My first 10k

So in August I decided I would run a 10k as I felt it would be an incentive to start running. This didn’t happen. In the summer I went away, it was my birthday and I was busy prepping for a big work event in early September. Then in October I just didn’t. I used time as an excuse to avoid going out for a run. (BAD)

My friend Rosie has been running, this is a girl who hated PE at School. Anyway she decided she wanted to run with me. I thought this may incentivise me to get my trainers on in which it kinda did. My training consisted of doing about three 4k runs over 3 weeks plus a hockey match here and then.

November the 14th came around quickly alongside the storm Barney (heavy rain & gale force winds) so myself and Rosie pulled on our waterproofs and made our way down to the start line.

I ambitiously stated I would be able to do this sub 60 whereas Rosie put a realistic 70+ even though she had been training. So I snuck in at the 70+ wave as I didn’t want to be that runner that gets pushed out of the way for being slow. We shared half a banana and skipped the cue for the toilet (which was longer than the cues in Glastonbury) and we got ready to start.

We lasted about 400m running together. Rosie has long limbs and her stride was a hell of alot longer than mine, she went on whilst I bobbled along behind. The crowd was filled with all sorts of people in all sorts of shapes and sizes. This made me immediately feel at ease. You have to run your own race, your own pace, not care of those around you or if you are being overtaken by a 6ft, 40 year old beer bellied man.

I struggled the first 4k and I almost snuck into subway for a quick wee. I knew the route as it is down the road from me so I knew it was flat so I kept motivated and carried on. Ignoring my bladder.

As I could see the Abbey I removed my waterproof with misteeq blasting through my headphones I started to gain a rhythm. I hit the half way and saw my colleague Ben waving frantically as he had finally seen me still in one piece. I felt myself get faster, oddly, my stride length lengthened. I felt good (despite the slight pain inbetween my shoulder blades as I hit 7k but I ignored it, turns out my core is not that strong. It is useful having a brother as a physio)

I hit 7k and I heard myself say ‘I can smash this, only 3k left’ and I did. I enjoyed high fiving the supporters as we enter the city hall despite feeling a little lost to where the finish line was, as their was not archway due to the risk of wind causing it to be knocked down.

I had been so looking forward to getting my first medal for my first 10k but they were giving out t-shirts instead. The city centre was smothered in fun runners in these blue t-shirts. It looked incredible.

I met Rosie, I was only 8 minutes behind her in the end, as she had managed sub 60 and I have managed 67 minutes. I was over the moon about my time.

We had done it and we oddly thought we could have carried on for another k or two. We made a swift move to the Christmas markets in search of a celebration treat!

Pancakes with nutella was our choice and boy did we earn it.

Beths Lesson Learned : if you haven’t trained just remember to run it at your own pace. But you should really train as who knows what time you could run it in.