Herts 10km Salami style

With the Herts 10km looming closer and closer, I'd suggested running the route again. Simon is back from Marathon running (2:54 no less) and Dave is back from being chased by dogs around Greece.

Kenny suggested splitting the route into three sections of 2 miles (which would have left us slightly short so I tweaked this to 2.08miles) with a massive FIVE minutes recovery. Paul and I decided that was enough time to freeze to death or build a shelter and start a fire without matches so we slashed that recover from 5 to 3 mins with Kenny still whining that Runners world says 5 minutes....Oh please!

So three for the recovery it was. The hill profile of this race is such that a positive split seems like the unlikely answer. Downhill for a while, big up near the middle and then a flattish slog back to the start.

I primed my Garmin with the session the day before even giving each rep a custom name. How cool is that, I have forgotten how good the software that came with it is.

Paul and I hooked up and Dave failed to materialise by 7:05 so as we can normally hear his car from Weathampstead we decided he was a no-show and headed off to the park. Simon and Kenny were at the gates of the park and so we jogged up to the start line and started discussing the route.

We all have the Garmins synced up for the reps and Simon as guide and Kenny as pace maker we were all set. Kenny took some ribbing for dropping down into the sprint start as if he was in the 100m final of the olympics. We finally started and inspite of cutting the first corner Kenny attacked the downhill and pushed through to finish the first rep a good 25-30 seconds ahead of me. Simon came in and then finally Paul who had decided to visit the bushes to fertilise the plants. We got a Paddington hard stare from a woman in a cottage who probably did not appreciate the four of us gassing away under her window that early in the morning. First 3 recovery over Kenny and Simon left together and just as my 3 were up Paul came in.

This was the uphill section and I was really looking to work back the time between Kenny and I. Every time I caught I glimps of him I tried to make sure he was a little bit closer. With one mile to go and the hill done I was certain I could catch him by the end of the rep. One extra push at the end and I caught him. Then the alert fired for the 3 min recovery. Breathing was hard but legs and heart ok. Seemed like no time at all and we were off on rep 3. I was leading the pack but not by much. Simon drew level to claim I had come off the path too soon, but having reviewed the map of the course I dont think I did. I'm sure we did the right route. Here is the offical map.

Big push home and manged to hold off the boys and sprinted down the tree lined avenue with a wee bit spare in the tank. 42:29 active time so not bad, but not sub 40.

Only dissapointment was no heart rate data recored, must have no battery left in the strap.

Here is the route.