Government Services 5 Miler - Dunboyne

In only 4 days time Iwill be lining up on the streets of the Czech Republic for another crack at 26 miles. Today I am sat at my office trying to think of witty comments to post, both here, and in response to other fave blogs that I read. Last night, I travelled a few miles out of town to run a BHAA organised race in Dunboyne, County Meath. It was a 5 Mile race, and as this was my first Business Houses Race of the season, I felt I couldn't "bag" this one, despite it being so close to Prague.

It was an 8pm start and with around 200 plus runners, the car park was over filled even by the time I got there at 7, but I managed to find a parking space nearby, and registered and warmed up, whilst catching up with a few old friends. The BHAA races are organised by the Businees's around Dublin, and open to all-comers. They are low-key but well organised, and relatively competitive. I was hoping to run around 7:30 pace as a warm up for Sunday, so I was looking for a time around 37:50 for the 5 miles. But as ever, the best laid plans etc....

After a good warm up jog down to the start on a really pleasant warm, almost summer-like evening, the gun went off and we were away. The rcae is generally run on flat country roads, with a little incline around the 3.5 mile mark, but nothing to write home about. I settled quickly into what I believed to be a steady rhythm, not running too fast, or so I thought. I won't bore you with who I passed, or who passed me, but I hit the Mile 1 mark in 6:50 - What was I doing?

I kept going, amazed at my pace, and conscious that it was too fast, but it's hard to slow yourself down too rapidly and as we wound our way around the fields in the evening sunlight, Mile 2 was hit in 7:05 - OK, so the markers were unlikely to be out, why was I running so quick, this was suicide! I let people get ahead of me so that I could try and relax my speed, but Mile 3 was upon me in 7:18, still WAY ahead of my time schedule. My best time for 5 miles in the past two years is only 36 minutes, and this was meant to be a training run!

I physically restrained myself in Mile 4. I purposely took my foot off the gas, and allowed others passed - Some enquiring if I was alright as they sailed away. Mile 4 marker was 7:46, much better, I could relax now, and just coast home. In the last mile, I was closing in on those who had passed me, and as we entered the last few hundred yards, we came onto the cinder track and the finish. I recognised the guy ahead of me, we had chatted after races last year, when he was beating me by minutes in races such as these - I was closing fast, and as we approached the bend with 60 or so yards to go to the finish, I drew onto his shoulder - Now normally I would out-kick most from here, but last night as he kicked to ward me off, I decided not to go for it - a sprint finish was not what was called for, and I relaxed and let him pull ahead, and I crossed the line a few yards behind him with a time of 36:42, and a last mile of 7:43, well ahead of my expected time, but not the greatest pacing I have ever managed :).

I was pleased with my run, although kicking myself for going off so fast. In Prague I will have to reign myself in and tie myself to the 8:30 pace I want to run at. What does augur well for the future, is that I am confident that after this marathon, I can do some speed work, and next time around, I will be kicking away at this speed, and those sub 7 miles may become more of the norm.

At the tea and snadwiches after the race (very civilized here), I was lucky enough to win a spot prize, a gift certificate for a full body massage, which my SO was delighted with when I got home and passed it on to her, so we were all happy :)..

So, maybe not the witty comments, but a fair reflection on my run last night. Rest today, and a nice easy 8 miler tomorrow with my training buddy, then I can look forward to flying away to Prague on Friday - The joy of travel and running combined :)