Race Date: Sunday 17th November 2024
Race Report by: Kate Waddicor

Why Brighton 10k?
It is a long way to go to run 10k I hear you say!

Quite simply it was the first England Masters qualifying race where I could earn the chance to be part of a representative race next year and just one week after my 70th birthday.  I have been waiting for this new category for quite a while (although I did come first V65 – 74 at Worksop half a couple of weeks before turning 70 so I have been doing my best!).

I almost stumbled at the first hurdle.  When I entered the race I added my name to Roster Athletics to register my interest as a V70.  At each qualifying event England Athletics take the top three of each age group category to represent England at a representative event, often in a championship against England and/or Wales.  There were three other V70 women, one had added her PB/SB and my first thought was, ‘those three will qualify and I will be 4th’.  Whoa, so negative, partly based on what had happened in Peterborough half marathon – here I was trying to qualify for the half marathon and came 4th just 4 weeks before my 70th birthday.  I should have known better!  I nipped that negative thinking in the bud immediately and reframed it as, ‘they will be so disappointed that I have entered, As a new V70 I am possibly unknown to them and there is now a real competition, only three of us will go through (and I will be one of them)’. I kept reminding myself of this right up to the race and all of the 50 minutes and 45 seconds I was running.

Preparation
Just a little more complex than usual as I was getting the train to my son’s on the Friday.  He lives about half an hour from Brighton but had said he would give me a lift to the start.  He is a runner and understands the need for routine so I knew he would respect my need for an early start, a specific breakfast etc.  I needed a additional weekend bag, I left the house fully laden.  The idea of ‘travelling light’ does not seem to work for me.  Even the race bag seems huge compared to what I see others leaving in bag drops.  But I do feel pleased that my race bag is bright green and stands out amongst all the black bags the volunteers are searching through.

The day before.  All went well.  My son set off for his morning run then ran 5k with me as he knew I just wanted a leg shake out.  We had a good day, I did worry that I was overdoing the walking but at least I was moving.  My 9 year old Grandson had his own ideas about what he was going to do with Nanna and I think we saw every antique emporium in Lewes.  Note to self – worth a second visit.  Tom made me a back bib as all mine are V65!  And of course this new ‘Tom made’ bib will be the bib of choice every time until I reach 75.  When you are aiming to qualify for an England Masters race you have to wear your Age Category on your back so that other runners can spot you.  All my back bibs up to now have been for 65.

The family decided to go out for a meal on Saturday evening.  I worried that the menu might not suit me but hey, good old fish and chips. Not my pre race meal of choice at home but I have had it when staying at hotels before races in the past and it seems to work. Early night, bit restless but that always happens the night before a race.

Up bright and early, thanks to the grandson making a “Go Go Nanna” banner – in Striders yellow!

Breakfast, kit on, plan made for where to drop me off and what would happen during the race – where they would be and how I would see them at the end.

The weather was better than they predicted.  Dry, not too cold, a bit of sea breeze on the way back.

I knew fellow Strider Lucy Broom was running and wondered if I might see her. I told my son she was running and said he should give her a shout out.  I followed my usual routine then headed for the starting pens.

This was a small, serious club race.  It is organised by Brighton and Hove AC.  Apparently it is one of ‘the oldest and most prestigious races’ in the South East.  It is advertised as a fast and flat route – and it really is!  There were county championships being fought as well as the EM qualifier.  I did not see any V70 women at the start.  I opted for 45 minutes.  It was a flat course along the sea front to the marina and back again (elevation 46 feet).  All road.  It was going to be a fast one.  There were only about 3000 runners but I did not want to get too hemmed in at the start.

There was a Junior Mile race which started at 8.45.  There are some excellent runners coming through!  Next year I hope to get my grandson to run the mile so I can run with him (as a warm up maybe?).

It started on time, I felt I was in the right place.  I knew what I wanted to achieve but mainly ran to feel and remembered from Chichester 10k earlier this year that it is mile 4 or 5  that throws me (in a half marathon it is mile 10).  I had worked on this for the half marathon so saw no reason why I should let mile 4 or 5 of a 10k get the better of me, there would only be two more k to go and that would be towards the finish post.  I had seen Tom and Tommy at 2k with the standout Striders Gold ‘Go Go Nanna!’ banner, they said they would be at the same spot on the way back, this would be 9k so I knew I had to work really hard because I wanted them to see I was really working, that helped me to stay strong and to push myself, which really helped.  (They were not there!!!!  So I knew they would have gone to the finish and I had to push hard to the finish as they would be watching, I am not a sprint finisher!)  I should maybe opt to set the watch to k for 10k races!  But 6 miles seems so much shorter!  I will take any psychological positives available

I ran the first mile in just under 8 minutes and that felt ok, I wanted to stay around 8.00 – 8.20 miles and thought about how I was feeling, how I was breathing and how I was running.  Ok, just do this 5 more times.  I did get passed by a lot of runners at this stage but knew once the race settled down I could start to chase others and that is what I did right until the end.  I was passed by the 50 minute pacers but knew if I kept with them I might do a good time.

Fastest mile 7.58, slowest 8.17.  In fact mile 4 was 8.14 and mile 5 was 8.17.  By mile 6 I was back to 8.06.  My average pace was 8.07. I felt great, I felt strong, I knew I was working hard.  Can I work harder?  Not that day but, yes with more work.  What I want to hold on to is how I felt, what was going through my head – the encouragement I was giving myself, the sharp talking to I gave myself during mile 5.  The battle in my head.  I forgot about how my body was feeling. I was aware that I felt strong and thought I need to remember the feeling, to recognise it in future and push on.  It is always the brain that starts to let you know you are tired, never the legs.

Lucy Broom was cheering me on towards the finish line, then I saw Tom and Tommy and was sure to run under the gantry before even thinking about the watch.  Lucy came to chat, not her finest run she said but she thought I looked strong.  Praise indeed.  She thanked Tom and Tommy for the Striders shout out – she was at the finish looking for them!  I met another runner with a V70 bib, she came in after me which gave me hope that I would be in the top three.  We introduced ourselves (she could well be someone I need to watch out for!).  There was a presentation for the County Championships but nothing for Vet categories.

I had an early message from Mr W saying I had come first V70 – I had many issues with the results, could not seem to search them.  I found out from Lucy afterwards that Sarah Roberts (V75 and World Record holder for the 10k) was running, she ran 9 seconds outside her own record.  Unfortunately I did not get to see her, we have met at Chichester, it would have been nice to have a chat, she is an amazing athlete.

For the first race as a V70 I feel very pleased and positive for what is to come next.  What a boost!  Not too bad getting a podium finish in my last race as a V65 then in the first race as a V70. Can you tell I am a little bit pleased?  I was injured earlier this year and did not run for ages and had several DNS races – including Manchester half when I had a place to run as an England Master, having qualified in Bristol last year.  I honestly thought my racing days were behind me

I will let you know when and if I receive the email from England Masters about qualifying but coming first seems to suggest that I will be dusting off the England vest again soon!

The race was won by Adam Clarke of Aldershot Farnham & District AC in 29:47. The first female finisher was Cassie Thorp of Portsmouth AC in 33:57.

Striders results: