Marwell 10K New Race Distance

This is what I call the 10k season I have 3 booked in, more if work commitments allow.

Today started off well until Hazel said what time do I need to be at the finish I looked at my wrist and did not see my Garmin watch we were 10 minutes away from Marwell so going home was not an option, after the initial frustration and a couple of swear words thrown in for good measure.

A decision has to be made a good one or the bad one, a good decision it is (thank you slimpod) I am going to run my first ever 10k without my Garmin nor my normal watch with it's stop watch, all of a sudden I felt naked, how will I now how fast I am running, how will I know if I walk how long for, How How How. Not going to know anything unless I run the 10k in 34 minutes and have the pace car with the big clock on top!!

Surprisingly I never get negative or upset about this just the opportunity to learn new things on my running journey to test myself and whatever happens, happens if it's not good then so what, that normally happens and I will have opportunity's in the future to redress the balance. If it goes well then hell not only am I improving as a person but also as a runner and the world's my oyster. Plus I have a secret weapon that only Sandra (Founder Thinking Slimmer) know's about, that's why I have so much pride in running this race today. More later the race first.

My aim was to run/jog the whole race without walking, whilst unrealistic not having this goal would mean I would let myself down if I struggled, Unrealistic? this race has 7k of hills the up bits are hard the down bits fun, so running on my own with no one pushing me would be almost impossible to do, but having set this goal I knew I would have to dig in on the hills and push myself further than ever before to keep going so that when I was really finding it tough and I was hurting the walking would be needed for recovery and would be shorter as I would be closer to the top.

This worked a treat and I found a runner who encouraged me to keep going as it would help her as well, I am so grateful to you for getting me over most of those hills and I hope you had a good time as well, although I fell behind her we wished each other well. I pushed on wondering not how well I was doing but how slow am I going how stupid will I look at the end, I really had no clue to my time how fast I was running just that it was hard. Hard in a good way because I was pushing myself or hard in a bad way because this was one of those bad running days that come along sometimes.

Clearly having lots of thoughts in my mind during the run made the race go quickly (if that makes sense) and all of a sudden I'm entering the zoo and the wonderful down hill finish having not run many races (this is number 5) I loved the finished very runner friendly unlike the uphill start! Running on my own I hear my number and name called from the announcer suddenly I feel 10 feet tall and race the last 200 yards down hill to the finish I spot Hazel with her camera phone (photo to follow I was that fast!!!!) and then through to the finish line. I have no idea how I have done the finish clock was not working, what I was aware of that I was near the back.

The next thing I know I get a tap on the shoulder its Hazel she tells me she things I have finish in about 1:10:00 I find this hard to believe but she explains when I crossed the start line and the rough time I passed the finish line whilst not disbelieving her I just thought no way have I ran that fast. We have a 20 minute wait until they announce that the results are available to see. I have finished in 796 position I forgot to check the last position but I reckon about 850-875 my clock time is 1:11:09 and the all important chip time was 1:10:04 My base time for 10k was 1:16:00 so this is BLOODY AMAZING. The only downside was no medal (shinny or otherwise) just a badge. Personal choice for me would be a medal, But I did a great time that will stay with me forever in my heart. Far more important to me.

I did worry about being so bold about this statement because if I have an average run in the future it might show up in the race report? But without my Garmin and having no idea of how I was doing this run has blown my mind away. Anyway back to my secret weapon of the day and why I had so much pride in starting this race today. 

                                          Pre race can you tell it was cold!!!!

                                          Back of the Shirt I love this Shirt.

                                          Just another front View.

                                          This is straight after finish looking good and relaxed.

                                          This is fast Darin rather than bad photographer Hazel. 


This puts Marwell 10k 2012 up there as another amazing run. One running vest can make you run faster if you have pride in the message.