I started off looking for races around 30 minutes drive away or closer, preferably with a medal, but my main search was for a flat and hopefully tarmac course to give myself the best chance of a pb. I found Blythe Valley 5k and 10k just off the M42 a 25 minute drive away, flat and classed as multi terrain but I had heard it starts in a business park and then is a few laps around a park and for £10 entry which was all donated to charity I felt I couldn't have found a better race.
My current pb and the only time I had ever gone sub 1 hour currently stood at 56 minutes 45 seconds. In talks with some of the group at efforts a few people felt I could go around 51-52 minutes - this I thought was slightly optimistic. I had a plan and two backup plans , Plan A was to run 8.30 minute miles to get me in at 53 minutes, Plan B was to run 8.40 minute miles to get in at 54 minutes and then Plan C was to run 9 minute miles and come in just under 56 minutes.
I was travelling up with Ben and his dad Mark and mom Sue, Ben had already checked out last years results and had a very good chance of winning the 5k and Mark had not ran a race before and wanted some practise before taking on Paula Radcliffe in the Worcester 10k this coming Sunday. Upon arriving on the business park I was super pleased! Yes this wasn't going to be the most scenic of runs but it was tarmac woohoo! I had already pre-registered and went to the tent to collect my race number. Number 13, the lady on the desk said she hoped I wasn't superstitious, as I pointed out as long as there is a 100 in front of the 13 it will be ok ( the 100 was to signify I was running the 10k not the 5k) The set up was fantastic there were toilets, a dj, tents selling hot drinks, cold drinks and food, tables with bottled water on and a car with a timex system on it so the runners could clearly see their finish times. The race wasn't chip times but for a small event and the fact I was going by my watch this didn't bother me. Just after 11am there was a race briefing, we were told the 5k and 10k runners start together and 5k run 2 laps of the course and 10k run 4 laps.. easy peasy. I was nervous at this point, I was masking an injury I seem to have picked up since the Joust and then a 7 and a 5 mile run that following week but I desperately wanted a pb. After the funniest warm up ever I was stood along side Ben and Mark at the very front of the crowd of 88 runners. An announcement was made if you want a fast time to move to the front but no one did so I had a clean break.
After a little countdown we were off running in the middle of the road of a business park with a slight incline I was off! Glancing at my watch at the top of the road I was running at 7.30 minute mile pace - too quick but I felt I would rather go out quicker and slow down to my desired pace than have to make time up later on. I was pleasantly surprised when we diverted from the main road and took to some nice pathways running around some lakes and woods, my ideal race so far. There were some nice downhill parts to gain some speed too. My first mile clocked in at 7:50! On track for a pb but I knew it would be ambitious to keep that pace going. I soon passed through my first lap and had Bens mom Sue clapping and cheering me on, this was going to be easy! I soon started feeling the pace I was running on the second lap the sun came out from no where and it was super hot. I made the decision to grab a bottle of water from the next lap although there were plenty of marshalls and signs on the course and water, I was going to grab and drink a few sips and drop at the start/finish to make it easier to clear the course after. My second mile came in at 8:35 and third mile at 8:28 so I was settling very nicely into my Plan A. I passed through my the lap point and this time Ben was cheering with his mom so I was pretty sure he had possible won the 5k. Lap three was quite hard my hamstring started hurting and I was trying to ignore it and push on. Mile 4 was ran in 8:45 and mile 5 in 9:06 I knew I had to keep pushing hard to get the 53 minutes time that I wanted. It was at the downhill points of the course where I gained my ground from this 9 minute mile I came through the lap point again and took a quick glance at the timex clock though it said exactly what my watch said I couldn't work the maths out for the last lap but Ben shouted something like you've only got to do this lap in less than 12 minutes you can do this. I struggled on with a sprint/limp I could feel I was dragging my leg a little, Mile 6 was ran in 8:38 so I was back on track, coming to the final climb which in the car on the way there felt flat but running it was a different matter, Ben had come down to meet me and was telling me I was going to make it, I remember moaning about my leg but knew I had to finish.
As I crossed the finish line, the lady from the tent at the start came and presented me with my medal and certificate and said she was glad 13 wasn't unlucky for me and it certainly wasn't as I looked down at my watch my new 10k person best stood at 53 minutes 21 seconds! Ben also won the 5k race with a time of 18 minutes.
There are a few things I have taken from this, It's a good idea to choose a specific race or course that has pb potential and also the funny thing is in the smaller distances like 5k and 10k I run better and get my times when I am analysing and planning splits before and during the race, this theory however doesn't work on a marathon!
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