Dysart Dash 10k
Wow - cut that one a bit fine to get there - but all pumped up on inhalers, anti-histamine tablets, and nasal sprays. And still I had this icky catarrh stuff that seems to have been haunting me the past few weks. Sure doesn't help breathing!
Anyway, I got there, strapped on the Garmin, and headed off to the start. I met up with Green Eyes, WOmble, and Zilla at the start, and slotted in with Greenie a bit too near the front! The hooter went, and we were off, and I clicked the Start button on the Garmin, only to find I had stopped it! At the time I just thought I must have pressed twice, and started it then stopped it, so I simply pressed the Start button again. Now restarted, I carried on at a pace that immediately felt too fast, so I slowed, but only a bit, as although my brain knew it was fast, my heart actually seemed okay with it.
I was chugging along nicely, but then way before I expected, the blep went telling me that we'd hit the first mile. I've done the race several times before, and knew damn well that we still had nearly half a mile to go! I glanced at my watch - 17:30 for the first mile! What?? It was then I realised that I'd started the watch way before the start by accident. Argh! I now didn't have much of a guide as to how fast we were going, so I had to trust to instinct, made a note of where the Garmin was taking as the start of a mile, and kept going, chasing Greenie so that I could ask her for the mile split.
Sad to say I never quite caught her, even though she was only five yards ahead for the next couple of miles. We came off the road, and onto the train, with the mile marker, and I had no idea of the split (except that it was fast) but I still couldn't catch her. The pace felt okay so I left it at that, and carried on down the riverside path. Mile 1.6 came, and the watch beeped again, showing a lap time of 7:30. Hmm - bit fast, considering I'd been running that since the start, and probably faster for the first bit. I was breathing a bit heavier now, and felt that I was slowing as we came to the two mile marker, but I pressed on, knowing that I was gaining ground on that sub 50 for every minute I could stay below 8 min/mile pace. Mile 2.6 came, and the Garmin showed 8:02 for that mile, so not bad. I carried on pushing, feeling exhausted by now, and getting really thirsty. I struggled on to the 3 mile marker and then took a drink, and then pushed on to the halfway point, where I was still some 30 second inside sub 50 pace. Maybe this could be done!
The quick stop for a drink had helped, but had cost me time. I found myself overtaking a few people who'd passed me, but it was good to be coming up towards the drink station, as I was quickly thirsty again, and my heart rate was hitting 180! A cheer from Sezz and Guy W (thanks peeps) and I grabbed two cups of water - one to go over me to cool me down and one to drink. I walked through this area, which again cost me vital seconds. Even so, the next lap on the Garmin was only a few seconds over 8 minute miling, so I was still in with a good chance.
Mile four wasn;t far away, and at this point I was still just inside my target time, but I really slowed over the next mile. I took a drink at mile five, and was passed by WOmble shortly afterwards. I really was feeling the heat and struggling to breathe, but decided to press on as I figured I might stilll beat my time at Epsom, albeit not by much. Another drink at the three mile marker (it's a two and a bit lap course) and I set off determined to get to the finish without another drink. I was gradually gaining on that Womble, but had abandoned all hope of a sub 50, as mile five had cost me badly.
I could see the drinks tables just before the end of the lap approaching, and was sorely tempted to have another one, but knew it might cost me sub 51, so pressed on through. The course turns onto a grassy bit, and I could see Womble ahead! It was nothing personal, but she provided an ideal target to chase to motivate me to a sprint finish, so I went for it, and overtook her a few yards short of the line.
I wheezed like a fish out of water in the finish funnel - I'd definitely got breathing problems. I really must get that sorted out, as that (and the heat) cost me sub 50, and quite possibly a fair bit quicker. It's good to know that I can still run at 7:30 min/mile for a decent chunk of time! STill - a PB (for this year) is a PB anyway. Congrats to WOmble too on a lifetime PB :oD
Anyway, I got there, strapped on the Garmin, and headed off to the start. I met up with Green Eyes, WOmble, and Zilla at the start, and slotted in with Greenie a bit too near the front! The hooter went, and we were off, and I clicked the Start button on the Garmin, only to find I had stopped it! At the time I just thought I must have pressed twice, and started it then stopped it, so I simply pressed the Start button again. Now restarted, I carried on at a pace that immediately felt too fast, so I slowed, but only a bit, as although my brain knew it was fast, my heart actually seemed okay with it.
