Harrogate town centre 10k

   The sky was blue and the sun was out for the Harrogate town centre 10k race this morning. I turned up at the start area to collect my race number and spotted Darren Bilton of Leeds City selling some goods from Up and Running who are also sponsor the race, Darren is an old rival who I only ever managed to beat once at the Brass Monkey Half Marathon in 2007 but was on the receiving end of some severe punishment as I chased after him in many other races trying my damned hardest to beat him. After a quick chat his top tip was to try and save something for the second and final lap which is probably easier said than done in my case seeing as I have a tendency to give it everything from the gun.
  After a good warm up I bumped into my mate Phil Utley who has run this race before and he said the course was uphill for some time before levelling off and then it was a good long downhill section back down to the finish line with two laps to do.
Fully briefed, warmed up and a top tip in hand I was ready to race.
  The race started and uphill we went, I stayed well within my capabilities for a change trying to save something for the second lap, about a quarter of the way uphill there was a slight respite

as the road evened out but before I knew it it was uphill again. At this point groups were starting to form, at the front there was was Marc Scott Richmond Zetland Harriers, Debele Tesfayedebele Leeds City, Kevin Ogden Spenborough AC and Ryan Holroyd Staffordshire Moorlands then a slight gap  to Mike Burrett Leeds City,  Scott Harringtotn Otley AC  and myself. Eventually we reached the top of the first climb and started on a good long down hill section, I decided to cross the gap to the leaders and in doing so brought along Burret and Harrington.  As we started to go uphill the same four four broke clear again and powered away and once again I found myself with Burrett and Harrington. These two pulled a slight gap on me which I felt unconcerned with seeing as I had saved something for the second lap, I don't know what I had saved or how much but their was something.  We started the long downhill section of around a mile to complete the first lap and started on the never ending hill,  I actually felt I was settling well into the race and getting stronger rather than my usual fading scenario. Just as we crested the hill and started on the first good down hill section my something in reserve was deployed and I managed to catch Burrett and Harrington, seeing as I had caught them I pressed on with same effort hoping to leave them behind. Harrington came with me and suddenly he became my new alley as we tried to get rid of Burrett. ( Unknown to me Mike Burrett unfortunately had to pull out with an injury )  With Burrett taken care of we now had Ogden in 4th place some distance up the road in our sights, Harrington using some sort of surging method and myself trying to keep at a constant pace but working together in our mission. We caught Ogden but he was having non of it and put in an attack and opened up a gap, with just over  mile and a half to go I caught him once again and left the pair of them behind. I don't look back but I could hear their footsteps so they weren't far enough behind for my liking. I started the final decent and with around half mile to go Harrington came storming past and then Ogden came past. In hind sight I should of been all over them there and then but instead they opened up a lead on me. Going round the final corner I give it everything to catch Ogden but just didn't have it.
  Marc Scott Richmond Zetland Harriers won the race in an awesome time of 30 minutes 55 seconds, 2nd was Debele Tesfayedebele, Ryan Holroyd  3rd, 4th Scott Harrington, 5th Kevin Ogden, 6th Gary Dunn in 33 minutes 42 seconds and 1st v45.
  Talking to Mike Burrett after the race he feels the course is not too hilly were I was telling people that  I had done easier fell running races. Fellow Harrier Ian Codling made me laugh as he described the course exactly how I had, never ending uphill with more uphill and a short downhill section. Obviously not what its like in reality but that's how it feels in race mode.
  It's not a fast flat course that is for sure but it is a great race event. It's well organised, well marshaled, it's a good tough course with no PBs to worry about and with it being two laps it makes  it much better for the spectators. Would I do it again ? Definitely.
  With just three weeks to go until the Darlington 10k and my aim of getting under 32 minutes for 10k it now looks like a sub 32 minutes is a touch too much to ask for so I will be targeting a sub 33 minuter. I still have room for improvement and I will be doing my up most to prove that to myself.