Yateley 10k Series 2012 Race 3 | trialog

After some good run training recently, I’ve been looking for a local 10k road race at which to try to break the 40′ barrier. Simon Haynes put me onto the Yateley 10k Road Race Series, and we arranged to meet up for the final one in the series yesterday.

Result: 47th/762, 39:09 (tick!)
Date: Wednesday 1 August 2012
Format: Flattish 10km road run
Race website: http://www.yateley10kseries.info/
Full results: https://www.raceplus.co.uk/raceplus-index.php?content=1&event_id=YRR312

As it turned out, I posted a sub-40 in lunchtime training last week, so that ought to have made me confident, but having decided I mustn’t skip any training sessions, I got to Wednesday with quite a lot of biking, swimming and running in my legs. I had got caught in a thunderstorm and something of a flash flood out on the bike on Sunday, and Tuesday’s ride wasn’t much better. Monday’s first session was a sluggish run. I won free membership of the sports centre a few weeks ago, so have also been along to the Monday night programmed swim session. Very hard work but I’m sure it’s going to help in the long run.

I also did the low-key Thursday night aquathlon at Eastleigh last week, which was friendly and a good training session, though the lad who won had a sub-16 minute PB for 5k as well as a super quick swim so I didn’t see him from the first turn buoy onwards!

I’d never raced in a field this large either, almost 800 on the start line. Luckily Simon was there to shepherd me to an appropriate place in the funnel, as well as having directed me to the best car park (close to the water station on the race map), etc. Thanks, Simon!

The pace off the start was hectic, but it settled after about 1 km and I found I’d judged where in the field to start reasonably well as the few in front were stretching away slowly but nobody was overtaking me. I think one of the kilometre markers must have been slightly out, because apart from those two k’s I seemed to run nicely even paced (3:50-4:00 /km).

I managed 39:09, good enough for 47th/762, a couple of minutes in front of Simon, who has the excuse of marathon training in his legs. Rob Porter loped in a little while later too, so we had a Sony (+alumni) crowd in attendance.

So, sub 40′, tick! And well inside top 10%, I almost feel like a real runner! I enjoyed racing in a field that large too. Definitely a race (series) I’d do again. Simon’s two kids did the fun run around the field with Susie too, so next year it can be a family evening out!