5kDouble2May022

Cheshire 5k and Cardiff 5k Race.
29th April 2022 / 1st May 2022:
15:09 (PB) / 14:50 (PB).

V - Janos Cardiff Race (April 2022)

© K. Rush 2022.

I went into the Mid-Cheshire 5k, on the Friday evening, feeling good. No niggles and just finished a good fortnight of training.
V - J's Secret Therapy Insoles

© K. Rush 2022.

My aim before the start was to finally get under 16 minutes - I had hovered around 16 at Park Runs and in training, but, hadn’t done a 5K race before.

The setting was lovely, the race started as the sun was beginning to set in the rolling countryside.

I chose to position myself about 40th at the start, but I began the race under 15 minutes 5k pace. I settled into the race, comfortably, making it up the slight hill a third of the way around the course. Then, picked-up the pace, as I was quite comfortable and then over-took ten's of runners in the final 2k.

I was a little frustrated at my race-timing, but, was happy with my time. I felt comfortable at the end, which I thought was a good sign for Sunday.

V - J Arriving To Register For Cardiff Race May 2022

V - J Arriving To Register For Cardiff Race May 2022

V - J Preparing For Cardiff Racfe May 2022 (3)

© K. Rush 2022.

Sunday began with the long train journey from Aberystwyth to Cardiff. It was cold and had just rained in the capital when I arrived.

The area where the race was situated is quite suburban. Nice tree-lined streets where the race went around before finishing on the high street in Whitchurch village.
V - J Preparing For Cardiff Racfe Mayb 2022 (2)

V - J Preparing For Cardiff Racfe Mayb 2022 (2)

V - J Preparing For Cardiff Racfe Mayb 2022 (1)

© K. Rush 2022.

My clear aim, before the race, was to get myself into the front 10-15 group of runners and stay there for as long as possible. The start of the race was more hectic. The start was more tightly packed, than Cheshire and there were more people cheering and more noise. I made it into the front group of runners from 4th-12th place on the road and stayed with them for the first 2k. I, then, became quite fatigued. My legs felt heavy and I couldn’t keep-the-pace-up. I tried to latch onto someone, but I got over-taken about ten or so times. I managed to pull-it-together with 500 metres to go. I stayed with one runner and then 'emptied the tank' for the sprint finish. I made a few seconds up and was quite surprised to see a sub-15 minutes time pop-up.

Text © Janoš Vranek May 2022.

Janoš Vranek