10KM TIME TRIAL TAKE TWO

Friday's disastrous attempt at a 10km time trial had me spitting the dummy in fits of "woe is me, I'm a crap runner". It was a bad day. However once I pulled myself together I was determined to prove to myself that I had it in me to make the 10kms in coach's  time goal of sub 65. I had the 10km route measured out around my local streets and was going to use today's training session to see how I went.

I began the run falling quite easily and comfortably into my "run pace". This is faster than my jog but still not a fast pace by any stretch of a runner's imagination. Its a pace I like as it is a little challenging but I can maintain it for a reasonable distance. Fairly soon into my run I hit a long slightly uphill stretch but this didnt tax me as its still relatively flat (by Friday's standards). I felt good and was happy with my pace.

At the 5km mark I checked my time at 33:45. Hmmm not bad and I knew the sub 65 was highly possible. I pressed on knowing that at about 6 or 6.5kms I'd hit C Road and it would be downhill for a decent stretch (in fact almost all the way home). As I hit C Road I picked up my pace a little and started to feel REALLY GOOD. The endorphins kicked in and I could feel tears of joy wanting to form in my eyes. "This is what I love about running" I thought to myself. My stars and planets had aligned.

I maintained a strong pace the rest of the way. Coming close to home I hit a stretch of cafes and people meandering along. I ducked onto the road so as not to be slowed down. A considerate couple quickly got out of my way. They must have seen that I was serious about my pace and I wouldnt appreciate dancing around idlers on the footpath LOL.

At the 10km mark (close to home but not quite that far) I checked my time at 64:32. I had done it. I had run the 10kms in under 65 as my coach had wanted. I am not a crap runner. I walked home with a smile from ear to ear and gushed my result to Peter like a kid having scored the best ever Christmas present.

I'm not sure what the Greenbelt Half will bring. It may be undulating. It may well be a lot tougher than today's run. But I now know that I have a decent pace within me and if I find it on the day then I'll be ok. I have my confidence and positive attitude back and thats really the most important thing.

:-) Magda