TELFORD HEART 10k, 18-2-07 - TOUGH AROUND TAMWORTH Friends of the local cycling club had checked the course for me and from their feedback I knew there was no chance of a fast finishing time. Also because of the nature of course someone had offered to run alongside, a great gesture and one much appreciated.

A congested started meant achieving any sort of “pace” was difficult and sections of the course were too narrow to pass fellow competitors. Also there were a number of inclines to contend with. The steepest being about mid way through the race and which really slowed me. Dragging the Petra up any moderate acclivity isn’t easy. The final km took in the closed streets of the town centre making a sprint finish, through the castle grounds, possible. A time of 54.49mins positioned me 578th from 1034 starters which I was happy with, all things considered.

SILVERSTONE 10k, 8-5-07 As quick as the F1 cars lap the circuit the Silverstone 10k seems to come around each year just as fast. I positioned myself in the middle of the starting pack, and not at the back as usual, hoping to jump start a huge chunk of another big field of fellow runners strewn across the starting grid in multiple rows. However my plan failed as I became trapped behind a group of runners, Sunday afternoon drivers, whom I could only pass by taking a detour over the grass verge. I expected the black flags to be waving as I entered Copse. Throughout the two laps there seemed to be periods when there were a group of runners about one-hundred metres in front and behind me making it difficult to latch on to those at a quicker pace and not providing the impetus to push myself a little harder to keep the “chasers” at bay. Finishing in 46.07mins, 7secs outside my PB, gave me a position of 406 from 924 finishers. Overall I was happy with the way things went and believe in terms of fitness, strength, and race pace, this was the best 10k I’ve ran.

My next race is the Sinfin Classic 10k around the grounds of Elavaston Castle near Derby, June 3. Not a PB course unlike the potential offered by the Prestwold Hall 10k in July. Staged on a disused airfield in Leicestershire this is billed as one of the flattest courses in the UK so I’ll definitely be looking for a PB here.