Sunday 5th August 2007Harlow 10 Hot, hot, hot, first 10 mile race, started too quickly and then faded in the heat. Race splits listed below: Times
Wednesday 1st August 2007Peterborough 5k Series - Race 4 - Stamford After injury & illness this was just a speed workout with no aim of a PB. Set the Garmin for just under 22min pace. Really pleased with the confirmed time of 20:57. Bring on the Harlow 10! Race splits listed below: Times
Sunday 22nd July 2007St. Ives 10k This was my first ever race one year ago! The improvement has been 67 places and 5 minutes, 9 seconds. However the standard of the competitors has increased, 43:04 last year would have been 69th!!!! Just a PB - by five seconds - had hoped to be under 43 minutes but that's for next year. Really pleased with my progress and hope to continue the improvement in two weeks at the Harlow 10. Times
102nd, 0:43:04, #181, David Mould, Bushfield Joggers, M, V40 Sunday 15th July 2007Bushfield Anniversary 10k Didn't start with the aim of getting a PB, but did! Flat course with the exception of the infamous 'blue' bridge which you have to negotiate twice. This event will become, 'hopefully', an annual event Times
18th, 0:43:09, #18, David Mould, Bushfield Joggers, M, V40 Wednesday 4th July 2007Peterborough 5k Series - Race 2 - Eye Wet, windy and cooler than the previous race didn't raise hopes of a good time. However enjoyed the race immensely and apart from the final few hundred metres on grass felt comfortable. Official time of 20:21, splits below: Times
Sunday 1st July 2007Newmarket 10k This race had it all! Sun, rain, gusty wind, descents and a final 'killer' ascent. Also the race was superbly marshalled and organised by Newmarket Joggers. I'm positive that the final ascent prevented a PB but signs are good for achieving a PB on a flat course? Times
50th, 0:43:58, #132, David Mould, Bushfield Joggers, M, V40 Wednesday 20th June 2007Peterborough 5k Series - Race 1 - Ferry Meadows Supplementing my training with speed work by competing in the Peterborough 5K series. Really enjoyed the race and giving my birthday present, Garmin 205 Forerunner, a workout! My previously stated time was for running the 5K distance (20:31), not the actual course! 104th out of 253, 0:20:57, #6301, David Mould, Bushfield Joggers, M, V40 Monday 21st May 2007Hogweed Trot 10k An unexpected PB. As I was in the area decided to try the Hogweed Trot 10k. The omens were not good as for the last couple of days I suffered a sore throat, also just before the race my stopwatch failed and during the race I lost a contact lens. Despite these setbacks it was a good race with a relatively small field. For the first time I can recall I could see the leaders for the first mile or so....! As I was sans-watch the only feedback was a fellow runner informed me that the 2 mile marker was passed in around 14:15. At the finish asked a runner who just finished behind me what his time was, totally elated at the response 43:52. Really pleased that I've been under 45 minutes for the last three 10k races. Also the Hogweed course could not be classed flat, so perhaps I can shave a few more seconds of when racing in the Fens? 71st, 0:43:41, #116, David Mould, Bushfield Joggers, M, V40 Sunday 13th May 2007Eye 10k On an overcast, drizzly Sunday in May I competed in the Eye 10k. As this years 10k target already achieved I didn't intend on attempting a super fast time. The aim was to get under-45 minutes and this was accomplished. The start of the race was a bit chaotic and to overtake I must have gone significantly over distance. In all honesty the first half of the race was completed too quickly and the last kilometre was a struggle. Timings upset by unable to find the 6 & 7Km markers. Times
158th, 0:44:24, #96, David Mould, Bushfield Joggers, M, V40 In summary very happy with two successive 10k races completed in under 45 minutes! Wednesday 4th April 2007Keswick 'Around-the-Houses' 5.3miles Nearly didn't enter this race after the exertions on Monday when I completed the Ennerdale Horseshoe (as a walk). Very low aspirations, with the only goal to actually finish the race. Looking around the start line at all the very fit, lycra clad, local runners I felt a tad intimidated. This was totally misguided as they're a friendly bunch. Started the race at the back of the field with the intention of just letting the race develop. The city centre section came and went and I felt OK. Now the serious ascent began, just as I thought it had finished I rounded a bend to see the road twist upwards more steeply. Very proud of my performance as I didn't have to resort to walking. Made up several places during this stage. What goes up must come down! During the downhill descent it was a case of disengaging brain and brakes. My speed during this section must be the fastest I've ever run. Back through the city centre and my calf's started to tighten, fearing cramp I relaxed the pace as I was aware of a final ascent. Surprisingly during the final ascent my calf's felt OK and gave it everything to the finish. Made at least a dozen places in the last phase of the race. Really happy with 97th place out of 144 and a time of 40:01. Hopefully I will be back next year....really enjoyed it. Sunday 25th March 2007Thorney 10k First 10k race of the year and everything went right! Most of the runners were familiar faces as they were from local clubs (Yaxley, Thorney, Werrington, March, etc) who also compete in the Frostbite Series. Following the cold, damp Saturday, the weather was excellent, a real spring like day. I started near the back and it took just over 10 seconds to pass the start line. The first kilometre was spent moving gradually through the field, trying to catch up with Rob & Martin, two faster Bushfield Joggers (my club). I caught up with Rob & Martin around 2km marker, the only other 'Bushy' runner ahead was Dave, who I caught around 5km. Times
So the first target of the yeat achieved - a 10k in under 45 minutes! Apart from the section of the race from 1-2km, which was hard, the rest of the race was very enjoyable. 7th March 2007First hill run, I've run down many hills but never had the confidence or fitness (!) to attempt running up hill. Although small in statue Hackingknife within Werneth Low Country Park is relatively steep and provided a good initiation. As I was staying at the Premier Travel Inn located at the bottom of the M67 this run was tackled before breakfest. The details of the run as as follows: Distance: ~4.5 miles Ascent: ~140 metres Time: ~45 minutes
Sunday 4th March 2007Daniel was persuaded to race again and did very well, he was placed 47th with a time of 11:19.
