Middlesbrough 5k

 Middlesbrough 5k is a big race as in entries and competition so you need to get to the race venue quite early but in doing so you end up sitting around on edge as you nervously wait for the race to start or at least warm up time. I had a leisurely stroll
 round the Riverside Stadium and still had plenty of time to waste. Luckily Ste Middleton a fellow club mate had spotted me and came over for a chat and in no time it was time to warm up and make our way to the start line.
  I didn't manage to get rid of my cold but I was sure or should say was hoping that it wouldn't effect my race. The weather was great for sun bathing and just fine for me for a 5k race, I was banking on and expecting to get under 16 minutes for this 5k race to see what sort of form I am in. As the Masters National 5k Championships is in two weeks time.
 The race began and I set off a touch too fast but I sort of had it under control by 600 metres. I ran the first 1km  in 2 minutes 56 seconds which was not far off the leaders, the 2nd km for me was 3 minutes 10 seconds but I was well behind the leaders by now and my lungs were beginning to burn. I was happy with the 2nd km time and I needed to match it for the 3rd km. 3 minutes 14 seconds a touch slow but considering how my lungs felt I was satisfied with that. The penultimate km and time to dig deep and show some true grit, not to be and far from it as I went into auto pilot come survival mode with a km time of3 minutes 26 seconds.
The final km 3 minutes 14 seconds with no sprint finish and a feeling of disappoint. Probably not disappointed more annoyed with the cold and ruining my race. My official finishing time was 16 minutes 02 seconds. On a positive note I know I can knock a big chunk off that time and at a guess I would say a minimum of 15 seconds which is exactly were I need to be. At least ( touch wood ) I will be back to full health for the Masters Championships and have no excuses. 2014 is sounding like the year of excuses for me at this present time and believe me that is not what I am about.
  The race was won by Mathew Hynes, I don't know what time he ran it in other than bleedin quick. At a guess I would say low fourteen minutes.
    Two weeks of fine tuning now for me as well as ditching this cold and loosing a couple of pounds in weight, there's an hill to get up on each of the three laps course at the Masters Championships so the least I have to drag up the hill the better.