This race was one of those I signed up for months and months ago. I’m not really sure why, it just seemed a good excuse to visit Portsmouth again and also re-run one of my first ever races.

Following Berlin I somewhat pushed it to the back of my mind, my running has been sparse to say the least, baring the two races I have blogged about I have barely put my trainers on…

Roll on Sunday morning, race day, over 100 miles from home. I had already established I didnt have my SIS energy drink, nor my gel belt and add to the list no safety pins. I thought the last odd, as they are normally in the race envelope although there is a part of me that recollects possibly using them for the Royal Parks Half 3 weeks ago! So far the list of things I had forgotten was just about passable, I knew id get pins at the start and I could live without the SIS. However, what was about to happen next was a major cockup. As I went to put my chip on my trainers I opened my shoe bag to be presented with my trail shoes, Fudge, I couldn’t run a road race in these. At this moment I had 2 options, 1 pull out or 2 run in my day to day trainers. Had I been in mid-training for a longer run I’d have probably opted for option 1. However, as this was my last planned race of 2011 I figured what was the worst that could happen so went for option 2. I should point out my day to day trainers are kswiss and designed to be run in (but they are neutral and and don’t have the right support). Pulling the laces tight the chip was added, I cant deny, I was definitely apprehensive about running.

Time for breaky, Laura laughed about how my food choice seemed more extreme than most other runners in the hotel who opted for bananas. I figured it was a late start and I could eat what I wanted really. I had a nice suprise when Chris my best man turned up un announced to support me. I was shocked and very grateful!

Wow, forth paragraph and I haven’t even started the race, readers I apologise. At this point I should just fast forward to the start, where due to Martin Lewis (my boss) running the race, I had the fortune of starting with the celebs and media at the front. Standard banter between Iwan Thomas and I ensued, it seems we constantly race the same events. Whilst he has the upper edge on shorter distances of 10km and under its about this distance where I could possibly beat him.

The claxon went off, we were 3 rows from the front and the elite men went off like whippets. Iwan wasnt much different and wanting to keep up I clocked a sub 7 min first mile, way too quick for me and he was far ahead of me (so much for a slow first half mate!) I pulled back my pace and got into a rhythm that I should find ok to hangon to and take in the sights.

At one of the switchbacks at about 6 miles I clocked Iwan probably about 800meters ahead of me, tortoise and hair came to mind. Onwards I pushed, 7 miles no sign of him, 8 miles nothing, until about 8.7miles when way up in the distance I spotted him. Could I make back 200 meters in just over a mile…?

I pushed on at the hardest part of the course along the sea front with a head wind. Judging from my watch I was maintaining a consistent pace and Iwan got closer and closer. Somehow at about 9.2 miles I caught him. I pushed on, hoping to get enough distance to help with the final 400m (his optimum race distance). As I entered the final 200m over the tannoy I heard his name announced and I gave all I had. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him as I crossed the line, a part of me thought he had slowed to let me win (if you did Iwan, thanks )

Laura and Lara (Martin’s wife) met met right on the finish line and we waited to cheer Martin over. He did amazingly well completing the run in 1:28:10. For someone who hadn’t run that far ever he should be mighty pleased with his time.

Anyway 10m completed in 01:14:34, am pretty damn happy about that as going into the race I had no idea what form I was in and all things considered I can’t grumble at 7:30 min miles over the distance.

Its a bit odd as I write this I have no more events in my diary for 2011, the season appears to be over. Time to look back and reflect and ultimately decide what happens in 2012…

N

10 hilly miles in Stockport was the one of the major things in my mind whilst I was taking on another glass of wine at the work Xmas do on Friday. Sure I would have recovered from the side effects of the alcohol in 2 days but I didn’t much like the thought of a nauseous train journey at 8am the following morning. So like a good boy at about 930 I stopped drinking, a wise move I think!

Staying at a hotel next to Euston meant we didn’t have to get up at silly o’clock for the journey and after a pleasant journey we were in Stockport with plans to head into Manchester city centre and the Xmas Market. Manchester was heaving, as to be expected, and frickin cold. We met up with Lauras uni friends and drank mulled wine, ate German sausage and pancakes and over the course of 6 hours I gradually lost the feeling of my hands and toes due to the cold. I don’t think any of what I had done in the buildup to this race would be listed in the 101 guide to racing and tapering. Fortunately we did manage an early night which was somewhat of a result.

With the race starting 5mins from where we staying thanks to the generous hospitality of Sam and Matt the morning was chilled. Shower, breakfast, kit up then head out. We left the house. Have I mentioned it was cold…the roads were icy and slippy – this was going to be interesting! The journey was short and before long we had collected our numbers and waiting for the off.

At 10:15 the race started, after two laps of the track we headed out of the AC and into the park. The paths were icy but before long we were on even icier roads and pavements. This race was to continue on a similar vain and I would be watching my footing throughout ensuring my race didn’t finish early due to a slip! I was prepared for a hilly race this time, unlike with Dartford, I had done a little bit of hill work locally but nothing substantial. I had no idea of the profile except there was a hill at 6miles and again at 9. Setting my virtual partner at an 8min mile pace I should definitely beat it but I wasn’t sure how hilly it was and how i’d cope with the ice. The first mile came in way ahead of the watch and so did all the subsequent miles except 1 – the 6th mile which came in at 8:01, that’d be the mile with the ‘hill’. We covered 60meters in a mile with a final steep climb of 10meters in under a tenth of a mile – tough! That said what goes up must come down (in a point to point race anyway) and a mile or so later I clocked a sub 7min mi which I was happy even if it was artificially aided by the gradient!

I well and truly obliterated my virtual partner coming in at 1hr13. Sam, who I was staying with came in just two minutes behind me, very impressive as she had set her pace at 9min/mi. Don’t think it will take her long to be overtaking me so at least I got in there first with one race! Justin, who I met at the Thunder Run also came over from Leeds to take part and he flew (finishing in 63mins), one day I hope to be able to stay with him for just one mile…one day! The last and only other 10m race I have done was the Great South in November 2008, I finished that in 01:25:34 so in just over 2 years I have taken 12 minutes off of my time – not bad!

This is the last race I am booked into in 2010 time to relax, rest and recover. I will do some light runs over the coming months but ultimately it will be an opportunity to prepare for whatever is to come in 2011!

Well done Sam and Justin for great races also for Tom Williams of Marathon Talk and his wife Helen who also ran and we bumped into at the end – it was a great event to finish the year with! It was also great to meet Justin’s girlfriend Ash who came along to support with Laura and Matt, I suspect she was a little bit envious and would have like to have been out running too!