On the 27th October 2019, I entered the Great South Run. 721 days later I started and completed it in a time of 1:39:39. Just under 10 minutes a mile for the event was fine for me.
It was my 18th fastest 10-mile run I’m told, slower than a fair few of my quicker half marathons but given the injury issues I’ve experienced across the summer I’m really very very happy with that.
We had already had an excellent long weekend away. The sharing platter at the Brewhouse & Kitchen restaurant in Southsea was excellent and we’ll be looking out for those in the future. We’d broken a habit of a lifetime and got ourselves into a B&B rather than a hotel and it was really friendly and comfortable.
The organisation then was perfect. My build up less so.
You see, since something like June, maybe July this year I’d done something to a knee. I don’t know what but it requires care and management and is feeling a little bit tender now.
It was probably only the last 6 weeks or so I’ve been able to do proper training including long runs. Ultimately, I think I’ve managed my knee well but it still needs care.
Especially with a half marathon coming up in three weeks but that’s for another time.
Given the passage of time since I entered my form went up to PB levels last autumn then through injury back to somewhere short of that. Ultimately, I decided to drop from the first of three start waves to the second one. That was a good choice.
I arrived in really good time for the start and just starting to walk up to the starting pen they put Coldplay’s “Yellow” on the PA and I was almost singing along. A proper way to start the day.
Race time came soon enough after some adventures trying to figure out which pacer group I set out with and eventually starting with none of them as they were all too far ahead. The start of the race was smooth. I saw Jean near the start as planned and set out on the long road ahead.
I enjoyed the course. We seemed to run through the naval base which was unexpected and funny having been there yesterday. I joined the second 1:40 pacer about 3 miles in and decided quickly he was well ahead of the required pace. In fact, his pace was a little all over the place actually but I’m not complaining. It just didn’t really work for me.
I stayed with the pacer up to the 7 mile mark and dropped off to walk knowing from my watch I had over 2 minutes in hand over my 100 minute target time.
Following that it was a little bit of a run/walk effort really but knowing throughout I had time in hand.
At least I thought I had, because it turned out that I’d run about 200m long so had another minute or so after my watch said I’d run the 10 miles. It’s probably not unrelated to note that my fastest kilometre was my last one. Despite the extra distance I just had to get in under 1h40m and I did exactly that.
An official time of 1:39:39 wasn’t perhaps what I’d wanted when I signed up two years ago but it was fine. It was good actually. A good run in itself and a really good stepping stone to the Reading Half next month too.
Dave's Running Plans 