Banks’s 10k Race Day Results

Let me first start off by saying that I was not at all prepared for this event as I only signed up the day before as it was my cousin’s first 10k event and I decided to take part. The Banks’s 10k started at 10:15am, although I got there early to take a look around and use the toilet before heading to the start.

The event started on time, and only took 60 seconds or so from the official starting klaxon for us to cross the start line, despite us lining up towards the back of the field. We started off a little quicker than my cousin usually runs (her runs are usually around the 13 minute mile mark), so we took a step back and consciously made an effort to slow down a little. My watch beeped after around 6 minutes to inform me that my Performance Condition was -6, so I was going to be in for a tough run, but nevertheless we made it through the first mile in 12:54. At this point, she started to struggle a little and was going to need a walk break; I had said before the event that I was hoping to complete the full distance non-stop and so she encouraged me to carry on ahead. With some remorse, I carried on ahead.

I picked up the pace a little and things were going well, until around the 2.5 mile mark where the incline was starting to tire me out. The climb wasn’t overly steep, but it was just never-ending, and I didn’t want to push too hard and then really struggle for the rest of the race, so I took a short 30 second or so walk break before carrying on running.

Just before the 3 mile mark I needed another walk break, but this time I took 90 seconds and then resumed running. From here on I started to alternate running with walk breaks as I was starting to struggle. I tried to keep the walk breaks at 30 seconds or less as my second goal for the event was to beat my personal best of 1:13:57 set September 2017 at the Lichfield 10k. My watch had already indicated that setting a new time was going to be a tough ask, but I pushed on anyway.

Miles 4.5-5.5 were a bit annoying as the roads weren’t fully closed, so there were times when I had to stop and wait for traffic to let me cross the road whilst all the time keeping an eye on my watch. By mile 5.5 I was pretty sure that getting a new personal best was out of the question, but I continued to push through my run / walk intervals.

I approached the final corner and saw the last 200 metres or so before the finish line; this last section turned from concrete to uneven grass, but I ran hard for a sprint finish. I fell short of a personal best as I finished in 1:15:23. I wasn’t too disappointed with my time as it was a short notice race and I hadn’t been feeling the best in the two weeks before it; I was in much better shape after finishing that 10k than the Lichfield one where I set my personal best, as I felt like I was going to faint upon crossing that finish line.

I jogged back along the track to find my cousin and ran the last 200 metres or so with her. She achieved her goal of finishing in under 1:30:00 as her official time was 1:28:39.