Jeeze I know it’s a tired old cliché… but it really doesn’t get any easier.
The Lasswade 10 mile race yesterday. One that I really “enjoy”.
We got there with loads of time. Picked up the numbers (despite me taking my entry confirmation for LAST years race!!), met up with Brian and went for a wee bit of a warm up.
“Warm” was not a word on many people’s lips yesterday at the start line. “Freezing”, “Bliddy cauld”, and “brass monkeys” were all in use, but I can’t really recall anyone complaining about being too warm!
A few words of wisdom from the starter. The gun went off… so, so did the runners.
Done this race enough to know that there is no point in “holding back” or trying to get “into a rhythm”. The first two and a bit miles are fast – the couple of miles after that are slow and hilly, so just go for it at the beginning and try to get some time in the bank.
The climb out of the “Glen” is tough, there is no getting away from that, but I do think it’s attained almost “legendary” or “mythical status” with some people doing this race that’s unwarranted. It IS tough, but it’s relatively short and over before you know it.
What I find worse is the climb out of Auchendinny, between 4 and 6 miles. Steep enough to be “tough” and it just seems to go on and on..
By the time I got to 6 miles at the farm steaddings I was at 37:06 But I know that the last three miles can be very quick. Still a chance to get under the hour.
Mile 6 – 7 was a hard struggle, but the last three are, as I remembered, quick. Mainly downhill, but not too steep. Just the right gradient to get into a good “groove”.
Coming up to the line it was going to be touch and go, till I got help from an unlikely source… At about 200m to go a spectator shouted to the HBT runner behind me “go on, you can take him…”. Result? Hackles went up and Mr Hay informed said spectator “can he f***”.
A mad sprint to the line ensured I did in fact beat Mr HBT and just scrapped under the hour (59:55).
Happy to get under an hour. However, I feel that I worked harder on that race yesterday than I have ever done on it so was slightly disappointed to be a wee bit slower than last year.
1 comment:
Not going to lie, you are very determined. Good for you, loved the story and I think 10 miles in under an hour is great!
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