things are going well

Just a couple of days ago I managed to find a replacement LIVESTRONG wristband in Leeds and since then I've taken part in a club handicap and a local 5k race - both of which produced very good times.

On Thursday I took part in a 3000m handicap at Carnegie track in Headingley, Leeds.  Didn't run there this time and I had no plans to run home either.  Expected a decent time therefore and as I'm not doing much training at the moment - tapering - I was rewarded with 10:57.

That's my fastest 3000m time in ten years.  Happy with that.

My next event (and final race before Perth) was the Park Run in Leeds.  Based on Thursday's performance my target was an ambitious 19:00.  I was a bit apprehensive for a few reasons:

- my M45 personal best was 19:15
- 19:00 equates to an age graded 17:05 and my age graded personal best was 17:28
- although the weather was warm and sunny, it was also a bit windy in places.

Anyway, I arrived in plenty of time and walked around the course and noted where the undulations were and where the wind would be at it's strongest.  After my usual warm up I was ready to go ... and the first kilometre passed in 3:30.  I knew that was 18 seconds ahead of schedule but I also knew that it was downhill.

I felt good though and kept the effort as equal as I could into the wind and up the slight hill to 2k which I passed in 7:16.  Still feeling good I was now beginning to pass those who had set off too quickly and this gave me an extra impetus as I ran into the wind for much of the third kilometre (11:10).  The fourth kilometre was mostly flat and I reached that point in 14:57 ... then pushed on up the hill into the wind for a finishing time of 18:17.

My kilometre splits were:  3:30, 3:46, 3:54, 3:47 and 3:20

I now have a new M45 pb and a new age graded pb.  See my 'personal bests' page for full details.

Very happy, only a week to go before the Perth 24 hr race and everything seems to be coming together brilliantly.  The only thing out of my control seems to be the weather and that too looks good according to this forecast.