I had a bumper few weeks of training before heading off to Amsterdam for a few days last week. I did plenty of walking but no running so I was chomping at the bit to race in the Spring 10k in Sefton Park this Sunday.

The plan was always to keep the training going through this race and I'd done a decent 5k tempo in work in Thursday with Nick Jackson who's recovering from the VLM and hit the track in the vening for 12 x 500m which I knocked out at 3.10km pace. I didn't think this was too much as I'd not run for four days, probably a record going back to when I bust my leg!

Then while trawling the Penny Lane messageboard, I was surprised to find the 10k was sold out! I thought I'd tip up and get a number on the day but nooooo! Luckily I got a number from one of the PLS gang Ian Russell.

I knew the course wasn't going to be PB material, in fact it was more multi terrain than a road 10k with off road sections and steps on the two loops. However it was on my doorstep and I was keen to support Matty Davies from Mossley Hill who orginzed the event, not that he need it because it sold out well in advance!

Despite knowing it wasn't going to be a PB course I still set off at PB pace, I was curious as to what shape I was in and felt great for the first 3k. Once we climbed the steps just before 4k I had the wind knocked out of my sails. I slowed dramatically but hung on to the three runners I was in a group with. I tried to push on but felt like I was running on empty. Despite this I managed to move up the field from 9th to 7th but I couldn't hang onto the kid in front.

The crowds were fantastic for the race and in the home straight the noise was fantastic, I was comfortably on for the v40 prize and one of the crowd gave be a gee up by cheering Marc Jacques who was making ground on me with about 100m to go. I crossd the line in 36.55 which despite the layout of the course and the fact I hadn't eased up for the race was a below average time.

Still, I got a prize for the v40 spot and Penny Lane were unlucky not to get the team prize.

Last night I ran the Wavertrtee Mystery 5k which is always a popular race with our club. £2 entry and a flat course, it makes a pleasant change to doing a session. Again, I wasn't expecting a pb, (WARNING: EXCUSE ALERT) I ran 5 miles in work before the race in what turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far and would have been happy running around 17:20 but the legs and lungs didn't cope and I stuttered over the last mile to finish 17:34.

Not bad considering and maybe I should have started out a bit slower but looking at my splits for this and the race on Sunday I actually ran okay considering I didn't ease up training-wise for either race. I'm considering racing again on Sunday up at Croxteth Park, a 10k charity event which I'll again not ease up for but will try starting out a tad slower to see if I can wind it up.

Christleton and Walton are still the focus though so I'll pile another 80+ week in and drop off next week in prepartion.