Race pace

Participating in a race has noticeable physiological and psychological effects.

The initial excitement in the lead up to the race is quickly surpassed by nerves as you arrive at the venue, which ensures a fully relieved bladder before the start. Since I don't take these events particularly seriously, it's interesting that this laxative effect arises at all.

And when the hooter goes, you run faster than during training. I mean much faster. It could be that I didn't want to lose the bet with The Editor and shell out a pound for every minute I was behind, but there has to be something deeper than avoiding having to pay for a couple of helpings of post-race tea and scones.

I crossed the 10km (cross country!) line in about 46 minutes 50 or 55 seconds. I didn't get a note of the actual time as my mind was elsewhere, thinking about my impending free lunch. However, I was shortly ahead of The Editor's time of 47 minutes 1 second. Since that moment, my nemesis is now afraid of being nicknamed "Eddie the Editor", after Britain's last ski jumper, Mr Edwards. To avoid this happening, we had a near immediate post race video analysis session in the industrial estate to examine running styles, both shoed and barefoot, much to the amusement of the local teenagers having their first driving lessons.

Current weight is 13 stones 2 pounds (184 pounds / 83.5 kg).