Back to basics. I have taken my training all the way back to when I first started running, so it is out with a load of high speed training stuff and in with the good old enjoyable runs. One speed training session per week at most will be on my menu for the foreseeanle future. I enjoy my racing and I am happy enough with my fitness level at the present, probably more so now as I have a lot more people to compete with rather than being strung out at the front, I expect to make small gains but I will still be giving it everything to try and beat anyone that is around me. I am looking forward to the Harrogate Evening League Race Series so I can see how I am getting on as the series progresses.
Today I was racing at the Fountains 10k at Grantley near Ripon which is a tough old hilly multi terrain course, I held the course record until they changed the first half mile or so which just takes a different route to the exact same spot. My guesstimation come target time for today was anything from 40 minutes to 42 minutes allowing for the nature of the course. Back in 2008 I won the race in 33 minutes 49 seconds without going anywhere near full out race speed and I remember saying at the time that I was sure that I could get under 33 minutes if I attacked it like I used to do at the Ripon 10 miler. There was no fast start for me today as the route went uphill from the off and although I was trying to hold back I still found myself struggling, the off road section seemed to be longer than I remembered which was to be expected with the speed I was going at compared to 2008, after the off road section there is a long down downhill section on tarmac which was exactly just how I remembered it fast and enjoyable. By this time I became in a close battle with another V40 (Lofthouse of Nidd Valley) as I passed him downhill and a young lad (Calvert of Knaresbrough) that I had been with since the start of the race. Calvert caught Lofthouse just ahead of me but then fell into the old trap of running at the same speed as them even though we had just made up 200 metres or so, as soon as I caught them I did the opposite and knocked my pace up a bit more. Calvert responded with ease as I expected but we did then drop Lofthouse. Ohhh the joy of racing, no time trial stuff here. The next few miles passed away with Calvert looking the stronger but at times appearing to loose heart for some reason, I reckon if he had targeted the runner in front and told him he had to catch him at all costs then I reckon he could of. The last long hill before the finish put an end to any ideas of me beating Calvert and at the same time I felt positive that I was far enough in front of Lofthouse for him to bother me. So 9th it was for me in 38 minutes 51 seconds but 1st V40 so another good day of racing. Burrett of Leeds won the race in 34 mins 02 seconds, I am not giving up on my course record that easy, they might call it a new course record but I still have the event record. Second was Tristan Learoyd of New Marske who is going in the opposite direction to me, where as I am going slower and slower Learoyd is getting faster and faster and will soon be right up there as one of the best in the region.
It was good to see more of the GB runners being shown on t.v. at the London marathon today compared to other years. More of that for me please.
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