This was the fourth time I had run the Maidenhead Easter Ten. According to my post of 23rd April 2014, that was my fastest time so far at just over 1 hour 35 minutes. This year I was not expecting anything so fast, a few days before I tried a training run at race pace but could only manage 10 minute miling.
So when I started of at around 9.20 pace, it was quite a surprise and I thought this would gradually come down. However, after three miles as we left the business park and out onto the fields, I was still at the same pace. I slotted in behind a couple of fifty year old guys who were running the same steady rate and decided to see if I could stay with them. In fact I took a turn at pacing them.
When we hit the footpath on the main road after seven miles they had crept ahead but I didn't lose much distance and by the time we reached the last field I had actually got ahead, still running at around 9.22 cumulative pace. The last mile is back into the business park and a kind of sprint at the end brought me back to 9.20 and a time of 1 hour 33 minutes 26 seconds. I have no idea where that came from, only that the half marathon a few weeks ago must have helped.
Alison was also running but trying not to go too fast as she wanted to save something for her next half marathon in just over 2 weeks, so under 1 hour 39 minutes was excellent. We met up with a few people from Aylesbury parkrun before heading off to John Lewis in High Wycombe for our usual refreshments.
One notable event on the day. Theresa May had always marshaled at the same spot every year since we have run at Maidenhead, it being her constituency. I had my doubts whether she would be there this year, although Alison was convinced she would be. And she was right.
Well done Prime Minister, I doffed my cap on passing.
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