Great Grimsby 10k

22 July 2018

This was the second year that I'd entered the Great Grimsby 10k and I knew that it would be a good race to get a personal best time. Although not exactly flat, the course had no significant hills was on good smooth roads.
I got there at 9am in plenty of time for the race start at 10am, and contacted Darren Edmonds who was also running to meet up. On my way towards the town centre I bumped into Gary Berzins (who I didn't know had entered) and we all made our way to the start line with over three thousand others. With so many there we didn't spot Anton Newell at any time during the day.
Luckily I was on the first wave and started at the front with Gary. It was very hot just standing there and I just wanted to get going.
My aim was to get inside of the forty two minute mark and to run consistent miles at 6 min 45 sec pace. I was also trying to achieve the club bronze time and felt pretty confident of doing it especially as Darren promised to buy me a pint in if I beat my pb.
We got underway and had to keep checking the watch and slow myself down as the pace was sub 6 minutes when I first checked it. I settled down and the first mile went by in 6:20. I felt ok but as I'd raced on Friday evening in the Kegworth 5 mile I wasn't sure if I would last for the entire race. The 40 minute pacers passed me and the thought came into my head that if I latched onto them they'd pull me around. However after about 200 meters I soon realised it was a bad idea. There was no way I could sustain the pace for the remaining distance so I went back to my original plan. A couple more miles went by and it was clear to me that if I didn't do anything stupid (and my left calf that was starting to hurt a little didn't get any worse) I'd achieve my aim.
As the km to go markers counted down and the end was nearly in sight I had the urge to slow up and had to fight with myself to keep it going. My body was screaming for me to stop and looking around I was not the only one in pain.
On the long road back to the town center there was a band playing with lots of drums below a flyover. The sound echoed underneath the structure and was ear splitting. It all added to the experience.
Off the main road now and onto the side road heading for the finish in a large park.
The sound of the loudspeakers could be heard and I knew that the suffering would soon be over. One more push and onto the grassy finishing straight fighting all the way over the line. I'd done it. Not only a pb by two minutes but a club silver standard time.

After receiving t shirts and medals we met up at at a barge that was converted into a bar and heavily listing to one side. It didn't stop the beer tasting like amber nectar.

It was a fantastic day out as well as a superb race. Definitely one for the diary again in 2019.