The Vitality 10K is one of my favourite races of the autumn, unique with live bands, great music and crowds.
Leading up to the race, my fitness wasn't where I wanted it to be, yet I tried to include weekday 10K runs, as the training during the weekday became beneficial. The aim was to go easy and use the race as a good way to prepare for my end of September half marathon.
The day before the race, there was torrential rain, and the email suggestions from the organisers were really helpful. They had advised the runners to bring extra clothing and hats in case of adverse weather.
The fortunate thing was that even though it had rained continuously en route to Green Park station, during the race, the weather had improved significantly with no rain.
I made my way to the holding pen in wave grey with the time given, and I also saw many hoopsters from QPH taking part, wishing them good luck.
When the race finally began, I kept the pace consistent, and I tried to keep this as an easy run initially. Leading up to the finish, I saw the last 800 metres sign, then finally the 400 metres sign. These were tough, so I decided to sprint and run fast towards the finish. The time was kept under an hour, with a finish time of 57:55. I was pleased with the time.
Feeling exhausted, I collected my medal and t-shirt, then took post-race photos with some key reflections. I absolutely loved the energy and the atmosphere of the race. I realised I was missing consistent training; more importantly, the track sessions were missing, as they make such a huge difference and are a key part for every runner.
Overall, great medal, brilliant day, looking forward to the next race.