This past weekend I got my racers on for the Fred Hughes 10 in St Albans. It's a small, low key 10 mile road race and ideal for trying to get some fitness. I've been winning it on occassions that I've entered it ever since 1998, but I'm sure I ran it as early as 1992. I've also got the course record of 51:55 when I last ran it in 2009.
The course for 2012 was back to the original course from the 90s, and it's a right bastard, loads of hills. Coupled with the wind it was going to be a decent workout without a time to be proud of.
I'd trained ok all week and did a satisfying session with Jack Goodwin on the Tuesday night on a frozen field adjacent to Bedford Athletics Track. We did a fartlek session of eight miles and with warming up and warming down made for a decent night's volume.
I was pleased with how far I was behind Jack on the longer efforts as he's running very well and has a GB vest from his recent races over the mud. This was a decent sign as I'm getting fitter day by day whilst keeping my mileage 'safe'. On the shorter efforts Jack schooled me.
Sunday morning arrived and I took my place on the start line. A quick glance around suggested nobody was likely to push me too hard for the win.
We set off and after the first mile I was out on my own and feeling ok, but apprehensive as this was my first road race for a while. I had had a bit of company up to then in the form of a bloke who was alongside me trying to hold a conversation, but he quickly dropped off, possibly annoyed with himself for setting off a little too fast (given his eventual finishing time).
I was moving fairly well at 53 minute pace and this went on until four miles, which was basically the start of a two mile uphill section that suggested my time wasn't going to be too satisfying.
I handled the hill ok, and expected some downhill to chip off some seconds from what was going to be a modest clocking. I wanted 53 minutes at least, and this was looking a tall order now.
The race was set up around a juction at two, five and eight miles with a water station at this point. At two miles no other runners were there, at five miles likewise. At eight miles, when I was feeling very good and clipping off some quicker miles in my quest for a 53 minute clocking, I swung round a bend and was met with utter mayhem. There were dozens of runners coming my way, stationary cars, bikes, paper cups, spectators. All very narrow as well.
When full of adrenanline most runners I know just go into 'elbow' mode and force a way through small gaps at pace. I shouted ahead and managed to squeeze through without anyone getting knocked about. The marshalls were taken by suprise and were all over the place trying to get some order.
As I emerged from all this I took a wrong turn and ran maybe 100m before realising, swung back and retraced my steps before getting back on course towards the finish.
The problem was that the lead bike was being pedalled by an older guy who struggled to keep up, and I'd dropped him at this junction (not for the first time). Suffice to say I didn't break 54, in fact nowhere near.
Although my last three miles with the slight deviation was a moderately satisfying 16:17 (relative to fitness) and I was feeling pretty good with it. I reckon the cock up cost me 30-40 seconds. I managed 54:34.
Anyway, another race done and another step towards race fitness. Proper race fitness. I've got the Southern XC Championships this coming weekend in Brighton and apparently the 15km course is reported as bone dry and very hilly. I like the former description more than the latter.
M - AM 7 miles @ 6:28 pace, PM 8.3 miles @ 6:20 pace
T - 8 miles fartlek on frozen grass (2x4 mins, 3x3 mins, 4x2 mins, 5x1 mins off 1 min consistent 5:00-5:10 pace on efforts) with 4.5 miles warming up/down
W - AM 5.1 miles easy, PM 6.6 miles steady
T - 10.5 miles with last 5 miles well under 6 min pace
F - 8.3 miles steady at 6:27 pace
S - 7.4 miles easy in wind
S - FHM 10 in 54:34 and 6 miles warming up/down
82 miles