A very, very hot 5K. And no shade at all along this course.
Fascinating location where the Eton school rowers practice and where some Olympic events were held. Lots of events happening: there were cyclists on the other side of the lake, swimmers in the lake, and multiple lengths of running races going on...
The event was very well run considering the masses of people there for all of the events.
I'm struggling to find my 'sweet spot' pace and tend to run too fast early on and then need to take a walk break. But I didn't set out for a PB in this race as it's been one of those weeks and my last run was very early in the week. So 'recovery race' was the name of the game.
I'm chalking up the pace issues to experience and am sure I will find what works best for me as I continue.
Now to get in a 10K this week with the eye on Vitality 10000 later this month...
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drl212
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Well done and what a great medal! Dorney is only about half an hour away from me and I’ve often looked at the events there. The course is flat, maybe that’s why it appeals to me! 😊
5K is not my favourite distance and I find it really hard to work out the right pace if I’m trying to run it faster. A really good warmup is key for me as I get the Toxic Ten. Stretches then 10 minutes jogging and running. I’m sure you’ll find that pace with practice. 😊
Dorney events usually have lots of distances to choose from. Ruunthrough jave an event there virtually every month. When I volunteered in July there were several triathlon distances as well as 5k, 10k and half marathon runs ... all taking place at the same time! One thing to bear in mind though is that the loger distances are multiple laps of the 5k route, flat but not very interesting!
Hi J2020! I've started doing exactly what you recommend. I do a warm-up and then out for a short, easy run to get past the Toxic Ten. I suffer from it too.
Great medal! Much as we'd love to, we're unlikely to PB every time we race. Dorney is somewhat relentless - flat gives no variety and nor does the scenery or terrain at Dorney. I'm sure I'd end up walking some too, just for a change if nothing else!
Hi L9389! I totally agree with your assessment. While flat, it just seems to go on and on...no trees, no shade. Not sure that I'd really go back to do it again...
For my first ever 13k long run I treated myself to a trip to Dorney. At least, I thought it would be a treat! Trees and water are absolutely my thing. But it wasn't as I'd imagined. The sun was hot and, as you say, it was brutal and relentless and there are no trees (no anything) beside the water!
I was there for the rowing in 2012, and saw a few gold medal races for Team GB. It must be fun to run there when other things are going on too. Lovely bling.
I sometimes go too fast and end up taking walking breaks in races and parkrun. So it can be better to attach yourself to someone who is going your average pace and hold yourself back a bit . You can always then go on a bit quicker in the last km as you will have more in the tank. I’ve just got to stick to that advice at the weekend!
Hey D5! Yes, sometimes it's easier said than done. It's all experience though and as we continue, I think we'll get better at adjusting to what we need to be successful.
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A rougher run down to the lake
Bexhill 5k Poppy run - race report
