Running Update: My Second 10K

I last posted about running in December, and since then, I’ve continued to go out three times a week for most weeks. I’m definitely feeling the effects: I’ve both been losing weight and going significantly faster. In November, I completed my first 5K park run in 28:19; my sixth, on 13th April, was 24:13. I’m also better equipped, having gotten some new running gear for Christmas and a phone armband for my birthday, so I can track my progress on an app.

With this progress, I was eager to run another 10K after completing the Preston event last September, so I signed up for the Blackpool Festival of Running along with Chris, a friend from the local running club. With the UK having enjoyed such lovely weather over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, I was hoping for conditions to be at least agreeable on the day of the run, but it was not to be. Rain was falling on-and-off, but worse than that was the wind, which was especially bad on the seafront and made us feel very cold. I elected to wear my jacket for the run.

The course was simple: we began by running south a short distance towards the North Pier, then turning north and following the lower promenade for just over 5 kilometres. This was a flat route, but the wind was blowing into our faces, though the rain held off for the most part. I was also trying to pace myself and not go too fast at the start, which had caused me to tire myself out on practice runs.

At Anchorsholme Park, we went uphill and turned back south, following the road back to where we started. Now the wind was partly behind me and partly trying to push me off the track. But now I’d gotten into my stride, and I felt much more energised than I had in the latter stages of the Preston 10K. According to my app, my fastest pace was during the last kilometre; it probably helped that most of it was downhill back to the promenade, but also that I could see the finish line from some distance away. Crossing the finish line, I was handed a bottle of water, a chocolate (which I couldn’t taste) and a particularly lovely medal.

My chip time – from crossing the start line to finishing – was 51:39, much better than the Preston 10K. And my love for running certainly isn’t fading, so I wonder how much faster I can get. Onwards and upwards!