Great Run Birmingham 10k 2016
May 1st 2016
10k race
My first 10k. Preceded by some solid lunchtime training on the canals and a lot of food on Saturday...
This race roughly followed the half marathon route, just cutting off the out-and-back extension to Bournville. This meant that it was largely familiar to me and I had had previous experience of The Hill at the end. What I was not expecting was to run indoors under the cricket ground at Edgbaston! I thought this was a nice quirk until I came out and realised that my GPS watch had lost signal and "autopaused" meaning for the remaining 3.5 miles of the race I wasn't entirely sure of my pace...
Pace-wise I'd gone into the race with a secret but very optimistic aim of going sub-50. Never having
posted a sub 53 time, I knew this would be a challenge - but being just a training run I thought I'd give it a go. The Hill was from miles 4 to 5, so in order to keep an 8:03 pace average I knew I'd have to 'bank' some time. The downhill at the start gave me a good headstart but then Pershore road (a slight up hill) was into a headwind making this difficult. Thankfully the return lap had a strong tailwind so enabled us to make up time and keep the target sub-50 achievable.
Then came the hill. I knew this turned various corners and got steeper as it did, but nevertheless got stuck in and plodded on up. At 5 miles I sensed the goal was still within reach, so really pushed on, working to recover my breath actively along the Hagley Road and then through the final kilometre on Broad Street.
Crossing the line I knew I'd done it so I was suitably pleased, and surprised how many I'd overtaken in the last couple of miles. The final results put me 75th which I am ecstatic with - I may have found my optimum running distance...
Times
Total time: 00:49:04
Standings
Female 20-34 43 / 1305 3%
Female 75 / 2903 3%
Overall 825 /6244 13%
10k race
My first 10k. Preceded by some solid lunchtime training on the canals and a lot of food on Saturday...
This race roughly followed the half marathon route, just cutting off the out-and-back extension to Bournville. This meant that it was largely familiar to me and I had had previous experience of The Hill at the end. What I was not expecting was to run indoors under the cricket ground at Edgbaston! I thought this was a nice quirk until I came out and realised that my GPS watch had lost signal and "autopaused" meaning for the remaining 3.5 miles of the race I wasn't entirely sure of my pace...
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| Magda, myself and Sarah |
posted a sub 53 time, I knew this would be a challenge - but being just a training run I thought I'd give it a go. The Hill was from miles 4 to 5, so in order to keep an 8:03 pace average I knew I'd have to 'bank' some time. The downhill at the start gave me a good headstart but then Pershore road (a slight up hill) was into a headwind making this difficult. Thankfully the return lap had a strong tailwind so enabled us to make up time and keep the target sub-50 achievable.
Then came the hill. I knew this turned various corners and got steeper as it did, but nevertheless got stuck in and plodded on up. At 5 miles I sensed the goal was still within reach, so really pushed on, working to recover my breath actively along the Hagley Road and then through the final kilometre on Broad Street.
Crossing the line I knew I'd done it so I was suitably pleased, and surprised how many I'd overtaken in the last couple of miles. The final results put me 75th which I am ecstatic with - I may have found my optimum running distance...
Times
Total time: 00:49:04
Standings
Female 20-34 43 / 1305 3%
Female 75 / 2903 3%
Overall 825 /6244 13%
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