Captains log – stardate 22nd November 2014
I don’t normally do write ups for races as many of you know, I’m never normally that happy about my performances! I have to apologise for being miserably more often than not, it must be like having a moomin at the club!!
> However for the first time in literally 15 years I’m properly buzzing about running!!!
> I can’t believe it’s taken this long but I really really believe PBs are now within grasp!! This ‘not so little’ story (good bedtime reading!) about my parkrun isn’t meant as a boast but is just to try create some positivity at the club ahead of next weeks peco race. Infact, every week many Striders achieve PBs at Bradford and hats off to each and everyone of you. For me however, Bradford parkruns happen as often as Paula Radcliffe shatting her pants……
> Last week I finally got under that elusive sub 34 again (6 seconds slower to give me 34 dead and I would’ve been gutted!! talk about margins!!). However, with my renewed confidence I feel like I’m ready to tackle some PBs.
> The Bradford parkrun isn’t a 5k PB course but as you may have seen by the results, to dip under 17 minutes is not for the faint hearted. Ironically, only 17 men have achieved this feat in the four and a half years that it’s been going. My best has been 17.03 back in 2012 which was tough going.
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> So despite a Kasabian concert and a few beers the night before which led to me only hitting the sack at 1am, I’d already agreed with my fellow training partners Pete Hopson and Chris Williams that we’rd try an assault on the ‘sub 17’ which would give us all a course PB.
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> Conditions were pretty good. No wind and nice and mild. We were all in good shape thanks to Brian Scobies Wednesday night coaching sessions. Pete decided against doing the Abbey dash the week prior as he didn’t think he had the endurance after coming back from injury. 5k is his limit as an all out race at the moment which meant we could all work together to join the sub 17 club.
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> We went at it from the off and had an idea of the pace we needed. We knew that the 2nd and 3rd laps were going to be crucial as that’s where you tend to drop off the pace. Mile one completed in 5.17 and we all felt strong. Mile two passed by in 5.23 with little traffic in front of us. We were more than on target pace and just had to keep our wits about us on the final lap. This proved to be a tricky lap though as we started to work our way through the hundreds of people taking part. It meant that we had to go off road momentarily just after the bandstand. Worse was to come as we approached the narrow gap by Cartwright hall. There was literally no way through! Somehow Chris found a gap, I followed and clipped someone. Pete went through with no trouble but then he is quite small and probably found a gap under someone’s legs! We all continued to help each other and remained together. Our target from the ‘gun’ wasn’t to win but to get the time we’d all longed for. Mile 3 clocked in 5.22 and onto the final stretch after we’d done the ‘teeny tiny’ hill for the 3rd time. A small gap had opened up between the 3 of us with me in 3rd. Normally I’m good at kicking in at this stage but after being on the limits for the whole race I didn’t have a lot left and my aim was to stay within touching distance? I did pull it back but ran out of race course! As I crossed the line in 3rd, I looked at my watch and to my amazement we’rd all smashed sub 17 comfortably. Pete 16.49, Chris 16.51, me 16.51. Although I was more than happy I still would’ve liked to win it. However, with both Pete and Chris being 10 years my junior I’d like to think I win in the WAVA rankings!
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> Never before had 2 people dipped under 17 on the same day, let alone 3 people. chuffed to bits, we all had a cool down 2 miles. Along the way I got slated by a potty mouthed runner who told me I shouldn’t have F’ing gone through runners and I should’ve gone round (he seemed like a pleasant bloke). I’m sure he was referring to the Cartwright Hall chicane where I clipped a runner of which I apologised at the time. The fact is that if I’d have gone round I would’ve either ran straight into a brick wall to the right or I’d have had to vault a dustbin to the left. Maybe I should’ve taken a kitkat moment? I’m pretty sure that would’ve affected my time though? Where’s them go go gadget long legs to jump over people when I need them!?
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> So next up is ‘pacing’ at next weeks club parkrun followed by the first peco race of the season. With many Striders in fine form I’m expecting some fantastic team results. Question is, which terrain is my preference. We’ll soon see come next Sunday afternoon…..
THE MORAL OF MY STORY IS THAT IF YOU WORK HARD ENOUGH, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, YOU “WILL” ACHIEVE !!!!