I’ve been a Harrier for nearly ten years now and I’ve always loved reading the monthly news letters/race reports, even back when they were printed out and handed round at club.  Think I still have a few old paper ones boxed up somewhere actually.  Anyway, my point being I’m well overdue a race report.  So here goes (excuse any grammar mistakes), I know Matty can’t read so Ali you might have to read this out loud and Nige, put your glasses on!

I never really set out to run Leeds Abbey dash this year, my target was Scarborough,which I royally messed up!  Still a bit chewed up by Scarborough as I’d trained harder than ever.  I put a really good solid two months together, averaging about 45 miles a week which is pretty high for me.  Two weeks out from Scarborough, I hit a 65 mile week with some brutal sessions in.  I remember closing the week with a long run round Brantingham and being absolutely knackered; could hardly get out of the car I was so tired.  Monday comes and an easy week ahead planned, woke up with a head cold, classic case of over trained!  Being a typical Harrier and hating rest, I always think “oh, it’ll pass”.  Carry on training, next thing I know it’s gone to my chest!  Oh Oh!  Three days to go till Scarborough and I can hardly breathe.  As a result I blow up at 6k finishing 4th in 34:20ish, disaapointing to say the least, I honestly thought I was in sub 33 shape.

So, quick rethink.  Get a good 10k in sharpish! Abbey Dash, four weeks away, give me a bit of time to shake the chest cold off and get some decent training in.  Easier said than done……..

Scarborough had opened a right can of worms; legs had just been wiped out, calf’s tight, IT band tight and plantar has crept in……..great!  Problems didn’t get any better!  Later found out my trainers were knackered, I did know this but me being a tight sod, tried to ignore it and tried getting a few more weeks out of them.  Lesson learned, never again.  So, with my new Asics’ Nimbus bought (swear by these or Cumbulus) I’m ready for Abbey Dash.

Few solid weeks training, averaging 45 miles a week, shaking off these tight calves and treating the plantar but before I know it, it’s 15th November, Abbey Dash time.  I was looking forward to this for one particular reason; I often enter local races aiming to do my best and trying to win.  This can and often does mess up the splits, especially when you like to front run……different story today.  These guys at the front being top of the tree nationally, so front running was a no go, unless I wanted to drop out at 2/3 k gasping for air haha!  This meant I could just run my own race and get a chance to run some good splits.

With Hurricane abigail in force and the gods pouring down, it really was a grim day.  Enough of taking shelter it was time to get out there.

Mile splits for Leeds: 5:21, 5:25, 5:28, 5:18, 5:22, 5:21, 1:20 = 33:35

Ran the race just as I’d have liked, some good splits.  First decent time for a 10k since the summer.  However, as for the event, I was expecting much better with it reportedly being one of the best 10k’s in the country, but I didn’t think much to it.  Firstly the finish was half a mile from the start with no real finish area.

Poor front lads, eh?  Run a 29 minute 10k to win a tough race only to get a finish like a parkrun!  Don’t get me wrong, the course is pretty quick, nothing major though, there are quicker courses locally, it’s just a quick field!  Not that impressed with the Age UK event, worth a go if you haven’y done it though.

Thanks for the read.  Alec Gibson

Other results from further down the field:

Chris Adams 34:49, Neil Seddon 37:49, Vince McGowan 38:27, Steve Taylor 39:49, Paul Teece 40:25, Darren White 40:35, Mike Petersen 41:26, Guy Gibson 44;38, Syteve Graham 47:39, Wayne Martindale 46:35, Paul Reed 48:47, Neil Mickleburgh 51:19, Paul backen 62:18