My first 3k in three years was a funny event. As with all my races, I use the Garmin to measure my average min per mile and I knew I wanted to get under 10mins which is 5.22 min miling. I set off steady and went through the first 800 comfortably around 2 mins 40. I picked up the pace and foolishly ignoring the clock, concentrated on my Garmin average. I hit the first mile at 5.13 and carried, making sure I didn’t dip over 5.22. I didn’t once go over 5.20 but with about 600 metres to go I realised the Garmin was way out! With 400 to go I was blob on 9 mins so would need a sub 60 second lap to get under 10 mins. I had plenty in the tank so really pushed on but could only manage a 68 second lap.

The official result was 10:11 and they use electronic timing so I can’t argue with that. Looking at the Garmin on the connect site, it had the total distance at 1.99 mile, which is 0.13 over the mark. I’m gutted because I felt really good all the way around but no wonder because I was going slower that I thought! Again, plenty of positives from this race, 39 seconds off my 2008 PB for a start! I really enjoyed the race too, my spikes were great and the conditions were perfect. There are plenty more 3k’s to do over the summer and I can only learn from this experience.

Jessica Ennis was at the meeting, she was great posing for pictures etc. and seemed really down to earth for a massive athletics superstar. The main event of night for me was the 3k event with Jonny Mellor and Ryan McLeod. I’m an avid reader of their blogs (as well as all the runners life bods at http://www.runnerslife.co.uk/) so I was pleased to see they’d be competing at the same meeting. Their 3k was blistering, the first five finished under 8mins which I was told is a British first. With a pace maker taking them around for 1500m in 3.50. Ryan led from the off and was overtaken by Jonny with around 1000m to go. Jonny couldn’t hold on though as James Wilkinson from Leeds pushed through and finished really strong, along with his team mates James Walsh and Ricky Stevenson. Great race though, hopefully I’ll see some more of these over the summer

James Wilkinson Leeds City AC 7:55
Ryan McLeod Tipton Harriers 7:56
James Walsh Leeds City AC 7:57
Ricky Stevenson Leeds City AC 7:57
Jonny Mellor Liverpool Harriers 7:59
John Connolly Penny Lane 10:11 ;0)