1st October 2006

6 Mile Run = Gym – Little Eaton – Kilburn – Horsley – Quarry Road


Date: 1st October 2006

Conditions: Mild, Raining

Notes: This was my final long run before my first race next Sunday. I decided to do a 10k run to see how my time will compare to Sunday. I chose a really flat and easy course with a mammoth hill at the end. I left Breadsall Priory and was immediately treated to a climb up Quarry Road. Shortly after the brow of the hill I turned left onto Morley lane and began a straight flat run for around one and a half miles. I really took my time with this first part of the run as I knew that I would need all the energy I had to get up Cloves Hill at the end of the run. The rain was beating down hard but I felt good and once I had warmed up the rain was a god send.
I reached the mile marker in an average time but I set out to run this route in a pace that was good for me, not for the clock. The course took a slight decline towards the end of mile two as I came down into Little Eaton. I had only seen this area once before, and that was the night before when I measured the route in the dark, so I really enjoyed the new scenery.
As I turned onto the B6179 I had a slight cramp in my right foot but I did not panic and focused on maintaining form and a steady pace. The rain was slowing as I reached mile three and turned onto Smalley Mill road. My time for the three miles was over two minutes slower than my other training runs but I felt better than I ever did when I was only running three miles. The mile four marker came quick and this is shown as it was my fastest mile of the day.
I continued along Smalley Mill Road past Horsley Lodge Golf Course and came to the mile five marker knowing that my true test of the day was soon upon me. I made it up roughly two thirds Cloves Hill. Now this is no ordinary hill. The gradient is untrue and puts test to any car engine let alone a mere mortal on foot. As the hill got steeper I felt my legs going and had to stop for around 5 seconds before continuing on to the top and the final leg of my run.
As I turned back onto Quarry Road I imagined I was running the 10k on Sunday and there was a crowd cheering me on. I gave it my all and finished in a respectable time. What I really took from this run and what I know will be an advantage on race days is that my sprint finish is very respectable. I come from a sprint background and I believe that on race days that any runners near me will not be able to compete with my speed over those final few hundred yards. Only time will tell!!

Positive: I was pleased with the speed of my sprint finish.
Negative: I had to stop up Morley Hill.

Distance left in current Running Shoes: 456 Miles

Fast Mile: 7.50

Slow Mile: 9.27

Run time: 0h52m48s



“You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.”