This weekend I ran in two matches for my club, Doncaster Athletic Club and I did the 5000m at both matches. The standard in the first race was amazing, I got lapped twice and I finished 5th “B” runner. I was more competitive in the second race finishing 3rd “A” runner. I have looked at my stats for the two races and shared them below. I should have run my first lap faster at Northern League for sure. It was a little breezy on both days but overall conditions were quite good.
Laps
British League
Manchester
3 June 2017
#1 was 14:38
Northern League
Derby
4 June 2017
#1 was 16:32
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
1:18 – 131/157
1:22 – 160/163
1:22 – 163/165
1:23 – 164/166
1:22 – 166/167
1:24 – 168/169
1:24 – 167/169
1:25 – 168/170
1:24 – 169/171
1:25 – 170/172
1:26 – 170/172
1:22 – 170/172
38 – 173/176
1:25 – 134/148
1:20 – 154/158
1:21 – 159/160
1:22 – 161/162
1:23 – 163/164
1:23 – 164/166
1:25 – 165/166
1:26 – 165/167
1:25 – 166/168
1:25 – 168/171
1:24 – 169/171
1:26 – 168/170
40 – 170/171
Finish Time
17:13
17:26
Average Lap Times / HR
122.6 – 164
123.7 – 162
Average Stride Length
1.68m
1.64m
Average Cadence
170
172
So what does this tell us? My stride length decreased by 40mm per stride for the slower race, but my cadence increased by 2 strides per minute. I lost in the region of 3.5m per minute which equates to about 60m on the slower of the two races. I knew I had blown a PB on the slower race and mentally this affected my last lap or 2.
Its all about maintaining good form for as long as possible and the mental attitude, all I was interested in the race were my lap times and trying to chase runners down in the last half.
Track training paying off big time! We did 200m reps two weeks ago, 400m reps last week and this week we are doing 1 mile, 400m, 1 mile, 400m and 1 mile, 400m to finish. I am the highest ranked V40 runner in South Yorkshire for this event (I think),
Great experience bring on the next one.
Special mentions to Simon Wright who wan a superb 16:42 and is always happy to share great advise and gum. Peter Badger ran a superb 1500m PB and did the 5000m and 4 x 400m relay. Rose took her vest and arrived just in time to agree to run the 3000m and 1500m. Great teams from Doncaster AC at both events and lots of friendly athletes from across the region. Many thanks to the volunteers as ever.
Rose entered the Edinburgh Marathon, this weekend of racing includes a 5km, 10km, half and full marathon. I decided to do the 5km road race as I very rarely get to do one.
We stayed in a Youth Hostel on the Friday and unfortunately despite assurances that they would start breakfast at 7:30 we had to leave at just before 8:00 with no sign of breakfast. So we did the hours drive stopping at a McDonalds. We parked up at the edge of Edinburgh and caught the train (no parking at the start).
We eventually found our way to the start, it was quite warm with a slight breeze. We bumped in to Darren Wood, Diane and Alison, and George and Janet Laing. My kids were playing up lol.
I did a mile warm up and made my way to the start, one row back from the front.
I did not know the course elevation and it was a tough first half, after about 400m I thought I would push the pace and I was in first place following the lead car (for the first time ever). I held on to first place until the 1st mile when I was passed by an Italian runner. I could not keep with him (well of course I could, but my negative brain was fighting and winning my positive brain and it convinced me that second would do).
I ran as hard as I could down the long hill constantly checking over by shoulder and I was delighted to finish in second place (out of over a thousand runners).
My time was 18:12, no where near where I wanted it to be but the first mile had 209 feet of climb. My GAP was approx. 5:33 minute miles.