Sunday 18th May, Women’s 10km race, 10.01am
6.2 miles, 47.50, Ave 4.45m/km, 7.39 m/m
KM splits: 4.44, 4.53, 5.02, 4.41, 4.44, 4.39, 4.54, 4.56, 4.32, 4.24
KM averages in mile pace: 7.37, 7.52, 8.07, 7.33, 7.37, 7.30, 7.54, 7.58, 7.18, 7.06 and 6.22 pace for the last 235 feet!
I thought I was just going today to enjoy the atmosphere and have a last tempo run before Edinburgh next weekend, especially when my pack had not arrived and I had no number or chip. I thought my legs would be done in from yesterday although they felt okay. Luckily I managed to get my number etc in the morning even though you are not supposed to be able to.
I had only got myself a purple number because I had known I would be running on the WHW yesterday and did not want to be demoralised being passed by people if I had taken a white number. As it was I ended up passing people the entire way and that was with starting at the front of the purples.
My legs felt fine when I started running and up to 2 km I felt fine and thought that actually if I could hang on I would get a pb. Saw 2 pals Alastair and David very near the start and that gave me a boost. From 2-3km I had an awful time with stomach cramps (the kind only females get!) and thought my race was over. I was gutted at this point and really struggled to keep running as I was in so much pain. I lost about 15-20 secs I think. Miraculously at 3km they just disapeared and I was back on again.
I do quite a lot of maths in my head while running and keep a tally of how many secs I have gained from my pb as I run. At this point I was only trying to get under 49 mins as my pb was 49.10mins. I just kept going strong and was amazed at how good my legs felt. The whole way in Troon the other week I was struggling to keep it going and my breathing was laboured to say the least but today I was fine and felt great the whole way.
I was on for about 48.30 at halfway (my garmin was running a bit ahead) and thought that I would be able to keep it going and get that anyway. I saw the Crazyboy family just as I went into Pollock Park which was just where I was expecting to see them and gave me a real boost. I was able to speed up a bit!
I did have to work hard on the hills in the park but they seemed easier than usual and it was from the top of the last hill with about 2.5 km to go that I thought I might get under the 48 mins if I worked hard; so I did!
As I came round onto Mosspark Boulevard I really wasn’t sure if I could do it or not, there seemed too far to go but then I heard shouting from Alastair and David with about 250 metres to go and they were really screaming so that got me going and I managed a sprint finish. I am sure they, and pacepusher who saw me with about 50-100 metres to go and was screaming too, got me to the finish with those 10 secs to spare. Came my closest yet to being sick over the line though!
I am absolutely delighted as I had no idea I could do that time and am looking forward to trying one now when my legs are fresh when I think I might get under 47 mins. Bring on the Edinburgh marathon next Sunday now; I have gone from not wanting to do it to relishing the challenge now!
