A tale of two races...

For me, racing is the best part of running; it's the culmination of all your training and hard miles you've put in and for the chance to push yourself against like-minded individuals. On occasion they can be the worst part of running, as I discovered this weekend.

 

In the last two weeks I 'completed' two races; a local club organised 10k road race, and an independent company organised 10k tough mudder type race.

 

One cost £12.50, was extremely well organised with excellent marshalling, water on route as well as being chip timed and having a great technical t-shirt on completion.

 

The other cost £30, had no sort of organisation about it, with close to no marshalling and no form of signage to show the route you should take (pretty important given the course took you through wooded areas with multiple tracks) and the tackiest, cheapest medal at the finishing line.

 

Probably not surprisingly, the cheaper, well organised race was the Penny Lane Striders 10k, for which I couldn’t commend, or recommend enough. It follows a route along the Otterspool promenade before looping back and diverting on to a paved, wooded section. It was a tough race with a strong head wind on the return leg of the promenade, but one I thoroughly enjoyed. I completed it in 42:19,  and despite wanting to go under 42 minutes I was happy given that head wind.

 

The independent company organised race, titled ‘Total Grit Xtreme’, was clearly just set up to be a money maker. For £30 it was a cheap version of tough mudder (other obstacle races also available), and whilst my expectations weren’t high, I do expect a race to start on time, and to ensure I get round safely. Not the case; I and over 20 others got lost due to there being little marshalling and no signs, and spent a good 15 minutes running around a wooded area just trying to get back to the start. We eventually did, but only by running alongside, and eventually crossing, a main ‘A’ road.

 

So, in the last two weeks I’ve seen the best and the worst of running; a running club organising a fantastic race for the love of running, and an independent company organising a ‘race’ only to fleece and make money out of people who just want to do an activity they love.

 

Final Race Stats

 

Penny Lane 10k:

Garmin Here

Strava Here

 

Cool technical tee:

 

 

Excellent photography skills here showing I am, in fact, winning the race (!)

 

Source: David Pinnington

 

 

Total Grit Xtreme:

Garmin Here

Strava Here

 

The 'medal'

 

Before getting lost; a tunnel, and bales of hay obstacle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mersey Tunnel 10k 2015

3^rd times a charm… Or not

Sunday 7^th June 2015 was the third time I took on the Mersey Tunnel 10k, which is usually the race I look forward to most in the year, and the course of my 10k PB. I knew I wasn’t in PB condition, but wanted to get round in a progressive time compared to my previous 10k races.

I didn’t really pay much attention to the race instructions as I ‘knew’ where it started. After I parked up I watched a few runners walking the wrong way to the start line; ‘look at them’ I thought, 'going the wrong way, obviously newbies to the course'…

…Soon what can only be described as huge swathes of runners were going the wrong way to the start line; it was at this point when I started to doubt myself about knowing where the race started. Turns out you should always read the race instructions in case the start line is moved compared to previous years.

After consulting the race instructions and following everyone making my way to the start line I warmed up and got ready. I was running this race with a mate whose first race this would be.

If you haven’t read my previous report on this race (I wouldn’t either) then you’ll know that the route takes you from Liverpool, through the Wallasey tunnel and into… Wallasey...

It’s the tunnel-y bit which is essentially the pull & appeal of the race.

Unfortunately, the moving of the start line, which was to a very narrow side street, meant once the 2,800 runners were sent on their marching orders, caused a very congested opening several hundred metres. Added to this was that the tunnel was right after these opening several hundred metres.

The tunnel starts off as a downhill before levelling out and then turning into an incline. Congested start and downhill = lots of runners racing ahead, but slowing down when they hit the incline, which = a lot of dodging if you don’t slow down with them.

After getting out the tunnel the route opened up on to the streets before tracking the prom for the final half of the race. It’s always a nice view looking back across the Mersey to The Liver Birds and all the other great architecture in Liverpool.

