Today's 10km race was a warm up for my half marathon at the end of the month and it was a great experience. I got there nice and early, which wasn't a problem because it was a very nice morning.
I shared the map of the course on the C25K FB page and Amy Bird wished me well on the hills. I have to be honest and I didn't research the course so didn't even know there was one, but I thought "it can't be that bad".
I began to warm up 20 minutes before the race and the organisers announced that a choir would be signing to us for 10 minutes. That was well...different, but I guess it was a Sunday.
We then had a 10 minute warm up with two guys from military fitness. It was a very vigorous warm up and got me nice and ready for the 10km.
I had decided to try and run with 50 minutes and my plan was to try and build up a 30 second lead in the first 5km and then keep it.
As I was running the 2nd km there was a slight hill and I thought that this is easy, surely Amy didn't mean this? We turned a corner and then there was a long downhill and that it when it dawned on me that I would have to run up this in the 5th and 10th km!
By the time I got to the hill in the 5th km my Garmin was showing that I was 35 seconds ahead of 5km pace. By the time I got up the hill and finished the 5th km that because a 10 second deficit! The hill really drained the energy in my legs.
I took a bottle of water at the half way point and almost choked on it when I tried to drink it, I hope no-one saw me couching and spluttering! I worked out that the best way to drink it was to squeeze the bottle and sip a bit of water.
I managed to pick up my pace and and get ahead of my target pace again. When I got to the hill again I knew that there wasn't long to go so I pushed myself but near the top I was hardly lifting my knees and the legs were burning. As I was turning into the finishing straight one of the military guys was screaming at everyone to pick it up, I ignored him once but the second time he screamed at me I decided I should listen to the scary man! I sprinted the last 20 seconds and was surprised by my time of 50:27. If I can manage this on a tough course a sub 50 minute 10km should be on the cards on a flat track.
On the Garmin stats it shows the hill to be 34m from bottom to top. I have never run up a hill before and I hope they aren't all this big!
Anyway I've waffled on too long! Half-marathon in training next Sunday!
Lovely post, Aftabs, and a great time, as we have come to expect of you. Come to Devon and try my 1.8k x 95m hill! (I know someone from Scotland is going to chip in with something far more impressive, now.....Malcy?)
Aye, I've got to admit I chuckled at the thought of a 30m hill. :-). My 'training hill' route has a 100m ascent in 2 km and when I ran the Balmoral 10K there was a similar incline.
My "normal" run has about 85m of climb but I've walked up that hill at Greenwich and it's pretty steep and not one I'd want to tackle in the middle of a 10k.
Also your headband idea is great. I sweat bucketloads and kept getting it in my eyes. The sweatband stops 99% of it and the sweatband on my wrist is used to wipe away what's left. I took both off as soon as I finished and they were soaked through!
Aftabs you are brilliant, well done that's a VERY impressive time, hills as well!! Just a word of advice, practice drinking from a water bottle a bit more before your big run
Thanks! On my longer runs I've used a belt with proper running bottles which I am now used to drinking from. I am planning on running the HM with the belt because I'll have my dates in it too. I wasn't planning on drinking water today because the run was less than an hour, but it was warm today and they were offering water straight after the hill and I was exhausted!
At the Nottingham HM the drinks came in the forms of pouches, a little bit like capri sun, they had flaps at the top that formed a kind of straw (that wasn't explained or particularly obvious). Just in case you get something similar, the trick, as you found was to give it a quick squeeze, but the pouches weren't equal, 1st 1 was hard to drink from, the 2nd was too easy 3rd was just right (said goldilocks) :-> .
Well done Aftabs. Sounds like you are getting there. What a good time. Is your HM at Brentwood by any chance? I am running that race too and can't wait. My 10k was a few months back and was slower than you by a good 90 seconds (lots of hills though!). Either way best of luck.
Thanks! The HM is in Brentwood, I actually got the idea to sign up from one of your posts a few months ago, so thanks for that! I am hoping for a sub 2 hr time, which I think is on the cards.
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Two runs to go!😁😁 And park run course checked out! ⛰🏃😯😯
Didn't make park run 
