Fifty things... Run a 10K Race

Well, I did it!

I ran my first ever 10K race in 1hour and 14minutes (does it sound quicker if I call it 74 minutes?) this Sunday at the Market Drayton 10K 2013.

The winner of the race, athlete Chris Davies, set a new course record of 30minutes 39seconds. (He has also finished our Telford Parkrun 5K in 14mins 50secs). This does make my time look pitiful but I was by no means last and I am really proud that I ran the whole 10K without stopping to walk. I have seen some video footage of myself running past and I have to admit that yes I do plod along at the speed of slow. My new target is to speed up a bit - get comfortable with running a respectable 10min mile pace with some energy left for a good final push.

I have a photograph that really sums up the whole 10K experience for me. This is my daughter waving her medal in triumph and just over her shoulder in the background is me, crossing the finish line with a slightly pained smile on my face.

Although for a few moments after finishing I thought I might be sick and if I had not had my daughter's boyfriend to hold onto I may well have fallen over with the light headedness I was experiencing, it did not take long to recover and I felt AMAZING. The sense of accomplishment (and probably a good few endorphins) gave me such a great feeling of positivity and contentment. I was soon posing for photographs and enjoying the company of family and friends who had also taken part in the running or marshalling (and giving much needed support on the way round)

It was a very uplifting and emotional experience taking part in the race - being 1 of 1700 runners, each with their own motivations and goals. The elite athletes (Chris Davies proving himself to be the 'elitest' of the elite), the incredible people raising money for charity in various fancy dress get ups, and the participating masses all sharing the same course, all pushing themselves to achieve what they set out to do. I loved it.

Image by Bryan Dale - www.racephotos.org.uk

My husband finished in 55mins 39secs  but paid a high price for his sub 1hour time. He is suffering with knee pain which  he thinks is Iliotibial Band Syndrome - a common complaint in runners. Luckily there is a wealth of advice on the internet about how to prevent and treat the condition.

I probably shouldn't be laughing at him!

I still can't quite believe that I did it. The whole thing took on a dreamlike quality as soon as it was over but the lingering sense of accomplishment is something I am going to try and hold onto for as long as possible. It was this sense of "I can do anything" that gave me the courage to step on the scales this morning, take stock of the weight I have allowed to creep on and start to do something about it. I want to be in the best shape possible for my next running challenge - to run 5K in less than 30 minutes. 

And perhaps for my pre-race prep next time I will base my activities more around sport science than baking!

Pre 10K race prep - make runner biscuits!