I'd lost my mate in the tunnel, but we'd agreed if this happened to just meet up at the finish line.

Having conquered the toughest part of the route and being on the prom allowed me to focus on maintaining the quickest pace I could through to the finish, which wasn't that fast at this point.

I was however given somewhat of an adrenaline rush at around 7km when my name was screamed in a somewhat satisfied tone* by a race marshal. The marshal in question was a young lady, and as I'm not used to young ladies screaming my name in a satisfied tone (or any kind of tone if I'm honest), I was flooded with a surge of adrenaline which allowed me to (try to) raise my thumb in thanks, smile, and up my pace for about 20 seconds.

Following this encounter I plodded on and having turned a dog leg corner to face some headwinds the finish line was in sight; I upped my pace and crossed the finish line, absolutely knackered.

Final Race Stats

44:25 - slower than my previous two 10ks this year, but a very much tougher course given the congestion at the start and profile of it.

The medal was, as usual, excellent. A decent technical tee and one I would wear in the winter months to be seen due to its fluorescent-ness (if I were to not horde my race t-shirts away), and a nice little goody bag:

Garmin here
Strava here

Final Notes

I'll continue to run this race every year because of the opportunity to run through the Wallasey tunnel, but unfortunately I don't feel its the same as it used to be given the moving of the start line.

* this is total embellishment on my part in an attempt to be funny (I know, I should leave that to the hilarious Jay at Born to Plod)

Mad Dog 10k Race Review

Woof woof!! Sunday 8th February 2015 saw my return to racing for the first time in (a long) 18 months. The race took place on a darn cold & freezing morning in Southport, a race I'd signed up for twice previously but hadn't been able to compete in due to injury. Southport being the place where, as a high school student, you either went here, or to Liverpool, for a drunken night out***

Anyway, everything I'd heard about the Mad Dog 10k race was positive, and it certainly didn't disappoint; great organisation from the car parking and bus to the start, baggage facilities, and entertainment on course. -The worst part was the shedding of layers and stepping out into the cold February air to warm up.

Warm up I didn't, not until about 4km in to the race anyway!

The out and back course saw the run start off along the Southport promenade before turning back and heading into Southport town a little and past plenty of fantastic singers and those awesome drummer gang/groups.

Despite having a large proportion of the run on the prom, the wind wasn't strong and I only once felt the need (but didn't) to shove my hands down the front of my shorts to warm them up (and before you start frowning, it definitely works - though is somewhat of a skill to keep your balance at times).

With having done zilch speed work, I was aiming for a steady 45 minutes, I even managed to not get caught up in race fever until about 8km in when a lad wearing what can only be described as flip flops made out of car tyres (think Born to Run by Christopher McDougall) decided that he would be posting a faster time than me... That wasn’t going to happen.

In true <insert your running hero here> fashion I tailed tyre feet until the last 200 metres then put on a Mo Farah like dash to the finish line to dip (didn’t really dip) to beat him by milliseconds (wasn’t really milliseconds).

Final Race stats

My time was 43:36 – a time I’m really happy with considering my lack of fitness, and I didn’t feel like I really pushed myself the way I normally would in a race.

The bling and ‘doggy bag’ were excellent; a good quality technical t-shirt, a pair of running socks as well as the usual pens, highlighters and flyers:

 

 

Garmin Here

Strava Here

Final notes 

The Mad Dog 10k made me realise just how much I've missed races; from the camaraderie, to the nerves before the starter gun despite knowing you can run the distance and the swell of adrenaline as you muster up a sprint finish.

 

My only slight disappointment was not running in my club’s colours; I’m not ‘officially’ a member of the club at the moment – something I’m goin to remedy soon J

 

***Alternatively you didn’t go to either of these places for a drunken night out as no false ID would convince any bouncer you were of drinking age.

Race Review: Active Knowsley 5k

The Active Knowsley 5k takes place in the grounds of Knowsley Hall – a magnificent state home with plenty of surrounding land to boot. A great tranquil setting for a 5k race!

