News from South London Harriers
June 6th, 2007: Worthing 10k - Jake’s goes sub 50 for pb
Posted by Chris Phelan at 9:42 pmRead Jake’s report on the Worthing 10k below:
After a hot Dorking 10m last Sunday I was looking forward to better conditions at the Worthing 10k. This Wednesday evening run is a well organised event and marshalled well, with perhaps an exception of the sole water station which was crowded and difficult to get to the people holding the cups of water. Must practice drinking from these cups – I prefer drinking from a bottle though.
Being reliant on the trains Worthing is extremely difficult to get to and in reality it will take at least an hour compared with half that time for an average car journey ……..
So I combined it with an appointment in Chichester, which in the event was over in 20 minutes, whilst I had allowed an hour and a half. Quick look at the cathedral, but no peregrine falcons visible – the RSPB webcam is showing that the four chicks are doing very well!
So I decided the strategy was going to warm up by cycling around the course – had taken my bike as some of the distances from the stations were substantial – I took note which roads were slightly falling in gradient and the direction of the wind in each road. Although the wind was fairly light I thought there were one or two stretches which could be tricky including the last bit back to the track where it was head on!
Had a mars bar and a good drink at the seafront in the sun! Sea absolutely as flat as a pancake, just one wave onto the beach – but flags were flapping nicely in the wind which was northerly coming at a right angle to the boulevard from the land to the sea.
Off to the changing room to get ready. Last year I left my bag there. But saw everybody take their stuff out again and the notices basically said – don’t leave anything her – toilets vandalised, but still working – (all still in much better condition and repair though then HHH clubhouse!!) – there was a tent were one could leave one’s bag – although not specifically supervised (must write them to do that next year – with all the marshals floating about I am sure they could miss one somewhere to look after the bags) Anyway my bag was still there after the race – I had forgotten I had put all my coins about £10 in my bag! – and everything was still in it! Perhaps one is made too worried??… – (scaring one seems to be the general rule now though!?)
The “plan” was to attempt to break the 50 minute barrier for the first time! by going at 7:50min/mile on the slightly down hill sections, 8min/mile against the wind and the slightly up hill section. Last year my watch’s batteries ran out of juice just 10 secs before the start!… Ensured these were ok this time and made good use of its info – left it on miles as I knew that if I could keep the average pace below 8 min/mile I would arrive just under 50mins.
This time they used chips and mats for the first time, which caused a very slight delay to the start as only three lanes of the track could be used! So we were shunted back to allow a smoother start – whilst they kept saying “you have chipped times so it does not matter when you go over the start mat. Well actually it might if I had been a few meters forward I would almost certainly have achieved a placing below 300! In the event it was 303. (I guess out of around 600)
Off we went (official in bright red jacket with gun) and found almost immediately that everybody around me was going to slow….with some darting about I managed to find some space to get into a rhythm but my watch said I was now progressing at 7min/mile…. Brakes on – 7:41 for mile 1 – still too fast – slowed down slightly more – shock horror passed 2km post at 10:00 exactly – had I blown it only one section left of slightly down hill – section against wind to follow; but not much wind remaining now – mile 2 in 8:02 – back on schedule
But people around me seemed still to go too slow - past water station and 4km at 19:50 – bother next mile in 8:06 – wind now harder and against – eventually found some runners doing about the right pace behind which I sheltered for about 1km; 6km in 29:48; but they still went too slow – finally we turned round at the Pier and now were going with the wind behind us – this was the point where I faded last year – this time still going 8:01 for mile 4
Kept passing runners – kept what I thought was the same pace but in fact was 7:54 for mile 5 and 8k which I passed at 39:45 ….. all very close and tight by now – would I fade on the slight uphill section going inland? – luckily only very slightly as I passed the 9km post half way on the stretch at 44:50 – only about 10 people passed me beyond the 4km post – but there as always seems to be a pair of runners who pass me around one or two miles from the finish looking fresh and going at a pace just a fraction faster then me (of course I had passed them at 3km – I always wonder whether should I have stayed behind them??)
so just 5:10 to do the last km in – it levels off after a roundabout and then retracing the course to the track and finish – just at that moment I got horrendous belly ache – would I be able to finish the last 500m? – just try?….I finally got back on the track one runner went passed me and I felt as if I was stationary and not progressing at all… but maybe it spurted me on as the last 0.22miles I did at 7:17 pace and went according to my watch over the line at 49:25.59 – my watch says the distance is 6.22miles ie 10.005km = 5m long!
I heard somebody talking to the winner – he did not seem too happy – too much wind – the other runner said “well never mind your time (33mins+) at least you won so try and keep doing that and enjoy it whilst you can!” This must be a time (33+min) which should be very close for some of our Bantam group to make as well. So does anyone of you fancy having a go at this – would be quite funny as well if a Surrey man would win the Sussex championship race! (or is that not etiquette?)
In the event they had already posted the results when I went for my train and they have given me 49:24 – well I suppose this makes up for last year where they made my time 2 secs worse! If one compares “gun” times it is 1:15 faster then last year.
I thought it would be good to have a substantial meal and bought fish and chips outside West Worthing station. Cycled over the level crossing onto the station only to find that my train should have left a minute ago! (bad planning) however, it was running 3 minutes late…..
In the slowly beginning dusk the South Downs stood in lovely silhouette and it was especially clear that the start of Lancing course is challenging. From the start on the top of the first hill next to the College one goes down and then back uphill to a height almost twice of the first hill – no wonder I am knackered when I get to the top …. Perhaps some more training required after all….
I guess this is a small step of my marathon training for next year - getting one’s 10k and 10m times improved??
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