I was chugging along nicely, but then way before I expected, the blep went telling me that we'd hit the first mile. I've done the race several times before, and knew damn well that we still had nearly half a mile to go! I glanced at my watch - 17:30 for the first mile! What?? It was then I realised that I'd started the watch way before the start by accident. Argh! I now didn't have much of a guide as to how fast we were going, so I had to trust to instinct, made a note of where the Garmin was taking as the start of a mile, and kept going, chasing Greenie so that I could ask her for the mile split.
Sad to say I never quite caught her, even though she was only five yards ahead for the next couple of miles. We came off the road, and onto the train, with the mile marker, and I had no idea of the split (except that it was fast) but I still couldn't catch her. The pace felt okay so I left it at that, and carried on down the riverside path. Mile 1.6 came, and the watch beeped again, showing a lap time of 7:30. Hmm - bit fast, considering I'd been running that since the start, and probably faster for the first bit. I was breathing a bit heavier now, and felt that I was slowing as we came to the two mile marker, but I pressed on, knowing that I was gaining ground on that sub 50 for every minute I could stay below 8 min/mile pace. Mile 2.6 came, and the Garmin showed 8:02 for that mile, so not bad. I carried on pushing, feeling exhausted by now, and getting really thirsty. I struggled on to the 3 mile marker and then took a drink, and then pushed on to the halfway point, where I was still some 30 second inside sub 50 pace. Maybe this could be done!
The quick stop for a drink had helped, but had cost me time. I found myself overtaking a few people who'd passed me, but it was good to be coming up towards the drink station, as I was quickly thirsty again, and my heart rate was hitting 180! A cheer from Sezz and Guy W (thanks peeps) and I grabbed two cups of water - one to go over me to cool me down and one to drink. I walked through this area, which again cost me vital seconds. Even so, the next lap on the Garmin was only a few seconds over 8 minute miling, so I was still in with a good chance.
Mile four wasn;t far away, and at this point I was still just inside my target time, but I really slowed over the next mile. I took a drink at mile five, and was passed by WOmble shortly afterwards. I really was feeling the heat and struggling to breathe, but decided to press on as I figured I might stilll beat my time at Epsom, albeit not by much. Another drink at the three mile marker (it's a two and a bit lap course) and I set off determined to get to the finish without another drink. I was gradually gaining on that Womble, but had abandoned all hope of a sub 50, as mile five had cost me badly.
I could see the drinks tables just before the end of the lap approaching, and was sorely tempted to have another one, but knew it might cost me sub 51, so pressed on through. The course turns onto a grassy bit, and I could see Womble ahead! It was nothing personal, but she provided an ideal target to chase to motivate me to a sprint finish, so I went for it, and overtook her a few yards short of the line.
I wheezed like a fish out of water in the finish funnel - I'd definitely got breathing problems. I really must get that sorted out, as that (and the heat) cost me sub 50, and quite possibly a fair bit quicker. It's good to know that I can still run at 7:30 min/mile for a decent chunk of time! STill - a PB (for this year) is a PB anyway. Congrats to WOmble too on a lifetime PB :oD
posted by XFR Bear @ 6:58 am
5 Comments:
Well Done Bear!!
Sounds like a hot one but you did good!
Mwah!
A pb is indeed a pb
(hope you are on steroid inhalers too)
got the brown and the blue one :oD
Damn that weather - if it had been like today - light drizzle and cool, I'd have smashed 50!
If I'd known a tad earlier you wanted to sprint for the line I could have made you really work ;o))
I was working hard enough as it was!
So why weren't you pushing more if you had something left?
The element of surprise :oD
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