I set the alarm for 5 a.m. as I wanted an early start! For a 10K I like to have a light breakfast and then wait for at least 45 minutes before I set out.
Although overcast, the forecast was warm with a light breeze, so shorts and sleeveless top was the outfit of choice! I debated about taking water but decided I might as well. So I wore my running vest and put a jelly drink in one of the pockets. Also a few jelly babies! Sports glasses and sun visor completed the look and after a few stretches I was ready to go!
I started my warm up; walking, slow running and a 3 or 4 strides, just for 15/20 seconds, at a faster pace. This is where the doubts always set in 😈. I know that the Toxic Ten will ease if I warm up enough! After 10 minutes or so I stop and finish preparing with a few more strides and some drills. Experience has shown me that this makes a huge difference to my confidence at the start of a run and to the run itself.
I start the watch and set off at 6:38 a.m. Perfect! I love running at this time of day. I think about all the others that will be running today and over the coming week. My plan was to start steady and try and stay steady for the first 2 or 3 km. I really wanted to do this 10K in less than 90 minutes, but I know I’ll have to push myself for this in the second half of the run.
It’s a little warm but not overly so - pretty much ideal running weather. It’s quiet out at the start of my run - traffic at the roads I have to cross is light and I don’t have to stop. I don’t want to have to stop! My route is a tree lined cyclist and pedestrian path parallel to a main road. It’s fairly flat with the occasional incline and leads to a pretty pond, but there are a couple of roads to cross and I’m doing 2.5 laps.
Overall my run went according to plan and I reached just over 7K at the 1 hour mark, which for me is pretty good! I try and keep up the pace but I seem to be slowing down for the last couple of kilometres. (This turned out not to be the case!) My last km wasn’t quite the fastest and I wish I’d had the stamina to kick it up a couple of gears more but I’m not quite there yet!
All in all, a run I was really happy with! I’ll be ordering my medal soon - and thanks to everyone who helped to organise this fun event 😊
Good luck to all those yet to run!
Run Report
Fission 2023 race report.
Longest run and first post!
Yay.. 10miles and a happy run with jelly babies my new running buddies 😀