Two weeks on from the GNW Half Marathon I ran Traffford 10k. After the Abbey Dash I set my goal mainly for the Liverpool Half but a close second was this 10k where I'd previosuly got pb's but was reletivley dissapointed my performance, particularly at last years race when a load of lads and lasses I was in and around 'smashed' me. Following on from the Abbey Dash the goal was always sub 35 for this race and after the GNW I knew I was in as good a shape as I'd ever been and booming with confidence.

Training wise, I hit the track as usual on the Tuesday after the GNW - the session was one that suited me down to the ground - 4 x 4 mins which I ran @ 5.22 pace (2 mins rest) 4 x 2.30 @ 5:09 pace (90 second rest) 4 x 1 min @ 4:17 (1 min rest). So a whopping 5.8 covered in the session, I was, relativley speaking, flying! I stuck to my usual routine with a tough 8 mile progression run on the Thursday but due to work and extra cirrular activities, didn't run at all over the weekend. I wasn't too fussed as I still covered about 60 miles with two great sessions sandwiched inbetween.

The follwing week I didn't really recover from the weekend exploits and like a fool hit hit the track and started the 6 x 4.30 the 6 x 200m session like an idiot. I was trying to hold onto Al Ashton and Julian and succeeded for the first three but then suffered the next two and really died on the 6th! I only managed two of the 200's before making a b-line to toilet and didn't fancy running the other 4 solo. Anyway I then managed to pick up a chesty cough and sniffles in work and was feeling it after every run. I tried 8 x 800 on the Thursday but after 6 I was dead (didn't help having ridiculous 1 min recs like!).

So, another full day in the office Saturday meant another day not really getitng a good rest and then off to Trafford Sunday to what turned out to be poor conditions - cold, wet and very windy!

I got a good warm up, slipped on the jedi slippers (nike luna spider racer) and hit the start. I still planned to hit the road at 3.30k pace, knowing 1 to 5k are slower than 6 to 10k so I wanted to get to 5k around 17:30. Early on I knew this wasn't happening. After 2k I tried to speed up and catch my training buddy Sion Williams but he drifted away. I still went through 5k in 17.45 so not a total disaster but from then I proabably slipped to 6 min mile pace for a bit, trying to hang on to a few lads who passed.

I went through 5 miles in 28:48 so knew I still on for a decent time but no chance of a PB - I'd done the last 2k in close to 7 mins and hung on for 35.51 - my second quickest 10k. Like last year, loads who I'd expect to be close to ran much better than me, Maria Barrett, Sion and Robbie Collins where so close to breaking 35, hats off to them - I know I couldn't have ran better on the day but with a bit more discipline I might have!

Liverpool next Sunday, I'm still confident I can run as good as a I did at the GNW and get a great time. I love to get in the top ten, hopefully the weather will clear and I'll be feeling a bit sharper next week.