Bramley 10
I had been really struggling to decide on a race plan for the Bramley 10. I am only just back to full training after my marathon last month. I have had a few confidence building training runs in the past week and decided to aim for as close to 75 minutes as possible, with a best case scenario being to just dip under 75 minutes.
My race day preparations were ok, but I did seem to taking far too long to get going and to sort out my running kit this morning. My friend collected me at just before 9am and we drove off to Bramley. Then we spent a while in the race HQ sorting out and I finally decided on shorts and a short sleeve top – mainly because I had left all the other kit options in the car and could not be bothered to go back and collect them!
I went out for a warm up. I possibly ran this a little quickly, but I really did need to get the body temperature up a bit. I then went to the 1:10-1:20 section and talked for a few minutes while waiting to start. There may have been a race briefing, but we could not hear it – so I hope nothing important was said.
The first mile was started a little too fast and was further complicated by the merging of the the 10 and 20 mile runners, with the two starts being offset. I managed to calm myself quickly and settle into a comfortable pace.
7:23
(I measured off the 20 mile race markers, so the first mile is a little long and the last a little short.)
The aim for the next three miles was to consolidate and keep a good even pace. So, of course, I clip off a my fastest sustained, and consistent, pace for the whole race. Somewhere in here there is a drinks point. I am moving well and I maintain a place just off the back of a group.
7:14
7:12
7:18
This mile feels tough. The first four were too fast, but I do my best to keep the pace up and to concentrate on moving well.
7:25
I take on an energy gel with some water and feel better. There is a small uphill section in here and I maintain a good pace up it.
7:32
On first look at the splits I though this had been a crap mile. However, I have now had a close look at the course profile and realise that the bulk of the uphill was in this mile. Maybe it was quite ok.
7:51
There are less than 5km to go now, so I start to push the pace. The downhill helps to keep the pace high. I am overtaking quite a few people now – I assume those doing the 20 mile race.
7:07
A short, sharp uphill section is really felt by the legs, though I know there is not far to go now and it is time to push. A quick sip of water helps.
7:35
The final mile. Time to give whatever is left. I know that a sub75 is a reasonable last mile away and that a decent last mile means that 73:30 is now the target. When the finish line comes in sight I open the legs for a sprint finish and get announced through the line. The finish line team looked worried as I only just manage to pull up and stop before them – getting into a sprint pace was a lot easier than stopping! I also struggle to get the watch stopped.
6:55
So, I ran 73:31. I would have said that I started too fast, but I was able to keep close to that pace for the rest of the race. Now it is a case of putting in some good training over the next six weeks and seeing what is possible in Reading.
