It’s been a long year, but it's going so quickly! My last blog regarding London and the autumn racing calendar now seems academic, all the plans for autumn have changed 'again' and it's now a case for me of being as flexible as the racing calendar seems to be. Which is not easy when training for a marathon, London has predictably fallen over and is now an elite only race and my plan B race of the Boston UK Marathon has been cancelled just 3 weeks out from the race, just as I was going into taper mode. I must admit this hit me pretty hard, I remember getting back from a run and seeing the news on Facebook and just taking myself away to a quiet room and just sat there with my head in my hands. I was gutted, I'd visualised the race, planned my pacing, done all the training, I'd even booked the meal for the evening before, not to mention all the travel and hotel bookings etc.
It didn’t take me too long to refocus I guess, I didn’t really have much time to overthink it to be honest, as the first race since March was fast approaching just a few days later in the shape of the Mid Cheshire 5k. There was much to think about regarding Mid Cheshire, I knew this was a fast course as it's my current 5k PB course set in August last year of 16min 40sec, so I'd set myself a fair standard to meet I thought, a standard I hadn't really got near since last August. It would also be my first COVID secure race, so I was a little unsure of what to expect, would I break a rule, stand in the wrong area, go off with the wrong group. And finally, just to add the final blob of nerves it would be my first run for Salford Harriers, wearing the unmistakable red and white of Salford. I'd made the decision to switch from Hyde to Salford over the summer to give myself the kick, push me on to the next level, whatever you want to call it. Having joined up with some of their interval sessions early in the year I’d learned a lot and being pushed more than I had previously in those sessions, so really wanted to make this a part of my training. Along with running with some of the best runners in the country to be honest. Leaving Hyde was a big thing for me, it's where I'm from and I've been proud to run for my home town, and met some great friends, but I am excited to run for Salford and hopefully will get pushed onto some more PB's with some hard work thrown in of course.
I was really pleased to open my mail a few days before the race to reveal a 'race number' , it's felt like a lifetime since I had a race number, even just that was exciting. The event had been scaled down a touch and split into two races, the A Race at 7pm which was for runners of sub 16:30 and the B Race at 7:30pm for runners 16:30+ . The organisers graded all runners on their Run Britain ranking, so there was none of this bollocks of people blagging their predicted finish time like in the Great North Run, you got what you got based on previous performances. My PB is 16:40, so even though it's just 10 seconds outside the A Race standard, it was the B Race for me.
Once I arrived at Kingsley on the evening of the race the nerves settled and it felt almost normal, I had a walk down to the event area to see what the set up was, the colour on your race number matched the dots on the starting grid , all at least 1m apart. Each block of 15 runners would set off 15 seconds apart, so theoretically we shouldn’t see much overtaking due to the graded starts. After a quick catch up with Mark from Daddies Escape I headed back to the car to get my race kit on. I'd not even started to run yet and I already liked this new format of racing, those in the B race were able to spectate and see the A Race runners which was good to see, we didn’t have long to wait to be fair, the first race was won in 13 minutes 52 seconds by Adam Craig of Team New Balance Manchester and the Female race won in 15:44 by Gerda Steyn .
After warming up in the designated warm up area we were asked to assemble in our start zones, I was in the red start area which was the first wave, so i stood on my red dot and awaiting the starting gun. We had plenty of notice with the race announcer keeping us updated with the approaching start time. I chatted to a couple of runners around me about the format, everyone was anxious I spoke too, but super keen to get back to it.
3,2,1 GO! and my wave was away, I hesitated slightly and fluffed my Garmin start but that was over in seconds, the race had started fast and slightly downhill for the first kilometre. I had a quick glance at my watch and I was moving a 4:40 pace, too quick I thought so dialled it back in a touch but still fast enough to clock my first mile at sub 5 mins, the course then swings a left and very slightly up hill. I felt like I'd found some rhythm now and got my breathing under control, very slowly I started to catch runners ahead of me as we moved though K's 2-3. It didn’t look on the cards at all given the gap which initially blasted open, but as we pressed on along the very slight incline I was moving up the pack, and dare I say it, the front. There is a point about kilometre 3-4 where the gradient drops noticeably down and the sound of the race coordinator over the sound system could be heard, it was just about here I crept up on the runner leading the wave, took a few seconds to think about it then pushed on past him. I dug in here in an attempt to open up a gap, it worked, you can hear the footsteps which tell you what you need to know without even looking over the shoulder.
I was now in the unusual position of leading the pace group! Not only that, it was now I realised the race was being filmed, it's really not easy to relax at 5k pace, but this is what I now tried to do as we turned the final corner at just over 4k and onto the home straight, the shouts of support for Salford and people shouting my name was brilliant and really helped, I managed to clock a quick look over my shoulder and see quite a significant gap had now opened up. I heard someone shout 'get after the lead bike Sean'!! Great idea, but it was just too quick for me, but good advice and kept me occupied trying for the next 400m. I didn't realise how much I checked my watch when running, when I got home and watched the race back I really annoyed myself, I mean, what possible information can your watch give you in the last 200m of a 5k which will influence your running ffs.....Just as we closed in on the finish line a runner from Oldham and Royton RC went past me bringing me in second in my wave. I was more than a bit annoyed with myself about that, but at the same time absolutely buzzing with a new 5K PB of 16:21! There was a few other PB’s by Salford runners Shaun Chambers of 17:51 and Mark Collier 16:35 also, so it was a great
The actual position on the road is academic in reality as both A and B race results are displayed as one race on completion, what was important however is a 19 second PB. I did actually learn a lot watching the video back, need to stop looking at my watch so much, concentrate on the final 400m and get the next size down in my Salford Club vest. So overall a great day at the office, I was buzzing after the race, couldn’t sleep when I got home. I'd forgotten how good it feels to race, I've missed it.
Huge hats off to Run Cheshire for great organisation and bringing racing back in a safe environment for everyone. It’s the same organisers who are hoping to put on the a new event in the absence of the autumn marathon calendar, the Wrexham Elite Marathon, the event is aimed at male runners capable of running sub 2 hours 40 mins and female runners able to run sub 3 hours. So a fast day at the office, we should hear by September 11th if the race has been given approval by the local SAG group at Wrexham council, Run Britain and Welsh Athletics. If that goes ahead it will be very exciting, and based on a similar model and held on the same date to the London Elite race on a looped course. October 4th, keeping my fingers crossed for this, if its organised as well as Mid Cheshire it will be excellent.
The Mid Cheshire organisers have said they will keep the new format for next year, which is great news, no fighting for road space in the bunch start and everyone is graded, I can't wait already! If you fancy joining me at one of the fastest 5K's in the UK look it up, it runs twice a year, April and August, see you there?
