Where to start - struggled big time, and at my absolute limits. Hard to take in at the time too.
Aim was sub 40 which thought was doable & heard this was fast but found out later a "few" hills. Pal Mitch from Penny Lane club came too, try pacing each other. Arrived an hr early but only 12 toilets & no urinals for 1000+ men? Almost didn't have time for a warm up. Cold, wet, rain coming down in a drizzle and a strong wind across us, tough conditions. Managed to find my pal near the start line but no tactics agreed.
Other 10ks or league races I've got to steady pace early on (for 10k sub 4min km - 3:55-57 for safety) but 2 ups in km 1-2 was impossible here. First split 4:07 so already off pace, needed to go faster? With pal, we ran together for next km or so, next marker came up another 13 seconds off. Mentally thought I'd blown it already.. 20 seconds off so soon? Only thing I could do was try make up time, push harder, left pal about 3km. More hills and splits came up - even more time lost.
Frustration set in - by 7km, only one km under 4 mins and already 30-35 seconds off target even when I'd pushed so hard, nearly 5k pace. I'd given up on sub 40, feeling down, maybe sluggish with Xmas, expected to blow up and friend appear on my shoulder. Hung in there somehow.
Around 7km started getting some incline back, found some energy maybe off the few downs, really upped pace. 10-15 seconds pulled back, low 40 min time possible? 8k Another shallow but long hill but carried on same pace even though it was hurting, feeling sick. 9km marker doing manual lap, glanced at time, 36m 15-20s? Very slim chance with 1km to go, but needed to give everything. Down a hill some extra speed, then with a 400 metre to go sign visible another sneaky incline. Agony. Sprint!
Through line, Stopped watch, 39:57. Couldn't believe it. I had gone under 40 minutes on and on a course like this. Last km found was close to mile PB pace and beyond painful - nearly puked on the line. Felt I'd had an awful race, course and conditions wore you down, so testing - but end result great finish to the year to get last of my long term targets 5k to marathon way ahead of schedule. This was the hardest of them by a mile though... a great learning experience though ultimately how to run a different type of race.
Split Time Dist Elev+ Elev- Avg Pace
1 04:07 0.62 62 46 06:36
2 04:13 0.62 59 7 06:49
3 04:04 0.63 39 36 06:27
4 04:08 0.63 49 26 06:35
5 03:49 0.61 16 52 06:15
6 04:09 0.64 33 43 06:29
7 04:05 0.62 49 23 06:36
8 03:52 0.63 0 62 06:07
9 03:44 0.59 30 46 06:20
10 03:47 0.65 62 69 05:51
Summary 39:57 6.24 400 410 06:23
