FROM week one (read here) where I could barely walk after my first gym session, to week six (read here), I’d been building up to running the Bupa Great Manchester 10k. With the help of the Y Club and Rich, their personal trainer I’ve gone from couch potato to fully fledged gym bunny.
The biggest challenge this year was the weather, and with it, thirst
In week six I enjoyed a nice gentle week of training to maintain fitness while preserving energy for the big day, running 5k outdoors and doing two workouts in the gym.
I turned down any offers of alcohol, enjoyed carb-loading, and was ready for the race. My happiness at the good weather quickly turned sour. This was going to make the run much more difficult. I checked my wave time, midday – building up to the hottest point of the day. Lovely.
I joined my wave on Portland Street and immediately got caught up in the buzz. The group warm-up is fun but it’s difficult to move without bending into somebody else. And then we were off.
My plan was not to go too quickly and burn out halfway. But there were so many people I decided to dodge as many as I could to find a bit of space. I settled into my stride at about 3k and focused on getting around the course.
The race felt different to last year. This time I had worked on my breathing so didn’t suffer from stitch. And while last year my legs began to struggle after a couple of kilometres and my pace slowed massively, this year I kept a steady pace the whole way round. The improvement in my strength and stamina as a result of the training sessions was definitely noticeable.
The biggest challenge this year was the weather, and with it, thirst. I picked up a bottle of water around the 5k mark and had a few sips, but by the time I reached the finishing straight, my mouth was dryer than a desert. Jelly babies offered around 8k were no use to me, I had no saliva left in my mouth to be able to chew them.
Instead I focused on the Hilton in the distance; that was the end and where a bottle of water was waiting for me. I crossed the finish line in 53 minutes 46 seconds, a personal best and 1 minute 21 seconds faster than last year. I am disappointed I didn’t save enough energy for a sprint finish though. I will have to rectify this next year…
The personal training sessions at Manchester Y Club were fantastic in helping me train for the run. They taught me how to use and make the most of the gym equipment, and gave me the confidence to keep working out on my own. I'll take away a faster race time, a fitter, stronger physique, and the knowledge I need to plan for my next race.
If you would like any more information about personal training sessions at the Y Club please contact Rich Brodie either by email richbrodie@yclub.org.uk or on 0161 837 3535.
