Portsmouth RNLI 10K
Training up for this race I have had only one thing in mind,
sub 40 minute 10k !! Nothing else, just that. I have been training hard and
running fast lately and it has seemed like I have always had that little bit
more to give. I have been upping my interval sessions, and upped my weights on
squat tracks and core exercises to try and get every last bit of me working to
achieve that magical sub 40 goal. I even stopped drinking for that week !!
The Portsmouth RNLI is a perfect opportunity to smash any
targets, it’s flat and fast and works on a there and back route along the sea
front. I run here a lot and ran with my friend Warren on this exact same route in
the weeks leading up to the race. Warren is a fast runner and an awesome
sprinter, he is stepping up to longer distances but has explosive pace and
stamina, between us we have ran a 42.17 and a 43 minute 10k on the two training
runs before the race, and we both knew we had more in the tank to really have a
bloody good go at hitting the target.
Training at night means it is nice and cool, the wind
hitting you off the front can be awful but it has been fine and unusually warm
for September and October. I am actually approaching the race with a huge
amount of bravado and vigour, there is no doubt I will do this.
The race is one of many organised by Rob Piggott’s believe
and achieve series, and todays 10k will be run alongside the Pieces of Eight
Pirate Run. I haven’t fancied the Pirate one as yet, 8 miles just seems like a
strange distance, falling in the void between 10k and 10 mile category, however
the medal was very good so maybe I will do it next year? (not that I am a bling
chaser you understand .. ok maybe a little bit).
Rob organises events in aid of the R.N.L.I and they are
always excellently executed and a pleasure to run, cycle, kayak in. This event
is no different, plenty of parking, good pre-race food and drink available,
massage service, baggage store, wide start, chipped time, pleasant marshals,
good spectator views and somehow he even made the weather shine for us as well
! The only downside being that my nervous pre-race bladder had to stay put due
to the never ending queue for the limited portaloo facilities.
So its race day, Michelle drives us down the short distance
from Gary’s house to the Start, picking up Luc along the way. Michelle is
getting married in a week’s time and I am impressed with her race prioritisation
attitude rather than attending to the trivial matter of last minute wedding preparations
ha ha.
Dropping the bags off we pin our numbers on and warm up, I
am testing out new fasteners for my numbers called Event Clips, they seem to be
doing an awesome job at the moment, no more annoying number flapping or pin tearing.
The plan is to get fairly near the front, we should be racing in the top 30 or
so runners and we don’t want to be treading on toes or avoiding people, then a fast
first mile where Luc, Warren and I should stick together, and then all run our
own race after this. Huddled together at the start line and satellites aligned we
are ready to go.. .. Countdown to 1 and we are off.
Getting in to my stride I see Warren pulling away ahead of
me, I don’t want to get tempted to keep with him as I know he starts very fast
in all of our training runs, although I don’t want him to disappear out of site
either. The pace is very fast and I look down to check the first ¼ of a mile,
when I look up again Luc has pulled alongside me and is gunning down the road,
we run side by side for ¾ of a mile before Luc tails off slightly, the first
mile clocked in at 6 minutes so everything is bang on track.
I absolutely love this route, the first mile is always over
quickly and then you are next to the beach and sea, there is no headwind today
either and the conditions are perfect. I cut the race down, as usual, into segments and that’s the first bit done (Eastney
toilets, not glamorous I know but it’s the first mile marker), next segment is
the Coffee Cup Stand but the next goal is to catch up with Warren who is
gradually getting further away. Passing the fantastic smell of coffee and
pastries I put in a little spurt and pull alongside Warren, we can’t really
talk at this point, the first two miles have been fast and tough, I point out
that the next marker is close (South Parade Pier) and then we are very nearly
half way. We run hard together now, pass the pier, pass the pyramids, up a
small incline, round the corner and that’s it half way, I check my watch and it
tells me I am bang on target, 19 minutes 22 seconds for the first 5k.
Isn’t it funny when things are short lived, funny as
peculiar rather than amusing, like the months leading up to a holiday seem to
drag then the holiday itself is over in a second, or that interview you are
dreading that turns out to be fun, or when you eat yoghurt with a big spoon, or
in this case the elation of being bang on target for an amazing time when
suddenly a stitch the size of a small South American Village punches you
squarely in the face.
Running down through Castlefields and the stitch has me
caught in her vice like grip, I had pulled away from my running buddy and now I
actually had to stop because it hurt that bad, I look down at my watch and see
the seconds slipping away along with my hope of securing that sub 40. Anger and
emotion erupted, and I apologise to any of my fellow runners who may have got a
pissed off grunt noise when they asked me if I was ok (I was the skinny guy,
standing still, holding his side, next to the steps in Castlefields, Children
with Cancer UK running vest on, looking about as happy as a poor church mouse, that’s
just had an enormous tax bill on the very day his wife ran off with another
mouse, taking all the cheese). Warren runs on and I hobblejog after him.
There isn’t much you can do with a stitch, I like to try and
ignore it and count up to twenty then back down again, this is a trick that
takes your mind off of things, it works in longer runs when the pace is slower,
however in this race I am still trying to run as fast as I can so it doesn’t work
so well with trying to breathe at the same time. I am running on a camber like
a listing ship, I am not really making a great deal of progress, its more of an
ungainly staccato’d fast shuffle. At this point I need some encouragement, just
something to get my head out of my derriere, someone to fill me with
confidence, someone like Touchline Tony Male to boom out praise and re-assurance,
his dulcet tones that we have heard so many times in half time announcements
ring through my ears like golden notes of pure inspiration. Cheers Tony that
was what I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself, catch up with Warren and
make sure he gets a PB.
Getting my jog back on again I chase the man down, smack his
ass and tell him we are out to get his PB, he was saying that he was flagging
but I told him not to talk and put everything into the run, my goal is now not
an option but getting his PB is now paramount. Passing our markers we pick up
the pace, Eastney toilets marks the final mile and we push on hard for the
finish line, I run ahead telling Warren if he keeps up with me he will do it,
shouting orders all the time (bossy huh!!) ‘do not let me beat you, do not let
me out sprint you’ we round the corner and can see the finish line, I hear
Justine telling me to bloody well sprint, so we do, we are on our toes, I keep
up for all of 20 yards or so before the big man hits his stride and crosses the
line in 41.36, I follow on in 41.43…… 41.43 ….. 41.43 !!!!!!
I will explain the reasoning for the repeated time mentions
and explanation marks in a bit, for now back to the race, presented with our superb
medals (good job Mr Piggott) and goodie bags I make tracks back to cheer on the
others over the line, Luc is next and nicks my trademark heel click, then
Colin, Gary, then Michelle. I wait to cheer on Gary (Shirley) who was taking part
in the Pieces of Eight run too. Everyone has hit great times and PB’s for
Warren and Luc, Gary even had a sprint finish !!
So, 41.43 and it significance, I was so caught up with not hitting
a sub 40 minute 10k, that I totally forgot that I had a PB over this distance
of 41.35, just one second faster than Warren’s finishing time. I could have annihilated
my PB if I had realised earlier that it was still on, I just didn’t think, I
was too wrapped up in feeling gutted that I wasn’t going to hit my target. I
would like to say I shrugged it off, but it still annoys me now as I am writing
this a week later, the only comfort is that I know I can smash my PB next time.
So all in all a real mix of a race, it had great parts, crap parts, fun parts, but it comes fully recommended for anyone thinking of doing it in the future. So what’s next I hear you all scream, well I now have two weeks to train for the Beachy Head Marathon, two weeks should be enough right ?? I have a feeling the next blog might be eventful.
