Run Exe 5K Round 4, 22 Sep 2021

The race started at 6.30 pm in the evening and was the last race in a series of four that took place over the summer. It was a two-lap course, starting and finishing along the quay in Exeter, which is a beautiful spot and pancake flat! I was looking forward to racing as I had set my 5 km PB there earlier in the summer and was in a good position to get another one. My goal for the race was to go below 19 minutes.

I completed a gentle warmup in the adjacent fields to the course, then made my way to the start line. The race started quickly, and I was in a small pack of four at the front of my wave. I felt a little achy from racing at the weekend but generally ok. Then, we started to catch up someone in wave one, which consisted of the fastest runners, giving me confidence that I was running well. By the second mile we had slowed down a bit but were still on for a good time.

At the half-way point, the timer read 10 minutes 18 seconds, meaning I was in a great position to go sub-19, accounting for the fact that I started a minute behind the first wave runners. I also got a cheer from my mum and a few friends, which spurred me on. 

Coming into the last mile, I had dropped slightly behind the pack and was feeling quite tired, possibly because I had completed the first mile in 5 minutes 43 seconds! I was also slightly regretting the long cycle I had done that morning. As I came round the corner to the last 200 meters or so, mum was shouting, ‘you can do it’! I couldn’t see the timer but knew it was going to be close. I tried to pick up the pace but couldn’t. I was hurting. 

I came across the line in 19 minutes and 7 seconds, which is a PB - just not quite what I wanted. Nonetheless, I was very happy with my performance and know I will achieve a sub-19-minute 5 km someday.

Fiona German