Sunday 20th January 2019
@ 10am
John, my sister Fidelia and I did the Fred Hughes 10 Miler at St. Albans, Hertfordshire on Sunday 20th January. The weather was a lot better than a year ago. I remember last year it was snowing and so cold throughout the race. The whole St Albans was frozen to its’ core and it was really tough to us runners and even tougher to those marshals who were standing along the route directing runners who almost turned to ice lolly. This year, not only there wasn’t any sign of snow but also the winter sun was shining at us. The sunshine had formed a golden ray beaming to the long stretch of pavement where our start line was. Will the cold snap come back with a vengeance later in the morning? I hope not.
This Fred Hughes 10 Miler is organised by the St Albans Striders Running Club. It’s been around for almost 10 years and always sells out year after year. I really don’t know the secret of it but the testimonial shows that on a freezing Sunday morning in January, well over 700 runners religiously turn up to tread over 2 big hills and lots of ups and downs during the 10 mile course.
With a better running condition this year, I was hoping to do a better time than last year when I finished in 1:36’52” in the snow. But I wasn’t expecting to match my PB in 2014 when I finished in 1:30’54” – not even close. I checked my time every now and then and I was maintaining sub 10 minute mile pace on flat and downhill. There was even a time my pace was sub 9 minute mile. But when I climbed the hill, my time dropped to 11 minute mile pace. I glanced my watch again when passing the 7 mile mark, it was one hour 6 minutes. If I kept my pace under 10 minute mile, I might be able to finish in 1 hour 34 or 35 minutes. But the last 3 miles my legs turned to lead and it seemed everybody who was behind me started overtaking me and I couldn’t push to keep up with them as my legs were getting tired more and more. There was a big hill between mile 8 and 9 and I knew I wouldn’t be able to do sub 1:35’ as my watch showed my pace was well over 10 minute mile. Although the last mile was downhill and flat, I could only muster a time of 9’54”, pretty pathetic for the last mile and a sure sign of my lack of fitness. I finished in 1:36’01”. To be honest, I had given all I could. I had nothing left to push 2 seconds faster to go sub 1:36’. I was disappointed to have finished only 51 seconds faster than last year in a much improved weather conditions. John finished in 1:55’37”. My sister finished in 1:38’58”. For full results, please visit:
http://results.eventchiptiming.com/Results.aspx?CId=16202&RId=8135&EId=1
Before the race, we bumped into Jacqui Reid. She cycled from St Albans train station to the venue. I was looking for her after the race but couldn’t find her. I guessed she had gone as she finished a lot faster than us.
Our next event is the Hemel 12 miler next Sunday and the course is equally undulating as the Fred Hughes 10 miler if not more challenging.
