Chase The Sun 5k
I went into this event planning to do my best 10k possible, but was keeping a pretty open mind about my expectations. I did not have to decide between the 5k or 10k race beforehand so I chose to focus on the 10k but if i wasn't feeling it then I might drop down a distance.
Conditions were pretty much perfect for me. A little damp from earlier rain but not at all hot or humid.
We have done this specific event twice before but also two other events around the Olympic Park too and pretty much all of those have gone well. I think I just love the idea of the Olympic venue and ultimately I have, along with my wife, run along the running track inside the stadium waving a Jersey flag. A special memory for sure. My spiritual running home? Despite having achieved precisely none of my PBs there. Yeah possibly.
But this one had a new course to those we have done before, as we were allowed to run right up to the edge of the Olympic Stadium (yes I know it's not called that anymore and I don't care). Close enough to read the words to "I'm forever blowing bubbles" on the stadium doors and across the paving slabs dedicated to fans and players outside the ground.
Not that I saw those until my wife showed me them the day after the run.
Anyway, the first 2.5km lap of the run went very well. Towards the end of that lap I caught up to someone wearing a Jersey Triathlon shirt which was worth a bit of conversation which was fun.
The second lap didn't start well. Speed seemed to fall and Heart Rate seemed to rise, but I didn't feel I was running slower. What actually happened was a GPS glitch but it definitely threw me a bit. During the lap you turn away from the stadium about 1k in so on lap 2 it meant about 3.5km in, and I felt I was still struggling a little but had some speed.
Over the next few minutes, I was contemplating strategy for the rest of the run. I saw my time at around 4k, which was around 20 minutes so decided I'd switch to the 5k event and just drive for the finish. And I really drove hard. The last half mile of this run was my 4th fastest ever. Funnily enough though I don't remember overtaking anyone, at least apart from Jersey Triathlon Lady, but I just shut everything else out of my mind and ran hard.
The finish took a while to get to but when I got over it I came in at the finishing time of 24:35 - my fastest 5k since September 2017. I was stunned.
Looking back I ultimately made the decision to trade a sub-25 5k run over a sub-52 10k and if that was the choice - and of course as I won't run that 10k we'll never actually know - then I made the right choice. I loved it. I look back on Wednesday's run so proud of what I did. Not my fastest ever for sure but still incredible. I managed to finish 3rd in my age group too - out of 11 - which was great.
And actually given I'm still looking forward to possible events later this year then actually it's a really positive step towards something else.
Whatever that might be isn't decided yet. Will be a great experience I'm sure though.
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