Serpentine New year's Day 10k

Discipline: Running
Distance: 10k
Time: 52:59 (watch time)

I decided to start 2006 with a race. And of course a social, as with a whole load of forumites there, there was bound to be a party afterwards! It was rather odd setting out to a race, as I hadn't done one all through 2005, and I nearly forgot to collect my safety pins! I pootled up to London on my scooter (roads were gawjusly clear, even at 9:30 and beyond), wish they were like that for my ride into work! I found somewhere to park in a nearby side street, hoped I didn't forget where it was, and headed towards Hyde Park, where I quickly met up with Johnny J and Mava, and soon afterwards Pinkie and co in the cafe.

I hadn't run 10k for over a month, but my recent four milers had gone well, and I optimistically said that I might sneak uner 50 minutes if I ran well. The start gun went, and we were off! I'd positioned myself slightly too far back, and spent the first few hundred metres weaving in and out of people. The paths were a bit narrow at this stage, but the grass verges were nice and even.

I reached the 1km mark in 5:06, which was disappointing, but I tried to reassure myself that it had been a bit uphill and I'd had to weave a fair bit. I reached the 2km marker in 10:09, and decided that I was unlikely to get under fifty minutes. The race had setled by now without much overtaking, except of me on the rather sharp incline between two and three kilometres - maybe my hip flexors not working too well? My knee was nagging slightly, but it had done that before, so no worries. I rounded the bend just before 3k and saw Mava and Pinkie cheering, which was great.

I grabbed a cup of water at the drinks station, walked while I downed it, and then set off and quickly overtook the runners who'd passed me at the drinks station. The second lap was similar to the first, but just after the 5km marked I got lapped by the eventual winner, who finished in just over 31 minutes. The wind down the back straight of the park was quite strong and in our faces, so this wasn't a bad time. I got lapped by four more runners, but they were few and far between, and I'm not sure I would have done much better if I'd run a 45 minute time in terms iof how many passed me - the whippets are just so fast!

The end of the lap - more cheers from the supporters, another drink, and this time a stretch as the right quad was pulling a bit. I set off again, in pursuit of Everton mint hatted woman, who I'd been trading places with all the way so far. I overtook, and thought I'd put her well behind me, but she passed me again on the sharp uphill with about 1km to go. I tried to get back, but everyone was increasing speed towards the end, and even a strong sprint, which I wasn't sure I had in me anyway, wouldn't have caught her. I finished slightly out of breath but not too much so, with a slightly pulling right quad, but overall very happy to have finished, and particularly to have squeezed inside 53 minutes - not my original target, but one that at one point had looked decidedly iffy! An excellent start to the year, well organised and marshalled.

Then it was back to cheer in the other finishers, and head over to the pub for lunch and a complete lack of alcohol on my behalf. Wonder how long that resolution will last!!