Middlesex & Open 10km

Last weeks 5km had give me a real boost of confidence. Not because it was particually quick or that I ran that well but I felt that I was approaching some kind of form again. Today's 10km had a very strong field with club runners from all over London taking part. It was also the Serpentine RC club championships 10km race and there must have been about 100 member turning out.

Over the last 2 weeks I have been really working on my speed over 300-500 meters at far faster then 5km pace and today it really paid off. As always the race started way to fast, through 1km in 3:20, however I was not overly concerned as by 5km I had over taken a number of the more eager runner and settled into a good steady rhythm.

The only problem with concentrating on speed is that you tend to neglect distance and by 8km I was starting to feel the effects of not running over 16miles in the last 2 months. Coming into the finish with just over 200 meters to go a veteran runner huffed and puffed his way passed my in long kick for the finish. I reacted well and caught up along side with 100 meters to go. I glanced at the clock - 34:55 - in a bid to squeze a few more seconds from my time and create a competitive sprint for the line I mentioned to my fellow competitor "That he was doing well for an old man" at this we both took off for the line, him through anger at this young upstart's cheek and myself at the thought of saying this and then being beaten.

I pipped him to it, before projectile vomiting over the finish line. Before I had time to catch my breath my fellow competitor who was now red in the face demanded my age. Spluttering to explain my tactics he soon saw the funny side of it.

35:05 and a PB by over 20 seconds (I think I have run 34:30 in a half marathon) but another good solid result to build on.

The evening before I had been around at a friends house having dinner when he said to me that although what I am doing is very commendable I could not win with the project. He explained further that if say next year you run a marathon in the 2:20's people will say "Well he had loads of talent" and if I did not break 2:40 then they will say "Well he did not train hard enough".

The documentary will explain why some people are more suited to running faster then others, but that even if you are not well suited to running you can still achive a great deal. I could have taken a half hearted attitude that if I ran a 3:00 hour marathon and then said "That it I'm not going to run any faster because xyz" then the documentary would not work. It will only work on the basis that the effort level is extraordinary, and only then can you say I gave it everything.