Knowsley Hall: Not too shabby huh?!

Having run this last year and knowing the course I was really looking forward to it. It’s a fairly up and down course at times but enjoyable none the less.

After Sunday Morning’s Mersey Tunnel 10k I really wanted to try for sub 20 minutes to test out my fitness.

7.15pm sharp the race started and off I popped – the only competitor wearing my club’s racing colours, despite there being 3 club mates there. I was however, joined by plenty of Knowsley Harriers in contrasting red and white horizontal striped vests; I can only presume this was a club championship race for them.

I completed the first km in a speedy 3:51 through winding landscape, but on a tarmac-ed path which was best of both worlds! I slowed down for the next couple of kilometres to bring my 3km split to 12:04, so still on track.

Rain had started to pour down, that fine stuff that gets you really wet y’know? (Not the purple stuff – thanks Peter Kay) This was nice and cooling, but there was to follow a 20m elevation climb in kilometre four. Not a particularly daunting prospect but given my lack of speed and hill work something I struggled with.

Due to this I had to pretty much kiss goodbye to my sub-20 hopes as I clocked the penultimate kilometre at 4:18 (dang).

I was a bit annoyed with myself at this point for going out ‘too quickly’ as I was feeling the pace… Then came along a runner who decided to over-take me, so I thought I’d use him as a pacer – he was going pretty fast and was a fairly tall bloke, so I got in right behind him and tried to get into his slipstream (don’t I sound technical… I probably wasn’t in his slipstream or anything but I’ll take anything that makes me think I can run faster).

With 300 yards to go I was setting a pace to complete what would be a quick kilometre time; was I on for my sub 20 after all? Pacer guy and I (kind of rhymes) stepped it up a notch before turning a corner to the final straight and for the last 200 yards I absolutely killed myself in the sprint finish – my watch was counting to 20 minutes; 5 seconds to go 4 seconds to go…

I crossed the finish line…

I looked down at my watch….

20:05… DAMN!!!!

5 seconds quicker and I would’ve been sub 20 again!

Final Race stats

Time: 20:05 (The last kilometre, though a fast 3:43 wasn’t enough to offset kilometre four’s so arsed-ness)

Garmin here

A great race, nice and relaxed atmosphere with a small number of runners making quite an intimate, but competitive race.

Race bling:
 

Final notes

I’m not disappointed with my time. It would have been really nice to get sub 20, but my fitness is where it’s at, and I need to get back running like I was this time last year to get anywhere near my PB’s.

I’ll be taking a rest now and give the foot/lower shin problem I’ve had for the last month a chance to recover – it, and I, needs it!

Race Review: Mersey Tunnel 10k 2013

This was my third time running the Mersey Tunnel 10k, a race that starts in Liverpool city centre, and finishes in New Brighton on 'the Wirral' by going through the Kingsway Tunnel.

The Kingsway Tunnel is a road tunnel under the River Mersey and runs (see what I did there) between Liverpool and Wallasey. It is one and half miles long and is the' brother' tunnel of the Queensway Tunnel which runs between Liverpool and Birkenhead (which coincidentally,  and rather coolly, features in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1)

Due to this the race is a point to point course - a bit of a rarity these days.

The weather started out brilliantly - a nice warm summer morning with a hint of a breeze. My plan was to start out quickly as the course had a large downhill section in the tunnel before a a climb to get out and then a sharp rise upon leaving the tunnel. I figured I would 'get ahead' in the first half of the race where it was a faster section allowing for a bit of slower second half due to the course conditions.

The first part of my plan worked very well - I completed the first 4kms in a fairly quick 15:20. After this I pretty much lost my pacing as I was now in the tunnel and my garmin had lost its signal. Many people wonder what the air is like in the tunnel, and if its claustrophobic or scary to run in.

