2010 Healthy Working Lives 5K Challenge - Edinburgh 29/6/10

As predicted last week I succumbed to my addiction and decided to race the 2010 Healthy Working Lives 5K Challenge at Inverleith Park/Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh on 29/6/10. The weather was nice. The breeze helped cool the runners down a bit. The course is very picturesque as you weave your way through the Botanic Gardens. Lots and lots of twists and turns and a few uphill/downhill stretches as well. I think it would be unlikely to record a PB on this course, but the hospitality and goody bag make this race one to add to the annual calendar. My time tonight was 18mins 35secs (chip).

2010 Healthy Working Lives 5K Challenge - Glasgow 23/6/10

My time (chip) tonight was 18mins 10secs. I was runnng really well till 4K (14.22), then the lactic acid kicked in during the final kilometre where about five or six runners past me. I was feeeling physically sick after this race. It was my 4th race in 10 days - too much!!!

I really should rest now, but I find racing very addictive and may now run the Edinburgh version of this race next week.

Strathclyde Parkrun Event #11 - 19/6/10

Finished in 3rd place and clocked a time of 18mins 17secs. Quite windy in the first section of this exposed out and back course. That was my 3rd race in 6 days.

2010 Kirkintilloch Olympians 10K

My time tonight on this course was 38mins 33secs. Very warm evening (25 degrees celsius). I had a good first half of the race with my 5K split recorded as 18mins 06secs. The hill at 5.5km really finished me off. It seemed to sap me and I was off the 3.43km/min pace thereafter to a slightly disappointing final time. My Garmin recorded my 10Km time tonight as 37mins 57secs, but I never ran the 'line' and ended up running 10.15km.

2010 Vale of Leven 10K

My time today was 38mins 23secs. Quite happy since it is a very hilly course. The last time I raced on this course I was 42mins something, so five years later on I am quite happy. I'll be 45 years old in 3 weeks time, so to be getting faster and suffering a degenerative neck injury, then on balance I must be happy. Some younger runners flew by me in the last 100m, but there was nothing I could do about their superior speed.

2010 Polaroid Dumbarton 10K

Remarkably hot evening - 23 degrees celsius!

My time was 37mins 45secs - the exact same time that I clocked at last week's Clydebank 10K. It was, however, 30secs slower than I was on this course in 2009. Maybe I can blame the heat. I am happy enough with the time nonetheless. That's the first time I've clocked back-to-back sub-38 minute 10K's.