Run > Race

Mad Dog 007: Live and Let Drool

I’d already abandoned any plans for a fast time, since I’m also fighting off a cold. I ran Mad Dog last year in 58:14, but I’m now carrying an extra 14 lbs since November’s PB, and having done zero speed training for what seems like months, I felt that getting under the hour would be an achievement in itself (Plan B). Failing that, Plan C was the tried & tested ‘just relax and enjoy it’.

Since I train in km’s, tracking getting a sub-60 was pretty straightforward – just run every split in under 6 minutes, which is fine if you train for it (I hadn’t). Started off well in 5:43, then slipped a bit to 5:51, then 5:59, then 6:01, then 6:06. Got to halfway in 29:39, but I was already beginning to feel the effort and lack of proper training.

I reached the water station at 5½km, and decided to walk a bit whilst drinking and re-grouping. What was I now hoping to achieve? My legs were already feeling the effort, and if I threw myself into it I may just scrape a sub-60 – but risk injury in the process. I decided it just wasn’t worth it – my performance in the race was a reflection of my training, if I wanted a faster time the work should have started before Christmas. I decided to switch to a more sedate pace, finishing in 1:03:01 – four seconds faster than my first ever 10k race back in June 2013!