Daniel sprinting towards the finish line. After putting in a good speed session the previous Wednesday - 3 miles in 19:27 - I picked up a virus on Friday and knew that my goal of a sub-35 minutes would not be achieved. Start of the race not helped as I had foolishly made my way to the Junior Frostbite start, not the Senior Frostbite start. Just got back to the Senior start as the gun went so no time to get my stopwatch or take off my tracksuit bottoms. Also it started to rain from the moment the race started. At least starting at the back it was mentally helpful to pass other runners. No idea of the split times, guess around 7:20. The finish was a gentle descent and must have made at least a dozen places in the last 300 metres. Overall pleased with a time of 37:09 and 191st place. For the 6 race series my average was 37:01. Sunday 4th February 2007On a bright but cool (-2) morning Daniel (my son, age 12) & I made our way to Bourne for the fifth Frostbite of the six race series. Daniel had attended two previous races but we hadn't arrived sufficiently early enough for him to enter the junior race that starts at 10:15am. No excuse this time as we arrived at Bourne well before 10am. As it was Daniel's first (ever) race expectations were not high, however he had a great time and finished 48th overall (3rd for Bushfield) in a time of 10:52 for around 1.5 miles. No pressure on Dad in the senior race then! As Bourne is the most hilly of the series I'd been looking forward to this race for a while and the course did not disappoint. As training hadn't gone well until the last week I decided to dispense with a stopwatch so no split times. The race itself was great, trails through the woods, short steep rises, longer insipid rises, a bit of field work, in fact everything bar tarmac. Not inhibited by constantly glancing at a watch I judged my pace by 'gut' feel. At the finish elated with a position of 154th and the following day even more elated at a time of 35:34 (only four seconds slower than the Bushfield time, which is a 'fast' course). Sunday 14th January 2007Cool but bright with a definite edge to the wind, the 4th Frostbite race of the season at Ramsey was run in weather nearer 'normal' winter conditions! Pre-warned that the surface could be /interesting/ trail shoes worn. After a false start, the starter accidently fired the pistol, I settled into a good rhythm for the first three miles - splits were 7:19, 7:12, 7:11. Between the third and fourth mile markers the course gently climbed and it was into the prevailing wind. I didn't think I had slowed much but was horrified at the split of 8:17. Other runners must have found it as difficult as I hadn't been passed by more than five or six over this period of the race. Upped the pace to the finish, but to be fair, didn't have a great deal left in the tank. Pleasantly surprised at my finishing position - best of the series (so far) - 166th. Not too unhappy with the time, 38:19, as the course was around 5.25 miles. Now looking forward to the next Frostbite, the hills of Bourne Wood! Sunday 31st December 2006On a mild but gusty day I made my way over to Little Downham a small village a few miles west of Ely for the Ely 10K. This is a very popular event and the race marshalls had to work really hard to find sufficient parking to accommodate all the runners automobiles. By 10:30am the village hall was heaving with all sorts of runners; fun runners (one in a Santa costume), club runners and the serious sub-35 runners. Get the excuses in early, I didn't know how I'd perform as I've recently suffered the Christmas virus that is doing the rounds. Also the gusty wind, blowing south to north, would preclude any super fast times. The start was accompanied with a Scottish piper - nice touch organisers. On to the race, the first kilometre is a gentle decline, from then on it is virtually snooker table flat until the gentle ascent back into the village between 8 & 9km. The 2km marker was passed in 9:13 and I felt good, wasn't having to work hard, settled into an easy rhythm. 4km marker reached in 18:28, so still nice and steady. Did take some water just before halfway, at this stage the gusty wind started to assert itself. Halfway time - 23:09. The next three kilmetres were hard work as the wind was a significant factor. This resulted in 7km being passed in a time of 32:41 and 8km in 37:28. Once the gentle decline was out the way, upped the pace and completed the last 2km in 8:49. In summary a good event, definitely like to do it again next year. Knocked about 2 minutes of my finishing time for my only other 10k race at St. Ives, so happy, with hard work I'm sure that I can break the 45min barrier. Official time - 46:18min, 141st overall, 120th male, 32nd in age group. Sunday 10th December 2006The third Frostbite race of the season actually lived up to its name, the weather was considerably cooler than the previous two. The first mistake of the day was to wear my normal running shoes. Due to the recent wet weather and the course being less than a third on tarmac, trail shoes should have been worn. The start/finish area had already started to turn into a muddy mess after the junior race. I started the race relatively well but, second mistake of the day, believed the first mile marker, which was passed in 6:45. This mile marker was significantly under distance! Not wishing to 'burn' out I relaxed the pace. Soon after the first mile marker I was joined with three fellow club runners and for the next three miles we ran together. The third mistake was leaving any overtaking until later in the race - due to the narrowness of the path and the slippery nature of going off path this did not result in making significant progress. Very disappointed in the time, 38:31, a good three minutes slower than the last Frostbite but still finished in 177th place (only three places worse than St. Neots my best placing so far). However valuable lessons have been learnt! I had been very pleased with progress until this race but I suppose it was inevitable sooner or later I'd get it wrong. Even though I made mistakes, they shouldn't be viewed as an excuse, I still ran a poor race, must do better next time. |
