Kettering Open 800m

After not being able to make the most of Wednesdays opportunity at Watford I was determined that I would run a seasons best today. If for whatever reason I didn't I would still be leaving it all on the track.

Whilst on Wednesday the conditions were perfect for 800m running and watford is quite sheltered from any wind, Kettering is out in the open and the wind was up!. However I was feeling so confident that I was pretty sure I had a couple more seconds in me regardless of the weather

My old training partner and now coach Damien very kindly agreed to pace me to at least 500m because we were unsure of what the competition would be like. Chris's instructions on Wednesday were to really start pushing at this point and to an extent I did but with the first lap being too slow it made it difficult to run a fast time.

This time it was much easier, all I had to worry about was following Damien. 10 of us lined up on the curved line, this time I made sure I was towards the outside Damo was on my inside. The gun went and Damo hit the front I slotted in right behind him. After about 150m three of us started to move away from the rest of the field with a young lad from kettering harriers taking advantage of the pacemaking.

  I crossed the line at 400m in 61 seconds feeling relaxed and comfortable ready to push on. At 500m Damo sensed I wanted to get going so moved out to Let me through on his inside. At 600m he dropped out calling my 600m split at 1:31/32. This spurred me on as I knew if I could push on I was definatly on for a seasons best quite possibly by 2 or 3 seconds!. At this point I was on my own and pulling clear of the lad in second.

I kept pushing around the bend and into the home straight my legs getting heavier and heavier but I'm not giving in holding my form but gritting my teeth. With 80m to go I could feel myself slowing despite my best efforts. In my mind this was now about damage limitation!. I knew I was slowing and I may not run 2.01 but if I get to the line as quickly as I can It will still be a seasons best.

Little did I know the Kettering town harrier behind me was closing me down again too but he seemed to slow more than me in the last 50 and I held on for the win in a new seasons best of 2.03.8.

I don't think it could have gone much better and this time I gave absolutely everything. The great thing about it again though is that I know I can run faster still because the conditions weren't ideal.