Stowmarket 10 - 2007

11am 10 miles in 1 hr 18 mins 10 seconds

Week to date mileage 29 miles

Month to date mileage 122

Average weekly rate 30 miles

Average monthly rate 130

Year to date 360

Lifetime 9953

Today I took part in what was announced afterwards at the award ceremony as possibly the last 10 mile road race organised by the Stowmarket Striders. This is because the club would like to organise a Half Marathon instead which is a more recognized distance perhaps. I would certainly run it though I have always been a fan of the 10 mile road races and would prefer this to the Scenic Seven. Anyway what ever the Striders decide to do I am sure it will be as always well organised as todays race.


Perhaps it was the weather and maybe the popularity of the 10 which meant there were 217 finishers this year which was well up on last year. The start from the Sports Centre is helpful having ample car parking and shower and toilet facilities and no walking to find the start.

The course takes you out through the villages of Onehouse and Harleston before running a loop taking you over the A14 at Haughley New Street, through Haughley Park and Shelland before repeating the section over Onehouse and Harleston.

My times are consistently down on last year and this race followed this pattern but I actually felt good in this race. I think this was down to a conscious effort to start more slowly and try and relax for the first 3-4 miles and then see if I would able to up the anti and push on and this seemed to work for me. I was generally passing a few other runners rather than being passed as I was in my previous races and I think this made for a positive experience.

My times were as follows

Mile 1 7.25
Mile 2 7.38
Mile 3 7.48
Mile 4 7.29
Mile 5 8.26
Mile 6 7.38
Mile 7 7.52
Mile 8 8.08
Mile 9 8.01
Mile 10 7.44

I ran 1hr 17 . 31 last year so I was down by 39 seconds! The course is generally flat though there are some hills especially up at Haughley Park which would account for my slowest mile time.

As usual I have taken a large number of photos but I am so far behind at present with this blog diary and up loading photos on to my flickr site so I hope to get these uploaded asap.