Run Preston 10k

Arrived at the venue at 9:30 am. Race scheduled to start at 10am. I did my usual warming up, just about half a mile easy wuth some strides thrown in, and then was good to go.

This was a GP race and so was a huge crowd. Officials on Tannoys got out attention, some XXX runners in all, stating that there wer 3 Race Pens. One for the sub 37ers, one for the sub 42ers, and then the rest.

I was not beating around the bush and jumped in the sub 37ers pen. I was at the front at the starting lineup with some elite athletes, I didnt want to get 'caught up in traffic' so I figured this was a good decision. Also what with the initial euphoria at the start of any race, 37 pace would be a result for the first X metres, so I was ok.

One note is that I forgot my garmin, luckily my friend lent me his, as he was not going for a sub 40, but I was. I find it helps me know where I am.

OK, the mayor was introduced as the official starter and on the sound of a gun we shot off. I wanted to cover my first mile in around 6min/mile pace. After about 200m I glanced at my watch to track my pace. It read: 6:40 pace. I was gutted and thought that it was going to be a struggle to go sub 40 today.

(Liitle did I now until talking to my friend who lent me the watch after the race, that it takes time to register the pace. ) This was indeed evident as I covered the first mile in 5:43, and this was me consciously holding back as I didnt want to 'blow up' early.

I was especially happy with this first mile as it covered some hills too, and they were at least out of the way, and I still felt comfortable. Mile 2 involved some park paths and a nice steep descent. My arms windmilled to keep my balance and I still felt good and covered it in 6:12.

The early fast pace showed as mile 3 and 4 were covered in 6:23 and 6:38. My average pace on my garmin still showed about 6:15 so I knew that if I could hold it together I would go sub 40.

I met with a fellow club runner in mile 5 and we pulled eachother along and it was covered in 6:23. My breathing at this stage was becoming quite laboured, but I kept thinking, as long as I can still breathe I ought to be able to sustain the pace!

Mile 6 was a toughy,I covered it in 6:31. Towards the end of it we had to 'climb' the same hill I flew down in mile 2. This was very tough. Back on the road now, out of the park, and my garmin clocked that I covered the last 0.4 miles in 5:01 PACE. My brother who had finsihed some 4minutes before me was cheering for me as I entered the final 400m. I felt like I had nothing left to give but his cries of encouragement pulled me through in speedily fashion. As it was a GP race there was a massive crowd watching and all the cheering helped me through. I could see the official timer over the finish line ticking away, with about 200m left it read 39:23 - I absolutely blasted down the straight and crossed in an offical time of 39:50, placing 42nd out of 622!!!!!

I am racing again next Sun, Asics Liverpook 10k, going to push for a faster time, though I will be pleased just to go sub 40 again, never gonna look back again! Comments please.