Elmbridge 10k Race: Gold Medalist

Well I got my first gold medal today, how very exciting. It certainly beats my only ever previous prize of a pair of socks for coming AG second, again in a 10K. I think I may have won an Age Group 5k with Parkrun once but that probably only had 12 people turn up on the day or something like that! So 10k is my most prolific result turning event. Oh dear! It’s too far!!

Anyway, I got a gold medal. And others got silver and bronze so gold must be good right? Well yes but 99 other people also got a gold!

Joking aside I was very pleased with with an easy PB. I was about 20th in my age group which doesn’t sound too good I suppose but there was a high standard of Surrey Club athletes as this race is part of the Surrey League. 600+ competitors, which matches Bushy Parkrun but a much higher standard as I say. So I was up against the big boys in an event that I don’t really train for and even then I only run 3 times a week…about 2.5 hours. So not bad really. I think I can knock another 30 seconds off if I try harder as well…but it hurts!

I’d probably do better in the same field over 5k and certainly an awful lot better if I bike were thrown into the mix as well 🙂 But those options are normally called “different events”.

Today’s race tactics? Go off quick. Realise I’m going too quick. Gradually slow down to the right pace. Continually slow down as HR goes up and I get progressively knackered. Falter a bit as I get half way though and realise there’s still 5k to go. Hang on at a half decent pace. Sprint the last 90 seconds to gain a few places and to say to my mates that in reality I could have gone quite a bit faster.

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