EHH Boxing Day 10k

After a 6-month blog hiatus, I'm back. I've been training and racing but for some reason, I've neglected writing about it. I'll rectify that and talk about my racing and training plans for next year in a separate post.

However, for now, I'll focus on my club's annual Boxing Day 10k. What better way to burn off some of the Christmas excesses than a 10k right on my doorstep.

An unseasonably mild day greeted the 250 runners making vests the order of the day. The sting in the tail, though (as it often is with this race) would be the headwind down the track leading back to Hull. Having done a couple of miles warm up I knew which direction the wind was coming and therefore decided to go out as quick as possible anticipating the wind holding us back once we turned the corner at Ganstead and starting heading to swine. Also, the Hornsea trail is very exposed and generally as a headwind.

Back to the start and after a short race briefing, we were off. Having been penned into the side a little I managed to find some space and catch up with the second group behind the leaders.

A rapid first mile passed in 5:53, maybe a little fast but knowing this course it was ideal as I knew I'd slow down.

[caption id="attachment_223" align="alignleft" width="300"] Leader of the pack![/caption]

Although the course isn't uphill, the end of the first mile and second mile does have a slight ascent meaning you have to make sure you carry on working hard to stick to the pace. At this point, we had a group of 5/6 with me leading the bunch. The second mile passed in 6:10, a little off pace with the more difficult sections to come.

As suspected after the turn at Ganstead we were greeted with a wall of wind hence a 6:14 mile and the break up of our group. 5 became 3 with Steve Remmie, Darren Edge and myself.

Running down the Hornsea Trail Track is never my favourite and today's race was no different. I was trying to share the workload with the aforementioned two however somewhere towards the end of the track I was a good 5 metres back. 6:27 and 6:25 for miles 4 and 5 respectively won't have helped.

[caption id="attachment_224" align="alignright" width="199"] Sprinting for the finish[/caption]

The last mile skirts past where I live therefore I know this area well. Also, the wind was now in a favourable position meaning it was time to put the hammer down. The final mile covered in 6:13 with the 0.2 in 5:14 pace with the help of a great downhill towards our clubhouse and a battle with another runner to the finish line. I never did catch up to the two ahead.

However on reflection a solid 38:31 for 14th place out of 249 runners is a good way to end the year.