Truth is, the air is a little stale, nothing more, and I never feel claustrophobic or scared in the tunnel.... I don't normally get claustrophobic, and it really didn't cross my mind - I was too focused on my running. Having said that, there is a bloke from my running club who doesn't do this race as he hates the tunnel.

So, 4km in and I'm thinking, "sub 40?" but I quickly pushed those thoughts away, especially as the tunnel began to rise! It's not the ascent in the tunnel that gets me; it's on exiting the tunnel - there is a sharp left with a really steep climb that sucker punches the legs and breathing.

After this point the race is half done and runners make their way onto the nice flat promenade. I somehow missed the 6km marker so when I finally hit 7km I didn't worry about my time and tried to finish strongly. I knew sub 40, and sub 41, were out of the question as the steep climb out of the hill as well as the sun, which was now beating down, zapped energy.

The finish line was soon in sight and the crowds began to thicken, I raised my pace for a sprint finish and crossed the line, happy, drenched, and knackered! 

Final Race stats

Time: 41:26
Final position: 144/2852

Garmin here (although it's a bit all over the place due to losing signal in the tunnel)

Race bling:

A decent medal and really good quality technical t shirt (which isn't actually a half bad fit for a change)

 

Final notes

The Mersey Tunel 10km is a fantastically novel race. Add in it's brilliantly organised, as well as a quality medal and technical t-shirt make this probably, my favourite race there is. It's not really a PB course, but then sometimes, that's not what running is all about

The time was a season's best and I worked really hard for it, but it felt brilliant. Despite not training as much as I'd like I feel like my fitness is really coming along.

Walton Hall Park 5 miler 2013

My second race in 3 days gave me a bad-ass affliction of DOMS galore, which weren’t actually delayed in their onset… Two days after the Port Sunlight 10k I returned to Walton Hall Park, running club’s base during the winter months, for a 5 mile race.

This was my first ever 5 mile race so I was guaranteed a personal best, and I think I speak for most runners when I say, I love a good PB!

As expected this was an excellent turn out from fellow club runners, as well as other local running clubs. Due to this it felt like it was some kind of club championship (/in my mind’s eye an Olympic race as we were all in our racing colours).

I had two goals for this race: don’t go out too fast, and complete the 5 miles quicker than I completed the first 5 miles of the Liverpool Spring 10k race. This meant my time to beat was 33:29.

I didn’t start near the front which meant I wouldn’t get carried away too much. The temptation was there to join the faster members of the club but I knew I’d only regret it if I injured myself from over-doing it.

My starting point worked to my advantage as the faster runners in front of me seemed to run off into the sunset (leaving me behind, boo hoo!) while I maintained a steady pace over the first kilometre – 4:02; a little fast but no sub 4 minute kilometres were going to be happening today!

The course followed a one small loop, two large loops strategy which I quite liked, as it allowed me to see runners up ahead, as well as being able to gauge when to make a move on the final lap for a sprint(ish) finish.

Having not raced a 5 miler before I wasn’t sure how to pace myself but managed to settle down into a rhythm and ended up in a bit of a scrap with another runner (not a fight scrap, an I’m going to beat you scrap). This helped take my mind off constantly checking my Garmin for my pace.

It was quite fun having a mini race with another runner as I was trying to pull away from him whenever the opportunity arose, only for him to appear at my side like a shadow... But a really, really tall shadow in neon yellow and calf compression socks.

This bit of competition meant my pace varied; kilometre two was my slowest at 4:15, then kilometre three was my quickest at 4:01. Small lap done it was on to the final two...

The large laps of the race showed the same pattern in terms of pace - a slower middle kilometre due to a slight and prolonged incline (4:13 & 4:12) either side of quicker kilometre splits.

So, coming through the final lap I knew that I needed to try and push on at the peak of the incline to finish with a good time. My plan was to do this coming up to the peak of the incline as there was a sharp turn straight afterwards.

