Shakes Tri Journey: Lincoln 10km 2015

This is the forth time I have done this event and I enjoy for different reasons. It's a local event and one that I can go back each year and see if I can get any quicker. Quite a lot of my friends do the race which is always great to catch up with them. The course is flat and fast and is a great course to get a PB. The spectators really cheer you on all the way round the course which helps especially towards the end when it starts feeling tough and finally the finish, running alongside the cathedral and finishing in the castle grounds. Unfortunately this year we had to finish outside the cathedral due to Lincoln castle being closed whilst being refurbished.

The first two times that I ran in this event I had never really done much training and I was just happy that I managed to finish. Last year was the first year that I had properly trained for the event and I was able to do it in 47:07. A year on and all I wanted to achieve was that sub 40mins result. I would have been really pleased with a 39:59.

I woke up this morning and I felt confident that I would achieve my sub 40 minute target. The weather was perfect, sun out, very little wind.

I had my normal pre race breakfast of porridge and a banana a cup of coffee and a pint of water. I drove to my friends house where we always meet and had good walk up to the start line. At the start with approx 4300 runners eager to get going. It's always a great atmosphere at the start line, so many people who are running and plus all the spectators that make the event extra special.

At the start of the race I knew that I wanted to start off fast and see how I got on. The plan was to run below 4 minute k's and just keep going as long as I could. My first km was 3.34 which is always my fastest km whenever I do a race. I knew that if my average pace was a 3.50 per km, by 8km I knew I would be able to hold on and get my sub 40 result I have been working towards. My plan worked and I had just left enough in the tank to achieve what I had wanted Sub 40. Official time was 38:47. I couldn't be happier with the result and I know some serious training will be required to better this result.

The Lincoln course is all on closed roads and there are spectators all the way round the course. They say the course is flat which it is but the start line which you have to cross twice is very slightly up hill and it can catch you out if you push too hard. I love the end of the race as the crowds that line the streets makes it very memorable and it pushes you on to get across that line.