7 Pools 10k 2017
March 19th 2017
10km trail running race
Second running race of the year! Unfortunately timed to be coming off the back of a chest infection, and a very tight calf... However, after a week of rest (hence very little running prep) I thought I'd give it a go, if nothing else, to test my leg.
With the aim of "just jogging around" (ha!) I did a mini warm-up (5 mins) then started the course. Unaware of the speed I was going at due to the distracting crowd of other runners, and my throbbing leg, I set off way too fast. Getting up to Jamboree, which leads to the first real downhill, I ws disappointed to find my HR up at max, and myself unable to take real advantage of the elevation change. The pebbly path down to the next pool didn't feel any nicer, and after than came a familiar climb (normally my final climb!) up to the wilder area of the park.
This was follwed by a brief downhill respite towards Bracebridge pool before a horror of a muddy climb back up the same slope! This completely took me by surprised as from my brief look at the course before the race I had estimated I was about done with climbing. Oh how wrong I was, although I was done with dry/clean feet after that climb (see pic!).
Four miles in had me onto the actual downhill, and after this was a section that I'd identified as "flat", but was actually fairly undulating. My terrible pacing had me up the hills at a 9 min mile, and then 8:30 min/miles on the flat, at which speed I was starting to get overtaken a little but could do nothing about it.
Less than a mile from the end I hit the final pool, and by now it was really a case of hanging on and getting there. Having not seen my HR below 200 bpm since 4.5 miles, I saw no reason to change this now, pushing onto the end which was a fairly evil uphill grassy slope.
Overall, this was a great race to do on a lovely and familiar trail route (I run in the park most Sundays anyway). It was a good chance for me to test my leg (better than expected but I'm sure I'll get told off by my physio) but I am disappointed with my pacing and race approach, and would have liked to have gone sub-50. Next year, perhaps!
Times
Total time: 00:51:07
Standings
Female 12 / 122 10 %
Overall 98 /369 27 %
10km trail running race
Second running race of the year! Unfortunately timed to be coming off the back of a chest infection, and a very tight calf... However, after a week of rest (hence very little running prep) I thought I'd give it a go, if nothing else, to test my leg.
With the aim of "just jogging around" (ha!) I did a mini warm-up (5 mins) then started the course. Unaware of the speed I was going at due to the distracting crowd of other runners, and my throbbing leg, I set off way too fast. Getting up to Jamboree, which leads to the first real downhill, I ws disappointed to find my HR up at max, and myself unable to take real advantage of the elevation change. The pebbly path down to the next pool didn't feel any nicer, and after than came a familiar climb (normally my final climb!) up to the wilder area of the park.This was follwed by a brief downhill respite towards Bracebridge pool before a horror of a muddy climb back up the same slope! This completely took me by surprised as from my brief look at the course before the race I had estimated I was about done with climbing. Oh how wrong I was, although I was done with dry/clean feet after that climb (see pic!).
Four miles in had me onto the actual downhill, and after this was a section that I'd identified as "flat", but was actually fairly undulating. My terrible pacing had me up the hills at a 9 min mile, and then 8:30 min/miles on the flat, at which speed I was starting to get overtaken a little but could do nothing about it.
Less than a mile from the end I hit the final pool, and by now it was really a case of hanging on and getting there. Having not seen my HR below 200 bpm since 4.5 miles, I saw no reason to change this now, pushing onto the end which was a fairly evil uphill grassy slope.
Overall, this was a great race to do on a lovely and familiar trail route (I run in the park most Sundays anyway). It was a good chance for me to test my leg (better than expected but I'm sure I'll get told off by my physio) but I am disappointed with my pacing and race approach, and would have liked to have gone sub-50. Next year, perhaps!
Total time: 00:51:07
Standings
Female 12 / 122 10 %
Overall 98 /369 27 %
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