Last year I completed it in 1:24:25 and I wanted to smash that this year, my most recent official PB was 1:15:00 at Regents Park and 1:13:57 flat 10k in training last week, I wasn't expecting to beat these but was looking forward to giving it a go.
The preparation started yesterday, I went for a half hour run just to make sure the legs were mobile and ready. I kept it steady and made sure as soon as the legs started to get tired I stopped. When I got home I stretched and rested for about half hour with 2 ice packs - I placed them on the quads, shins, calfs and ham strings and feet. Then it was bath and relax time, I cannot lie I was very naughty and did end up having 3 small glasses of red wine. In my mind I needed the iron and a good nights sleep and the red wine would provide both.... I did also drink 3 pints of water and a pint of water with High 5 Zero tab in and mixed all of the drinks, so I was making sure for every sip of wine I was have a fair few gulps of water. We watched X Factor and then it was bed time.
I woke at 5am desperately needing a wee.... hardly surprising after all of the fluid I drunk the night before, I got back into bed and was just dozing when IBS struck, I then spent the next half hour back and forth to the toilet... grr my sub conscience being nervous! I finally dropped back off just for my alarm to go off at 6:15am.
I got up, washed, dressed, packed bag and then we drove to the station where we could get a train direct through to Finsbury Park Station. We arrived at the park just before 8am, there was a nice breeze and a threat of drizzle, but that would make me happy as I like to run in rain. Rob had to go and make his way to marshaling duties.
I was standing around when a lovely lady came up to me and asked 'wasn't you in the magazine?' she had recognised me from my stint in the Big Marathon Challenge. After that I had a few others telling me that they had seen me in the mag and congratulate me and thanked me for being an inspiration to them. It was lovely to hear. Then I was speaking with the lovely ladies from 2 fat to run and someone mentioned this lovely man that had marshaled last year and really got them through... ha ha they were talking about Rob! I told them he was here again and in the same place.
After the warm up with Timmy, who I thought was suddenly going to start imitating the guy from XFactor who sang Friday Night, I was already exhausted as I made my way to the start line!
I made it through the start line in 12 seconds and I was off, the start line was further up from last year as there was a musical festival in the middle of the park. So you have a nice descent to start with, then you round back on yourself on a very slight incline of grass to the 1K mark, a quick look at my watch told me I had done this in about 7;15 which was bang on what I wanted to do. I had told myself to stick between 7:15 and 7:30/km for the first 5k and then see if I could speed it up for the second 5k.
When you got to the bottom of this hill you rounded back on yourself and had to climb back up the hill, which doesn't feel as steep but feels longer, I am not even sure if that is possible, but it definitely felt like it as my legs wobbled but made it again to the top with out walking.
3k came and went and still on target at 21:24, and we were now running round the play park and lake area to 4k which I hit at 28:42, this leads on to a very sharp decline. I slowed down and again used this to recover, but it is quite steep and plays havoc on the knees, and is hard not to go faster.
Back past Rob and then you take a sharp right turn onto the last hill, which is short but steep and again rounds a corner, this was the first time in the run I had to slow it down to a speed walk, my legs were tired, and I knew I had a minute or so in the bag so used it to recover and have a High 5 Berry ISO gel. I love the flavour of these, and that in itself makes me feel better, but I also know that it would kick in within 5 minutes which would be spot on starting the second lap where I would need the boost.
As soon as you the hit the top of that hill it rounded to the left and you could see the start/finish line, in fact it was 200 meters, however whilst runners with the green bibs (5k entrants) ran through the finish line, I had to run along the side of it and do it all again, a quick check at the clock and my watch told me I was still on target at 36:13, in fact the target was to go through 5K at 37 minutes and 30 seconds so I had a good minute in hand.
Back down the hill, I was feeling ok, and then back on to the grass, and I hate running on grass, I got half way up it and then had a little walk, but making sure I got to 6k still on target, which I did at 43:40, then I got the boost I needed, the gel had kicked in and I was also running down the hill and high fiving Rob again.
Then I was back to the beast, and this time it beat me, I made it about half way up and then had to walk, that damn hill will be the death of me!! But continued on and back down the other side making it to 7K at 50:51.
I didn't even bother trying to walk back up the hill this time, there was a group of people standing at the side who had just come out of the music festival, think they had been dancing all night, and one of the guys shouted at me 'Go On Darlin you can do it' I shouted back 'Have you been dancing all night?' and he nodded, to which I replied and I cant even run round the park which spurred me to pick it up again, hit 8k at 58:24 and had another ISO GEL.Then it was back round the play park, and lake, I was really tiring but knew I was close to the 9k mark and then it was just the sharp down hill, uphill and then the finish.
I passed Robs Dad again at the 9k mark, he had been between 2 points so that he saw me 4 times in total which was lovely as I had his support, his partners and Robs. I hit the 9k at 66:14, this km was my slowest of the race, but was still on track to finish in under 75 minutes.
I passed Rob and walked up that last steep hill knowing that I only had 200 meters to the finish line, and it was at this point I picked up the pace and ran my joint fastest km. The watch states 7:01 making my 10k 73:15, however I had to run a bit further to the finish line and my official time registered at 1:13:39.
I received a lovely medal, t shirt and goody bag full of snacks, tea, plastic bottle, and a large bottle of shower cream as well as other running type testers. You also got copies of the latest Womens Running Magazines... although I am not featured in them any more :( There were 2 water stations on the course, I didnt need to use them myself as I have a belt with two small bottles which I have water and High 5 zero tabs in. The race is well marshaled and signed, and there is a nice although small race village.
I would recommend any lady to try one of the Women's Running 10K series, you can run the 5 or the 10k and it is for all abilities.
I also wore my new Brooks Juno Bra and Brooks Vapor 3, both of which did their jobs perfectly, and in great comfort. I am going to have to replace the Vapors soon, and am not sure whether to stick with them or try one of the other Brooks stability shoe. Would love to hear from other runners who use their shoes, as they can be quite expensive to try and realise that they are not right for me and then return to vapors!
So thats it for now, I am off for a bath, and then out for a meal and a very deserved glass or two of wine!!
Much Love
FBB
xx
Congrats! I was there today too. It was a hard course! My race recap coming soon: thoughtsandpavement.com
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