The latter stages of the incline approached, I stuck to the inside and pushed on. There was still half a kilometre left at this point so it was just an upping of pace, but it seemed to work - I pulled away from neon-compression-socks-man and gained, then passed, two other runners.

It came to the final bend and the home straight and I raised a sprint and passed one more runner as I watched the clock tick closer to 33 minutes... and...

...I finished in exactly 33 minutes.... Nearly 30 seconds ahead of my target

Final Race Stats

Time: 33:00
Position: 51/257
First 4km: 16:31
Second 4km: 16:29 (a good negative split! -Especially considering there was an extra 0.12km here too)

Garmin Here

A really enjoyable race, excellently organised, and a refreshing route - no roads, just park pathways. I will definitely be competing in this next year.

Race bling:

Final Note

I really, really, enjoyed this race, probably more so because my previous race left me feeling like I didn't enjoy myself. I was happy with my pacing, my time, and whilst it was hard going and I know I've still got a long way to go in terms of fitness to get back to where I was last year, I enjoyed the feeling of not being able to go any faster.

Port Sunlight 10k 2013

This was my second race of the year… Two weeks earlier I’d completed the Liverpool Spring 10k in a time of 41:52 which I was very happy about. However, since then I hadn’t trained much due to shin splints and so had only plodded about for a few tentative miles.

Despite this my prep for the race had gone well; carb loading the night before rather than apple loading (in the form of cider), an early night’s sleep, and the prospect of a course where “road quality is very good and flat throughout”. I was feeling confident I could better my Spring 10k time.

I rolled up on the day and got chatting with club members before a quick warm up and off to the start line. It was a nice day for it – not too hot, but warm enough so that I was feeling comfortable in my skimpy running vest (what a mental image)…

We were soon off, and, as I’d started near the front, was swept along with the fast runners and completed the first kilometre in 3:59 – I felt fine… My subsequent two kilometres were equally quick times; 4:09 and 4:03 respectively.

It was around then that the twisting and turning nature, as well as the slight (slight is relative here) increases in gradient of the course knocked me for six. I suddenly couldn’t get my breath back and I slowed right down.

As I knew the course was a two lap affair I tried to get my breathing back under control for the half way mark. Due to this I slowed for the 5^th kilometre quite a bit, despite this I delivered the first half of the race in a not too shabby 20:47. (Kilometre 4 & 5 in 4:14 & 4:22).

Problem was, I couldn’t catch my breath.

So, I decided rather than flog myself for a certain time, just go at a pace that was fairly quick and give myself a workout. You’d think this would allow me to enjoy the rest of the race.

It didn’t…

Enter 8km guy… A local resident who nearly made me go all animalistic on his arse (not in a sexual way – even if I had wanted to I wouldn’t have had the energy) by exclaiming ‘not far to go now’. I feel my self-control at not shouting back at him ‘there are two bloody kilometres left, <expletive>’ was excellent.

The highlight of the race on the last lap was seeing fellow club runners going the opposite way and high fiving them, sweaty handed and all…

 

None of my last five kilometres were under 4:30 except for the very last one when I pushed on and tried a sprint finish.

I crossed the line with a time of 42:37, a full 45 seconds slower than Liverpool Spring 10k. I wasn’t a happy bunny!!

Final Race stats

Time: 42:37

Position: 112/1217

First 5km: 20:47

Second 5km: 21:50

Garmin Here  

A good race – though not quite as flat as advertised. Well organised and a good mix of running ability amongst the entrants. I liked the way you would go past runners going the opposite way and give/receive encouragement from fellow club runners.

Race bling:

Final notes

I was really disappointed and a bit angry with myself just after completing the race, mainly because of the time I posted, which made me feel like I didn’t enjoy it. However, at the half way point I was very happy, it was just the latter half, and I’d consciously made a decision to not over exert myself.

On reflection, I should be happy I completed the race in a half decent time considering the lack of running in the two weeks leading up to it, and how much I struggled. I’m back running again, and there is no better feeling in the world!!