In an effort to build some tenacity into my racing, I've resolved to race more often.IThe reasoning being that the more start lines I can tow, the less of an unusual experience it will be. Start lines are very unusual places. The hours and weeks of training tend to lay very heavy on my shoulders as I stare into the middle distance as the gun goes off.
The weather this morning wasn't great and I wore a t-shirt under my club vest (I tend to fid more veteran runner scoff at this - but it was cold and rainy!). Thinking "This wasn't in the brochure!", the race started and we clattered off around the 5Km course. The ParkRun course in Liverpool is held at Princes Park, on the edge of Toxeth. Having raced it a couple of times, I tend to think of it as quite a tough course. If you took a flat oval and raised one end 30 degrees, run round this two and a half times and thats the sort of course you've got. One resonably long downhill and a corresponding uphill.
I set off at a reasonable pace, without my iPod which I really stuggle to justify wearing when racing. I find that I like to hear my breath, something that has changed from when I started. After negociating the first couple of slopes, I hit an effective stride. I was determined to push myself in this race, a sub-20 in my sights. I had heard one of the racers at the start line saying he was looking for 20, so I kept him close and in my sights.
Towards the end of the first lap, the invietiable fatigue started to come, but I pushed through it and seemed in control of my faculties. The slopes seemed a tiny bit harder, but the pentiful support from the marshalls was a big benefit. A lady wo had been running by me had sprint past on the long decend of the first lap, I'd tried to respond but she had some extra bounce in her legs that I couldn't find.
I tucked in behind her and stubbornly sat there. A difference I found in racing todaywas that on the hard bits, mentally I started telling myself "its just as hard for everyone else". I noticed that my fellow runners weren't pulling away unless I did something silly. This was a big confidence boost and something to remember for the future.
It's been a big change in my recent racing, I'm much more aware for my surroundings and other runners. I'm not sure why its changed but I'm aware of how they are affected by conditions and occurrences. Cat-and-mouse sections become just that, mentally I'm able to judge places to hold back and places to kick off. I find it quite fun.
A guy came up along side me, nothing was said, but we carried on round the second lap together.
Then something in my brain kicked in, and I let him go.
I'm going to be completely honest in this blog. I could say that I felt my hamstring go, or I got a stitch, but that would be untrue. I just stopped. My brain decided I'd had enough. Of course I got going again, but that's not the point. This is becoming a worrying habit, and something I really need to work on. How I do that I'm not quite sure, and would be grateful for advice.
I think I need words with my Central Governator.
It feels weird talking about it 'in the third person' but that's how I feel about it - my body seems willing to go on, but my brain says No.
I carried on the final section, at a steady speed and sprinted for the line. No one else was going to pass me.
I crossed the line in 21:10, 3 seconds of my ParkRun PB. Without my wobble, I would have smashed that PB.
Positive though - learning experience, and I was 12th Person home (the guy I ran with was 9th). My split for the first mile were faster than sub-20 pace so maybe a little more measured start is in order.
I know I've got a lot to learn, but with a bit more racing - hopefully I'll be able to judge things better.
Now I've got a Cross- Country to prepare for tomorrow...
No comments:
Post a Comment