Ill Concieved Plans Poorly executed

Dry Hill 10

Some days it all goes right and today was one of those days. The Dry Hill 10 starts near to my house, and that's a really good reason to enter, what's more it goes over tracks that I run on a lot which means that I know what's coming up and can plan the run like a real runner. Usually I don't wear a watch when I'm running, mainly because I'm really not that interested in how fast or slow I'm going at any particular point, I'm more interested in how it feels. Today I decided that I needed a watch, I wanted to run solid 8 minute miles, I wanted a negative split and I wanted above all to beat last years time.

The advantage of being close to home is that I could jog to the start to warm up rather than my usual half hearted attempts at warming up which involve nothing more that wandering around aimlessly looking for someone I recognise to talk to. I was ready to go by the time the race started rather than ready to warm up. I must say there seems to be something to this warming up lark. For those of you who don't know the course it can be described as hilly, the first portion of the route goes up hill, the last down hill, that's about it really.

I took the first part nice and easy, chugging along being pleased at maintaining nice even mile splits, each one just a shade over eight minutes. There is a nice flat bit leading up to dry hill where the temptation is to speed up, but I resisted, the little group following me slowly passed me one by one. I was a man with a plan and this wasn't going to change it. The first decent meant a change of pace, it was time to strech the legs before the long drawn out climb that saw me slow to a walk last year. I flew down that hill barely in control and boy did it feel good. A quick turn at the corner and then a slowing of pace for the next uphill section. It was slow but I kept running. A quick glance of the watch at the five mile point, 41:30, not too shabby and only one more hill to go.

The last hill, up to Dry Hill is a bit of a killer but this time I was determined to run all the way. Others slowed and then capitulated but much to my satisfaction I kept a semblance of a run right the way to the top. From here it was down hill, as I passed a few people who had passed me one of them commented "You love these hills don't you". I must have been doing something right! Soon it was back on the tarmac and time to inject a little pace to make up for the climbing. I saw some others a few hundred years ahead and decided that I needed to catch them before the next down hill. It was as easy as that. I caught and passed them and a few others too. The next major down hill saw a few others passed. If I was not doing a negative split I would be very surprised!

About a mile for the finish it occurred to me, the reason that I really like this race was the huge quantity of cake on offer at the end. The thought that these sugary treats were just round the corner spurred me on to the finish. I crossed the line in 1:20 and some seconds; closely followed by three others who thanked me for pacing them round the route (I was oblivious to this). So there you go, 8 minute miles, a negative split and four minutes off of last years time, if ever there was an excuse to gorge my self on cake that was it.