A light heart lives long, according to Bill Shakespeare and who am I to argue with the Bard?

Young hearts, run free… dum dee dum dum de dumm dum de dumm dum dee deeeee, and all that jazz. Back at the Pride 10K at Victoria Park for a third time in 4 years and running my third 10K in a row since Comrades whilst a. Actually doing my daily physio exercises and b. Remarkably following the Shaun Dixon training plan as close as I can. And it took FOREVS to finally put this date in the calendar too. Those pesky kids at the Pride10K HQ kept hinting at registration opening on Twitter but the opening did not hove into view for a good few weeks. Once it did though I was…

Going against the grain the Pride 10K at Victoria Park actually coincides with my running being in a good place, albeit over short distances. After a John Hurt-eqsue eruption of pain at mile 10 of London, constant dread, pain but then somehow surviving by blowing it out of the airlock at MK, and somehow getting through Two Tunnels despite being cut in two and having to hold onto Newt as Ripley blew it out the airlock (not bad for a human), the drop ship that is my running life inevitably and finally crashed and burned at Comrades…

But, as I said, running is going well at the moment. I had, before the aforementioned Alien anthology of pain in races, planned to run for a PB with Ninjaboyruns (in a white and rainbow ninja costume) but now I will be happy to be under an hour, and hopefully a few minutes faster than Chase the Sun a month before. Bye bye ninja idea, hello “Cracking vest, Gromit.”

The Course and Venue

Out in Mile End in East London, a two tube train journey for me, and then a hike to the leafy, flat park, and more of a hike all the way across it, I ran this race in 2014 and loved it so went back for a second helping in 2015. The 2015 time remains my 10K PB,  But, unlike Donald Trump being interviewed by Zig and Zag, this is likely to happen again.

It was also the race where I somehow took a race photo that I like, really like. I had shoulder definition and everything.

The Route

Much the same as years before, the race started by the pub, then ran along a straight, bent around the outer path of the park as far as the gate, then bisected the green space. Rinse, and repeat, 3 times.

The Event and the Peeps

It was pretty early on when I noted that the race would be all about the peeps. Pride already is. And the Pride 10K captures the spirit of Pride and combines it with the running community. And so it was wonderful to see…

As well as the aforementioned Ninjaboyruns, I also caught up with Bill Andrews too. Jen Morris was on cheerleader duties, cheering everyone on. I missed others, Gary was around and am sure there were others I probably should have seen but…

How I did

My coach had told me to go out conservatively at the start, to find a steady pace for the middle third, and then finish strong and fast. Hm. I use the Polar M430 and it shows my my current average pace, and then the pace for each kilometer split. This works for me. As I can see if I am slowing down and speed up, or running too fast and need to slow down. I aim for less than a 6  minute KM normally, closer to 5, preferably less, Today my pacing seemed to be ok over the 6.3 miles that the watch measured.

The Bling

My third Pride 10K and a third medal. All are relatively small compared to the rest of the races I do but they are in keeping with the race.  This year was a rainbow shoe. One year was a different rainbow shoe. And one a… um… rainbow rainbow. I like it. It was as expected.

In Summary

Much like the other two years I ran the Pride 10K I coveted the volunteers leis (pronounced lays). The cream cheese bagels and bananas and were a great touch as always and Baz stuffed his goody bag with them. Noticably missing was city investment house M&G who had been the sponsor and personally I think that is a mistake on their part. My time was ok, even though I could have gone better. I did say earlier that I would be happy with under and hour and a few minutes faster than Chase the Sun, and I did run that race, although I am not 100% happy. I did walk at the water stops twice and could have taken 5 mins off that time. Next year, Pride 10K, next year I will conquer you, and hopefully get leid (pronounced laid).

WOULD I RUN THE PRIDE 10K AGAIN? YES

WOULD I RECOMMEND THE PRIDE 10K? YES

NEXT UP:

ULTRAKS 46KM (now 49) Ultra,

Zermatt, Switzerland