Race Report - Mad Dog 10K

It was a murky, grey Sunday morning that greeted us at the start of the Mad Dog 10k in Southport. Luckily the ice had gone and the temperatures were vaguely pleasant, although I have to admit to wearing a Skinz layer under my running vest.

I found myself near the front at the start, surrounded my athletic-looking people looking like they were gunning for fast times. Usually, I develop a comprehensive race plan before events, planning it out almost step by step, but not this time.  My head was remarkably clear, serene almost. It may have been the David Gray playing on the speaker system, but rarely have I felt so calm on the start line.

This being the Mad Dog 10K, the race was started with a Howl. Garmin's were beeped and off we went a the usual blistering pace one finds at hte start of a race. I looked down at my watch, 6:00/mile pace, hmmm that's not going to last. After about 800m I settled down into some sort of pace, 6:30s seemed to be coming relatively easily so I kept it there. Ordinarily, I'd be panicking that this was too fast and I should be doing 7:00. However, after the last blog post I decided to take the bull by the horns and go with what felt comfortable.

The Ks soon started ticking off. The course is a big, flat loop on the seafront, circling the Marine Lake and the site of the old Pleasureland funfair (Now sadly gone, many a happy Saturday was spent there as a child). Nothing too much of note seemed to be happening, a couple of runners past me but they generally settled about 30m in front and didn't power off.Feeling good.

At the halfway point, the course turns you round and starts heading back. I looked down at my Garmin at 5Km, and there was the time 20:21. *Fuck, I've PB'd 5K* I thought to myself. I'll come clean, I panicked slightly. The water stand loomed into view, I thought about taking a drink but decided against it and I just...stopped. 

It came out of the blue, my brain just told my body "nice little stop is what you need right now, it wont hurt", and suddenly I was walking. Luckily a guy behind me (a personal trainer) shouted "Don't stop, Get moving!" This was just what I needed as I got moving again, annoyed with myself. I trailed this guy for about a kilometre, building enough momentum to pass him and keep going. At 8km that feeling started again and I started slowing down. "Don't you dare" I heard behind me. It was the shot in the arm, but I was beginning to think things were falling apart. I've done a marathon for god's sake, and here I am stopping in a 10k! The last 2k were torture, but mentally not physically. My legs were saying "we're fine, carry on", by head was saying "WILL THIS NEVER END!" This was different for me. Normally, its the other way round. 

Thankfully, someone came alongside me from Royton Road Runners. Barely a word was spoken between us but he guided me in to the finish. He kept me calm and at a constant pace. I had been hoping to break 43 minutes, but now this was in tatters. I came round the final bend, intent on going for the line with everything I had. 

And then it was over. I doubled over, grabbing air back in my lungs, thinking I'm never doing that again. and then I looked at my watch.

41:33

I did a double take. Had the watch stopped on the way round? Then I saw the distance logged as 6.25 miles.

Given that my previous 10k PB was 46:31 (set in 2009), it came as somewhat of a (wonderful) shock.

Of course, there was a lot to learn from the day, I wouldn't have had the same race hadn't I been helped round by other runners (something I love about running). However, going out of my comfort zone had worked and it can only get better from here.