Lymington 10k, 2023

I last ran this way back in 2017 - feels like an age ago 0 in which I overcooked it at the start and had a messy second half, finishing in 37:50. So today I was determined to ease into it, pace it properly and ideally land a faster time. But I was also had a wee bit of trepidation about my left hamstring, which had been a bit tender over the last few days.

It was an overcast morning when Mrs S and I arrived, but the forecast was warm sunshine and the clouds were steadily breaking up. We met up with Sam from RRR as well as Richard Woodling, looking good six weeks in to his retirement. 

Hello Old Richard

I set off at what I hoped was a sensible pace. The first few hundred metres took us gently uphill - in fact 10m elevation of the 18m of the whole course. Left turn at the top of the road and then gently downhill to Keyhaven, from where much of the course was now along the flood defence.

It was flat, the wind was negligible, but it was surprisingly hard work on the gravel, which was well-packed but a bit uneven. It was a relief to get off the embankment and down to the road for the last leg. I kept the pressure up and pushed hard once into the park, although there was no one in reach in front or behind.

Result - 37:30, nearly 20 seconds faster than last time. Here are my stats. Comparing the km splits between today and 2017, it seems that going just 5 seconds slower (3:46 versus 3:41) in the first km paid dividends later on. I was ve4ry chuffed to get 1st M50, although the pleasure was slightly marred by (a) having to wait ages, way past the promised time of 1130 for the prizegiving, and (b) the lovely Mrs S not getting a F50 3rd place award when other age categories were getting top 3 awards. But enough griping... this was a very friendly community event and it was a lovely day to be by the sea, i which I got my first sunburn of the year.

This came with the trophy, and is a bit more interesting

Corsham 10k, 2023

Mrs S and I headed back to Corsham after a 4-year absence for its big-event-in-a-small-Wiltshire-town 10k race. There were over 1100 runners taking part on a cool morning that alternately threatened showers and sunshine, but unlike the London marathon stayed thankfully dry - as it would have been a bit miserable getting wet on the playing field or huddling in the village hall.

Keeping warm

Thoroughly warmed up

As I'd hoped I met Craig before the start and we had a good catch up as we waited for the countdown. There were about a dozen super-keen young guys on the start line. 'Easy, easy' we kept telling in each other throughout the first km, in which Craig went ahead of me, until I took him at 2km. It was almost entirely uphill for the first 4km, and I enjoyed steadily catching people.

Through the second half I felt good and kept the pressure on the pace. There's a sharp little hill at 9km, after which you're back on the finish road. I was right on my threshold. The distance countdown signs - every 100m with 500m to go - took an age to chew through, and I was done for at the end.

But check this out - a split time of 37:20, 2 seconds ahead of my 2019 time. I was thrilled - and especially because I managed to bag the M50 prize. Here are my stats. The km split comparison is interesting - 2019 on the left, 2023 on the right.

  

The lovely Mrs S came busting in soon afterwards, very pleased with her race. We sat in the sun for a while, picked up my trophy and headed to Frome for a very nice late breakfast. Fabulous!

The fast and the furious

Some shiny glassware for the mantlepice