Lancaster Valentine's 10k Race

Today started off looking perfect for my first 10 k race of the year:

I picked up my running buddy Richard and we headed down to the Salt Ayre Sport Centre for the Lancaster Valentine's 10K race. He had persuaded me to sign up despite the fact I hadn't really been aiming to do the distance until April! I only had 10 days in which to try to increase my stamina instead of working on my speed... I was pretty nervous when we got there though it didn't really show:

They had made a real effort to get the race looking romantic:

Richard took me for a very quick warm up lap around the athletics track:

Then it was time to line up at the start. Virtually everyone there looked a whole lot fitter and faster than me so I hid at the back! Then we were off starting with a lap of the track... By the time we left the stadium the field was very spread out and I was plodding along as one of the last on to the main race route. I knew I couldn't have any chance of winning so I just concentrated on my own pace and trying not to be last... 

We went along the cycle race track and then on to the footpath along the old canal route. This meant it was very flat. The race had plenty of mile markers to let us know how far we had gone:

A couple of miles in the lead racers past me going back in the other direction... good job I am used to that! There were a few people behind me though. I was faster than I meant to be for the first 6 km and was pleasantly surprised to beat the 5 km PB that I had previously set in November 2013. I kept thinking that I would let myself have a rest and walk for a bit but having only a few people behind me kept me motivated to keep on running at 7km, then 8km and then I was too close to the end to walk! Having passed one other runner at 7.5 km who told me I looked very comfortable I could hardly let myself down by not running all the way...

My pace dipped enough that the man went passed me again as we entered the athletics track for the finish. He was being egged on my his daughter who had already finished the race. In my turn I was met by Richard who ran around the final lap with me. I attempted a sprint finish to re-pass the other runner but he in his turn found a last burst of speed..

As I crossed the line in 1 hour and 3 minutes I couldn't believe how much I knocked off my previous best 10 km from December 2013 of 1:6:22. As the Garmin was being funny I had to run around for a few metres to make sure it said 10 and count! 

For all of this I got a medal, a banana and a carnation:

I am so chuffed to have managed to go non-stop for 10km for the first time ever! Just hope I can repeat on the hillier Langdale course in April: