Race Date: 6.7.2011
Official Finishing Time: 37:58 gun time
Official Overall Position: 12/167 (finishers), which puts me in the fastest 7.19%
Race number: 49

An overdue race report from this race that I did during my brief visit to the UK earlier in July. I was keen to do this race as I did it a year ago as well (race report here), and I knew it to be a flat, fast course. However, the preparation for the race was far from ideal, as I was in Scotland the previous weekend for some hiking and fell running (details to follow). My quads were still sore on race day, and I was certainly not in proper racing shape. Still, it was nice to do a race in the UK, and I had no real pressure since I accomplished my season’s target for 10k, sub 38min, already in April back in NYC. I thought I’d have a go at sub 38min again though, and just about managed it, so I’m happy enough with the result. This was also almost 3min faster than a year ago, so there has certainly been some progress! The fight started already about 5k in, but I managed ok splits throughout and even a sprint finish of sorts. Extra motivation was provided by chasing a Quakers RC guy whom I recognized from last year — I lost by 1:23min to him a year ago, but this time I was just 12sec behind, with no one between us. I improved my position from 26th last year to 12th this year. It was also a pleasure to see a running acquaintance, Stuart, and his family (thanks to Stuart for the photo! I’m about the 10th guy in black gear and sunglasses).

Darlington Pitstop 10k

Splits:
1k 3:32
2k 3:44
3k 3:42
4k 3:39
5k 3:48 (5k in 18:25)
6k 3:46
7k 3:48
8k 3:51
9k 3:46
10k 3:41
Total: 10.22k in 37:59

My 5k split was pretty good, and I would’ve been en route to a PB had I been able to maintain the pace, but it was no surprise that my legs couldn’t take that speed for the full distance after a weekend of hiking and fell running. Still, I beat my 5k PB (18:46) once again! Average heart rate was 174bpm.

Garmin data here.
Official results here (pdf).

Race Date: 7.5.2011
Official Finishing Time: 38:49.66 chip time, 38:54.47 gun time
Official Overall Position: 56/1108 (finishers), which puts me in the fastest 5.05%
Race number: 942

Newport 10k

Well, this one didn’t go quite according to plan. I blame it on my recent work stress and lack of speed work. I wasn’t very confident on the day either. The weather was nice and sunny, maybe even too hot. It was easy to get to New Jersey via the PATH train from NYC, and the race was just next to the Newport stop. The course is mostly flat and certainly faster than the Central Park loop where I recorded my 10k PB in the Scotland Run. There were some twists and turns as well as rough bits though.

I was hoping to improve my PB of 37:41, or even sneak under 37min if I felt good, but I never really got into the race. My target pace was 3:40min/km, but I hardly even hit it on the first half of the race and I was really out of it after 5k (which I did in a respectable time, given my current 5k PB of 18:46). I wasn’t the only one to suffer after the half way mark though, because I kept overtaking people even though I was slowing down considerably.

Here are the splits:
1k 3:44
2k 3:40
3k 3:47
4k 3:41
5k 3:46 (5k in 18:38)
6k 3:52
7k 3:54
8k 3:54
9k 3:52
10k 4:12
Total: 10.17k in 38:50

Don’t ask me what happened on the last lap, I could’ve sworn that I ran faster than that! I did manage a sprint finish of sorts on the last 0.17k, but it looks like I was really struggling towards the end. Probably it had something to do with the fact that I knew it wouldn’t be a PB, or even anywhere close to sub 38min, so I gave up. Shouldn’t do that though, a race is still a race! Well, I’m not too disappointed, since sub 38min was my season’s target for 10k and I’ve already accomplished that.

Average heart rate was 174 bpm, average cadence 88 spm.

Not sure when my next race will be, as I haven’t booked anything before the Helsinki City Marathon in August, but there will probably be some smaller races in June/July. I’d like to do a half marathon before HCM anyway.

Official results here.
Garmin data here.

Race Date: 10.4.2011
Official Finishing Time: 37:41 chip time (PB)
Official Overall Position: 171/8491 (finishers), which puts me in the fastest 2.01%
Race number: 802

Due to a busy week and a badly slept night behind, I wasn’t expecting too much from this race. It was just a week after the 13.1 New York half marathon as well, and the up & down course in Central Park is not the fastest, but I was hoping to get a sub 39min. After all, I ran a 39:01 10k in training not long ago. Needless to say, it went rather better than expected! The weather was fine: overcast, maybe about 8 degrees Celsius. I decided to run just in my Ronhill shorts and a singlet. I was a little bit chilly when waiting to start, but got warm pretty quickly!

Scotland Run Start (not my shot)

At the 5k mark I was surprised to discover that I was on my way to a sub 38min, and I also recorded a new 5k PB on the way (previously 18:46), although I don’t consider it official. In fact I did this on both halves of the race, at least if my Garmin is to be trusted (it reported the course as 10.17km). It got tough after that and I didn’t have much in me for a finishing sprint, but I battled through and made sure of the sub 38min, which was also my season’s target for the 10k. This takes all the pressure off my next planned race, the Newport 10k on May 7th. Hopefully I can shave off at least a few seconds off this time in May and maybe get a sub 37:30 — the course should be nice and flat anyway.

The organisation of the Scotland Run was good, it’s a NYRR race and they have massive experience in putting together huge races. I had no organisational problems whatsoever. My estimated pace put me in the first starting pen (numbers 0-999). I started towards the back of that starting pen, but with hindsight I could’ve pushed a little further since I did finish in the top 200. The first 500m were especially crowded, but I managed to get almost within my target pace, 3:50min/km. The first two laps were the slowest, but I didn’t hold back after that. The fastest lap had a long downhill bit in it and in general it was difficult to judge the pace given the ups and downs. Basically I just ran as fast as I felt possible, and I was quite surprised to be able to keep up the pace on the second half (which is a little less hilly and hence faster). My average heart rate was 173 bpm, which is some 4 bpm lower than in my previous 10k races.

This is what a hardcore finishing sprint looks like!

Here are the splits:
1k 3:51
2k 3:54
3k 3:38
4k 3:44
5k 3:28 (5k in 18:35)
6k 3:49
7k 3:44
8k 3:37
9k 3:42
10k 3:38 (10k in 37:05)
Total: 10.17k in 37:47 (I was late in stopping the Garmin)

All in all a good race, and the post-race stuff was enjoyable too, including free Irn Bru! Two guys who finished on my heels came to shake my hand after the race, thanking me for pacing them to new PBs. I did notice them during the race and I was wondering when they would overtake me, but it seems that they were just trying to keep up with me. Having a few people on my heels did give some extra motivation as well, and I managed to keep my position on the last few hundred metres.

I just love the race adrenaline, can’t wait to get racing again!

Official results here.
Garmin data here.