Stamfordham 10 K Race no. 76

Back into the race routine

Summer Evening in Northumberland

Stamfordham Jail with Race Headquarters in the background

 

 I love running on summer evenings and when there is an opportunity to race 10K, only seven miles from your front door, you just do it.

So it was that I and running pal, Brian Stonehouse, turned up at Stamfordham on Wednesday night for Run Britain's Stamfordham 10K.

It was actually a few weeks since I had last raced in anger having overdone it in the Wiggle Hell of Hexham, cycle Sportive, at the end of July. Whilst I had put some miles into training, increasing my average distance towards the upcoming Great North Run, I needed to see if I still had the competitive edge.

Brian and I are pretty well matched in finishing times over a 10K  ( also 10 miles, half marathon and marathon distances), but go about a race in different ways. He is sensible, setting off at a reasonable pace and looking for a negative split. I, on the otherhand, set off fast and hope to keep it going through the race. This is what I have done for nearly thirty years, but I may, just may, try to run an even pace in my next race, then I will find out what is best for me.

I know, I should have learned many years ago that a fast start is not putting time in the bank, it actually tires you. Still, on Wednesday away I went towards the front of the field . A glance at the watch gave me a 6.30 / 6.45 pace as the field settled into pace and the really fast boys and girls started to move away from me. 6.55 for the first mile and I felt fresh. 7.19 for mile 2 and 7.28 for the third mile meant that the 5K point was reached in just over 22 minutes. Considering that this was an undulating course I was fairly happy with the half way result.

The course had taken us onto quiet country roads through Dalton and past Dissington Hall, before turning onto an even quiter road for the return to Stamfordham. At this point I had counted only four runners who had passed me after that first mile. That was good enough for me and I was happy that I was keeping the pace below 8 minute miling even on the ascents. A final left turn , the fourth since the start on this circular course, took us onto the Belsay/ Stamfordham Road and the final mile. I knew that the finish was downhill, but looking ahead we were still going up hill. A glance at the watch told me that I had ran 5.80 miles and with a runner breathing down my neck it was suddenly the downhill section to the finish.

Have I mentioned that I am competitive? Having being caught by another runner was more than enough incentive for a sprint finish and so it was that I turned the mile 6 pace of 7.53, the slowest of my race , into a 6.01 sprint for the line. Did he catch me, what do you think?

Finishing in an ok 46.28 I turned to see another runner, Noel Urwin, finishing just five seconds behind.I have got to know Noel through these Run Northumberland events and we chatted about Strava and the performance statistics which you can analyse by downloading your watch onto the internet. Having done just that I note that Noel ran an even paced race, starting at the same pace in which he finished. The obvious conclusion for me is that if, if only, I could start at a slower pace, could I achieve a decent negative split in races;ie. do the second half of the race quicker than the first? Remind me to try it in my next race.

I finished in 35th position and 1st V65, Brian didn't have a good one on a warm night, finishing in 50.05 for 57th place. 139 ran.

Now to get through the 10 mile barrier in my half marathon training.