miles and OFR was getting closer and closer, whilst I knew he wouldn't be caught he definitely made for a good target. The last half mile really hurt as they're supposed to but crossing the line the watch read 39.15 so I was delighted, not minding the 1 second robbed by precision timing to give me a chip time of 39.16 Miles 4,5&6 6.17,6.22,6.03 (5.31)
Once I got myself together I had a chat with the lads and a big well done to OFR on a cracking time. Tom Joad had a less than perfect day but I know sub 39 and faster is a mere formality for him over the next couple of weeks.
35th place Chip Time 39.16


Very happy with my own time especially as it's exactly a minute quicker than Fingal back in July on a marginally slower course. Id like to have a crack off sub 39 before the end of the year so if anyone has a recommendation for a fast;) 10k in the Dublin area let me know.
Finally Id like to thank Lakeshore Striders for a brilliant race. The course is fair, challenging and fast and the goody bag as well as the general organisation was brilliant. Its 100% on the calendar for next year.

outforarun wrote: »

Nice report and well done again on a great run. I need to get some finishing tips from you, very strong finish at 5:31 pace for the last quarter of a mile.

Cheers, I think its just run like f*ck once you smell the finish line!! What are you thinking training wise over the next 10 or so days. Will you do a HMP session this week and would you be doing a LR of 2hrs+? Not really sure how to approach things ahead of the half as I don't think a proper long run will be of too much benefit at this stage, but 6-7 miles at HMP would if the legs feel recovered?

outforarun wrote: »

I'm going to take it fairly handy during the two midweeks before the HM. But I'll probably try fit in some HMP miles alright on Saturday morning or lunchtime (I'll let you know when, if you're about we could hook up for these if it suits?), maybe 4-5 miles more so than 6-7. I'm setting HMP at 4:14/4:15 min/km [6:49/6:50 min/mile]. Then on the Sunday I'll probably do a 14 miler at 8:30 to 8:45 pace.

Yeah, you're probably right actually wrt the HMP miles. I think ill try to get those in Thursday evening, legs allowing. Give me a shout when you know what time you hit the road on Sunday morning for the LR and ill join you if I can.