The Mid-Cheshire 5k is my first 5k since I ran an 18:51 PB at ROCK n ROLL LIVERPOOL 5k in 2018 (not counting the Chicago 5k and Abbotts Dash to the Finish as they were shakeout runs for the marathons the following day.

I signed up for the Mid-Cheshire 5k as it is billed as a fast flat course, the fastest 5k in the UK in 2018 in fact. I was targetting this one as a potential PB race. I had already run an 18:25 during the Newcastle Parkrun in January so I knew I had a PB in me. Following that Parkrun, I decided to set my sights on running sub 18.

The build-up to this race wasn’t great, I have been getting tight calves during training and then caught a sickness bug the week before losing 15lbs and left feeling tired and weak. I nearly decided not to run the race as I didn’t think I would be able to hit my goal of sub 18 but opted to go for it and just use it as a speed session.

The race day forecast was overcast, a chilly 9’c, breezy and a chance of rain. Let’s face it, every race I run of late is wet and windy so why would I think anything different for this one!

After a one-mile warm-up run, it started to rain as I got into the start area. Not to worry, its only 5k and will be over with shortly.

Once again I was racing in my Nike VaporFly 4% shoes, this is the first time I have run flat out at 5k pace in them so it will be interesting to see how they feel. At 10k and marathon pace they have felt fantastic.

I knew this was a really fast field and was expecting to finish mid-pack even if I did run sub 18 so I lined up around halfway back at the start.

Mile 1 – 5:40

When the gun went I went for it, the first mile was gradually downhill, the course is a loop with the finish half a mile down the road from the start. Given that, I knew at some point there is going to be a climb to get back up to the top of this hill.

I looked at my watch around 0.8 miles in and saw I was going off at 5:15 pace, I thought soon as I saw that, this is WAYYY to fast so I slowed a little.

Started in the middle of the pack and going off at a crazy sub 17 pace meant I was having to dance around “slower” runners. Next time I will just start closer to the front.

Mile 2 – 5:54

At 1 mile we turned left and that was where the hill was, this turned out to be around 60ft up hill. People around me were slowing but as I had already slowed I just carried on at that pace and managed to pick off quite a few on this climb.

I was struggling though now, the hard pace and bit of a climb were taking it’s toll, it was time to dig deep and keep going. I could see that my pace was slower than the 5:45 I needed to average to run a 17:52 but just couldn’t push on to make up those few seconds.

Mile 3 – 5:50

I went into the last mile knowing I was around 9 seconds down on the 5:45 ave pace which would put me at around the 18min marker, assuming I hit pace in this last mile and don’t overrun the course. I also knew that the second half of this mile would be back down the hill we ran down at the start, I just needed to hold on until then and give it everything on that downhill section.

I saw three people pull up and drop out during the first half of this mile. I did briefly think that would be a good idea, a way to end the struggle. No chance of that, keep pushing now. I didn’t have it in me to push back down to 5:45 pace but gave it everything. On the downhill, I picked the pace up and got it back below 6 minutes.

Coming into the final 0.1 mile I saw my wife and daughter cheering me on, that gave me a boost to push that final stretch. Seeing my daughter waving at me as I ran past was a great feeling, She hasn’t been out to watch many of my races and never stood at the finish waiting for me.

I pushed the last bit to 5:35 but did slightly overrun the course on the four corners.

It wasn’t the sub 18 I had hoped for, but I did run 18:10, knocking 41 seconds off my old 5k PB. I finished in 220th place which goes to show the strength of the field here. The first 16 runners all went sub 15!!

Being ill last week did impact today’s race, I feel had I not been ill I would have had the strength to push that little harder and take those 11 seconds off to put me under 18 minutes.

That gives hope for later in the year, this race is also run in August as part of the summer series so I think I will return in August to resume the sub 18 challenge.

Thoughts on the race:

I really enjoyed this one, a lot more low key and more of a proper local race feel to it. Having run in some of the biggest marathons in the world over the past 12 months, it is nice to come back home and do the local circuit.

The race was well organised, Parking was fine and there were plenty of toilets dotted around should the pre-race nervous kick in. The start felt a little crowded but that’s normal when you line up in a narrow country lane. Once I got out of the first mile there was plenty of space to run at your own pace. I will start further forward in August to get ahead of those who slowed me slightly at the start.

The Nike VaporFly 4% shoes! at 5k pace, they felt fantastic. Marathon pace has felt good in the past, cushioned and comfortable with the shoe giving you that boost with each stride. This was the same at full pace, in fact, they felt even more responsive and the kick on foot strike really did feel like it was pushing me faster.