Day 36, Oct 7th 2018

Sittingbourne Striders 10 Miler


Today was long run day, and it just so happens that I was due to run 10miles, happy coincidence that I booked this race earlier in the year, before I had even thought about marathon training.
The weather was ideal for running and coming off the back of Mondays and Wednesdays runs, I was feeling good mentally. My only hang up was the top of my foot, which is still sore, though no worse than it has been. Not knowing what is wrong with it is a bit of a risk to run on it, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
First we set off, with the lovely Sarah driving and John and myself as passengers, thanks again Sarah for the lift, hope you enjoy those cupcakes ;) It was club champs, so several of our fellow members were also there. John told us about the run, and what to expect. I don't usually enquire ahead of a race, I would rather not know to be honest, however, he informed us that there was a buggar of a hill a mile in, and that most people walk it as its so steep. The next 5 miles are ''undulating'', runner speak for hilly, with the rest of the course being downhill. 
Was I optimistic to hope for a PB? 10 miles is the only PB I have that is on a flat course, so yeah, I was thinking, maybe! The hills were as expected and  was falling behind my PB pace, but I wasn't worried, I knew I had 4 miles to make up the lost time on the hills. I usually run faster downhill than what I lose running uphill, hence my PB's. However, the hills took a lot out of my legs, and then the last 4 miles were not all downhill as I expected. They ''undulated'' a lot less but they were still several hills. then the last 0.7 was running around the field, how I hate running on uneven, grassy fields. the race finished at a distance of 10.7


So whilst my time isn't exact in the true sense, it wasn't that far out and it was still way outside my PB, ah well, every race is a learning curve



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