D-day 10k Portsmouth

This was the first time I've done this race, previous years having clashed with other commitments. It is held on the Wednesday nearest to D-day, which this year happened to actually be D-day: 6th June.

The course starts at the Mountbatten Centre with 2 laps of the track before heading up the promenade, following the Promenade 5k course, looping round Hilsea Lido and returning for another lap of the track before heading out again for a second lap round the Lido. The course can be quite exposed, as we discovered for the 5k, and though the wind was lighter there was still a stiff breeze on the outward journey along the prom. The temperature was around 19°C when we started, so not too bad in the cooling breeze.

After a good bit of chin wagging with some familiar faces at the start, I spotted some more of the usual suspects on the start line and realised I was in for a bit of a race. I started off sensibly though, letting my first target Paula run away a bit, and letting my team mate Graham provide the pacing. After about 1km we overtook Paula and caught my other team mate Dave, who was having a hard time - I think he pulled out at half way.

I was then caught by Bev my Havant track team mate, running for her first-claim club Stubbington, and we ran together for a couple of kilometres. I would have been content to just keep pace with Bev but I managed to get the confidence to push on and away from her. It's all very well having these little battles - they're certainly fun - but ultimately you have to run your own race and make your own pacing decisions. With hindsight I'm glad I pushed on.

By half way I'd dropped Bev and was able to push past Graham and on back up the promenade. Up ahead I could see 3 more women and I knew I had to catch them if I was to be in with a chance of a prize. I tried to remember my racing tactics and make each overtaking decisive so that they couldn't latch on to me. In fact, as they were all in a line I pretty much ended up overtaking them all in one go - that's decisive! It resulted in my fastest kilometre but I felt strong so kept pushing for the finish, helped by a couple of men who had seemingly made the move with me.

I heard a marshal shout that the 3rd place woman was 70m ahead. I couldn't see her, but did he really mean I was in 4th? Good news indeed.

I felt a couple of people on my shoulder and kept expecting to see a woman push past me in the run in. Unusually for me I had a quick glance over my shoulder, but there were only men trying to pace off me. One overtook me and I used him to lift me for the final push for the line.

I crossed the line 4th woman and 1st W45. I'm very pleased with that: my best result ever for such a large field (450 runners). Kath Bailey won with Karrie Blake, last year's winner, 2nd. I finished ahead of all the W35 and W40 runners (with the exception of W35 Kath) so it's a shame I wasn't given the W35 prize - I'd have been quite happy with that! I hope the W35 and W40 winners didn't get more money than me. (I've already admitted to being a pot-hunter - well it is nice to win)

I was a bit slower than I'd hoped, in 42:45, but everyone seemed to think they were a bit slow. There was quite a bit of breeze and it was still quite warm, so maybe that's the explanation.

I was pleased with how I ran - absolutely even 5k splits 21:22, 21:23. I wondered if maybe I could have gone off a bit quicker, but as I was pushing hard in the last couple of kms for a dead even split, then maybe I paced it right. It's certainly much easier picking people off one by one than trying to defend your position.

My splits:
1 4:13 139bpm
2 4:15 150bpm
3,4 4:22 152bpm
5 4:09 153bpm
6 4:25 157bpm
7 3:58 159bpm
8 4:24 158bpm
9 4:30 158bpm
10 4:05 158bpm
42:45 ave 153bpm

The uneven splits could have been due to the wind on the outgoing half of each of the 2 laps, or it could have been the fact that the km markers were on lampposts so were all +/-30m

Very pleased, and £15 better off!