14/06/2026
Woodhall Spa 10k - Race report
Written for fellow runners or people who are running who don't quite identify as a 'runner' just yet (me a few months ago), working hard to regain fitness, lose weight, feel better about themselves, or all of these plus more :)
It's incredible how quickly events suddenly appear on the imminent horizon, having been many weeks away for ages. As race week was suddenly upon me, my thoughts turned to my weight. Several weeks ago when I signed up for today's race, I fully envisioned being well under 100kgs. Thursday of this week teased me for a tenth of a second, as the digital scales number momentarily displayed 99.9....only to then give me a little slap as it finally settled on 100.1......I find swearing at inanimate objects to be a very grounding experience.
Weight aside, my main goal for today was a sub-50. Last month at Curly's Scunthorpe 10k, I really surprised myself by getting close to 50mins, posting a 50:56. This was a genuine shock as I thought I was in 52/53min shape back then.
Training has been going well, as I nervously navigate the murky waters of upping my volume and intensity without wanting to draw the attention of the running-injury gods!
Whilst my A-goal for today was a sub-50, my A* goal was an ambitious 7:45min/mile average.....was I starting to get ahead of myself, time to find out!
I set off like races of old (my pre-covid era) and just allowed myself the opportunity to run freely within the first mile, making the most of being fresh and that most powerful of human hormones that can oftentimes get us into all sorts of uncomfortable situations....adrenaline!
Mile 1 elapsed in 7:19....."wow" I thought to myself, that is a LOT faster than I've ran for a long time AND way too fast to even attempt to maintain!
I quickly settled in to what I hoped would be a hard and sustainable effort for the remainder of the race by focusing on;
✅ breathing - ensuring it wasn't too erratic and / or rapid
✅ form - trying to keep my mass tall and light
✅ RPE - our most valuable of training metrics - was I pushing the effort too much
I wasn't using heart-rate or pace today. Those metrics will come in time as I get lighter and fitter, but for now, the above are the key tools to keep me 'safe'.
Whilst it's certainly a flat course, what was very apparent to me was that even the slightest of inclines really hampers my progress. This could simply reflect the fact that I'm still a bigger runner and only 3 months in to trying to get fit and lose weight, but seeing other large male runners glide past me on the inclines was a little disconcerting and still makes me wonder what covid might have done to my lungs / respiratory system.
Anyway, no time to ponder that now, I had a sub-50 to bag!
Mile 2 elapsed with a far more sensible 7:53. I was working hard but having been away from running for the last 2 and a half years, I realised that I didn't know if this was typical 10k hard but sustainable effort or just a tad too much???
Approaching the first water station at 4km I was already feeling the heat on what was a lovely day weather wise. My instinct was to pour it over my head, but frustratingly I missed out and didn't want to stop, so plodded on and just focused on breathing, form and RPE.
At this point a huge unit of a chap breezed past me as if he'd just stepped away from the front row of a rugby scrum....I can't blame my weight, I just need to get fitter I thought!
Taking a left turn and the 5k marker was upon us. Naturally I wanted to see 25mins or less....24:09, a nice little cushion, but I was starting to work hard now.
Soon after a couple came past pushing a child in a stroller....it reminded me of the time at the wonderful Rossington Gallop 10k courtesy of Metres To Miles when I was passed on the straight to the finish line by a runner in a full-on bear costume! It wasn't as demoralising as that, but a close second ;)
Mile 4 and my other goal for the day, all miles covered in sub-8, was on the brink of being lost, a 7:58.....ooh I was getting tired now!
I definitely didn't feel like this at the Scunthorpe 10k, a race I approached in an unusually very conservative fashion for me.
I was still holding a nice little cushion for my sub-50, but I just knew I was slowing up which isn't ideal and hence why a negative split where the second half is run faster than the first, is always such a lovely feeling, not for me today sadly!
Mile 5 confirmed my suspicion of slowing up, an 8:05....bugger, that's one goal lost!
I was now very much in the 'hurty zone'....breathing was heavy and rapid, RPE was 10/10, and my form....not very pretty I would imagine, but all that simply meant it was now the business end of things, pushing like your life depends upon it in pursuit of an arbitrary number that the world demands.....my goodness I've missed this!
A mile to go and soon after the tree-lined edge of Woodhall comes into view. My pace picks up, this morning's breakfast is working it's way up, I'm doing maths on the go which is never fun, and I realise that I'm close to a sub-49 IF I push harder...oh god, I'm feeling awful now and I just want it all to be over. 800m to go, two laps of Quibell, just all in now.
The right turn into the lovely Jubilee park approaches and once turned I give it one final push, unable to not keep checking my damn watch to see what I'm on for.
The line can't come soon enough AND.....48:35, averaging 7:48mmp....turns out I wasn't too ambitious after all!
Being in no state to celebrate just yet I eyed a piece of grass to the side and just had a little rest on my hands and knees, genuinely expecting to see my porridge again....which I thankfully didn't.
No post-race cupcake for me alas, as even the sight of it made me feel a little gippy 🤢
POST-RACE THOUGHTS / TAKEAWAY POINTERS
* I've taken 2mins 20s off my 10k from a month ago, without losing much more weight in that time - whilst I will undoubtedly get faster as my weight reduces, it isn't the be all. CONSISTENCY of training is what has made me faster, not starving myself to get lighter.
* I've used no fancy training metrics in my training up to this point, just lots of easy-steady controlled efforts, some hill work, some faster stuff from the incredible Scunthorpe Summer Duathlons and just chipping away at it with no unnecessary pressure from myself to hit certain paces / speeds / power / HR etc in training.
* I've really missed racing! I don't race anyone other than myself against the course and the clock. If I happen to overtake someone, it's simply because I'm pushing hard to get the fastest time I can.
HOW I CAN HELP YOU:
If like me, you're keen to get fit, lose weight and maybe start entering some 10ks, then I can help as I too am going through that journey. I'll keep things simple and ensure that training never becomes too overwhelming.
✅ Personal Training - weight loss & fitness gain
✅ Strength Training for runners
✅ Bespoke Running plans for new / returning runners looking to target a 10k.
Book via my website mcbridehealth.co.uk or e-mail [email protected]
Sub-45 10k before the end of the year!
Thank you Curly's for yet another superb event.
I'd quite fancy a cupcake now...😔
