Staveley Stampede 10k.

    All the hard work and miles of training are what today is all about and that is race day. I don't think I have ever had a bad day racing, I might of not done as well as expected, I might of been beaten by someone that I didn't expect to beat me but they were all enjoyable.
  Today was the Staveley Stampede 10k race for me, the weather yet again was perfect for running and the route was described as flat multi terrain. The race got underway and I was keen not to go mad with my usual fast start senario, Tristian Learoyd of New Marske Harriers was looking to be the favourite for the win at the start of the race as far as I knew but like I have said before you never know for sure. Anyway Learoyd took to the front and I thought it would be rude not to join him, I hadn't gone far before I controlled my effort and Learoyd pressed on with his intention of breaking the course record of 33 minutes 16 seconds. As the route turned off road and into the nature reserve the path became twisty with numerous bends and turns, you couldn't keep a constant pace as you needed to slow and accelerate each time. Whilst I was trying to keep a good even hard effort I could see Learoyd attacking each bend with venom which in turn was resulting in him pulling away from me. Back onto the tarmac I decided to see if I could use some of the small amount of energy that I had saved in the first couple of miles closing the gap between myself and Learoyd, and that is exactly what didn't happen as he moved even further away from me. Plan B, get back to a good hard constant effort and try and hold onto the second place that I was in. The mile between the 4th and 5th mile markers was a tough old mile and I did start to question myself with "is it just me slowing down or is it just this section", I didn't want to loose second place so once again I increased my effort as far as I dared without going into the red. Boy was I pleased to see the 5 mile marker. I sensed that a runner was closing in on me and luckily enough the route was downhill so I got stuck in opened up my stride and went for it. ( My senses must be playing up as I don't think anyone was that close, maybe it was that little devil that lives on my shoulder demanding full speed at the start of races that was trying to scare me with the thought of loosing second place. Thankfully the little devil worked in my favour for once.) So downhill on tarmac with one mile to go it was and over the finish line I went in 35 minutes 26 seconds to take second place. Learoyd took the victory in 33 minutes 35 seconds, just missing out on the record but good on him for saying before hand that he was going for the record and good on him for sticking with it all the way to the line. Andrew Dobby of Harrogate Harriers finished 3rd in 35 minutes 55 seconds. How close he got to me through out the race I have no idea as I hardly ever look behind as I feel I might get demoralised with what I see.
   Post race munchies have struck, even if I had run an ultra marathon I wouldn't of burnt off enough calories compared to with what I have eaten.
   Next on my list of things to do is to " look forward to my next race."  On it already.