I'm a hound!

Today's hound and hare was hotting up with at least one elite on the start line and many improvers and semi-elite with good recent times in the mix. Only Jason had predicted 90mins which was ruled to be walking and slashed to 59 by the powers that be, ie me.

It was near perfect weather and three of us trotted down to the started together arriving 10 or so mins ahead of my start. The faster boys rocked up and the rest started leaving.

Chris Burfoot caught me as usual very quickly on Embankment and I managed as usual to keep with him until the far side of Horse Guards where he kicked and dropped me, net one down already. I could see Geoff ahead and resolved to focus on closing that gap and ignore Chris pulling away from me.

Went through a bizarre wall of pigeons and luckily avoided standing or running into any of them. Lots of half term let's visit London families wandering around even more aimlessly than your typical tourist.

Started counting the gap to Geoff on the Green park hill. Made little impact until the Mall. The marching band messed up a few of the guys but I saw it early and figured I could get past it around the far traffic lights and by the time I was half way back the lights changed in my favour and I got the racing line stealing a few meters on the guys ahead.

The sand on the side of the Mall was very bumpy and as I made an effort to catch a my first pray of the day it was uncomfortable to hold the pace on the bumpy surface. Went past Robert Rea, I offered and received some encouragement. The next target was Geoff and I was closing reasonably fast. Decided to hold back until after negotiating the melee at Hourse Gaurds. I had to shout at some people to keep them out of my racing line which revealed my position to Geoff who made an effort to hold me off, but I got past. Net one ahead.

At this point the elite guy (Richard Griffiths) went through. I admired his light footfalls, springy step and posture. I'd seen him run at Assembly Leagues before so I knew there was no point in challenging and simply let him go. Back to all square.

Next up was the unmistakable Andrew McCleery who was just ahead and going at around my pace. Just a shade bigger footfall circles and a focus on staying tall got me a pace injection for free and before I knew it I was past him. Now one ahead, two gone past and third overtaken.

Another guy was ahead (Larry Gerr) and I did not think I could catch him at first but with 200m to go I increased to half shin pace and as I went past him lengthened the spine, leaned into the run a little more and put everything I had into the sprint finish. I eased of a shade at the end as he had let me go and crossed three seconds ahead of him.

My time was 32:56 and that is the first sub 33 since March this year and you need to delve deep into the race archives to find the sub 33 before that back in 2007.

Was very chuffed with the absolute, relative (8th starter and 6th finisher), physical (felt hard but not maxed until the end) and mental (letting the better runners go) performance today.

Only one annoying road crossing that did not slow me much.

Why so good today? Less could be more? Perhaps.

Ditching the 2nd rep session for an easy run or threshold seems to be doing the trick. Now I need some sleep and some lovely taper for the race in 8 days time.

ps I won the vets prize today. I was the only hound over forty!!!