Race report: Chase the Moon 1Okm by Oliver Parsons

Chase the Moon - London Olympic Park - 14th October, 2020

Covid era racing brings new challenges like wave starts, questions over drop bags, the necessity of using water stations but with a 10km some things will always be the same like chasing rabbits, summoning positive thoughts and digging deep for the final push! Read on for Oliver Parsons’ experience of Chase the Moon - London Olympic Park - Thanks Oli xx

Oliver Parsons, literally flying across the finish line!

Back to the races post covid, much has changed yet much remains the same. Pre-race preparations are a little confused as RunThrough have conflicting information regarding the availability of a bag drop, so not sure quite what to wear, how to get to the event, etc... thankfully a friend has a business in an industrial unit in Hackney Wick, so whilst I feel bad about it, I drive there. Gives me space to listen to music get changed and have my warm up on the way to the start. Feel nervous because of the leg having been playing up for the last few weeks, with hamstring and sciatic nerve issues, but the personal space provided by the car helps me find balance.

In the end it turns out there is a bag drop...

Warm up all goes smoothly, marshals already out on course, new West Ham decals on the London stadium. Strides feel good, even if concerns there for viability of leg.

Race start is now done in sort of wave fashion, they announce target times, then runners stand on a line of cones and gradually funnel forward to the next cone and so on until at the start line. As I finish the strides people are already filtering into cones, thought I might miss my wave, but manage to jump into the back of the 39 min wave. Try to remain mindful with positive thoughts, know in myself that the sub 40 is there and try to move beyond the velopark race, know this is going to be faster...feel calm, positive and ready...

Watch on timer only...

The wave starts are a touch odd, they flow and pause a lot. I am held in a pause of about 15 seconds which creates a gap from the off, but also provides something to aim for from the start. Within first kilometre have bridged and feel smooth, find rhythm in small group of 4 or 5 runners. First lap (of 4) goes smoothly and controlled, strong up the short incline which slows some people up, hairpin also feels good. Am looking at watch at the KM markers but not letting it control me in between. Miss the water at the lap - unsure under covid on necessity to have it over a 10k, also think good practice to remove any psychological crutches from previous races when the opportunity presents itself (and had been a bit focused on it at Velopark where it was for HM only).

Second lap follows the first in most ways, small group of same runners working together, but distanced. However the short incline breaks the group a bit. Back down to the start line we organically regroup as a 3. Get a bit of an unexpected cheer from some Track East runners waiting for the 5km, always a blessing. Feel like the first 5km have been controlled, have held enough back to push on through the back end of the race. Although a touch of the nagging voice, that sub 20s done so no shame in calling it a night, but that's more the mind games of the race than a serious thought.

Lap 3 is always the toughie. Our small group breaks up, I am off the front of it solo, which is both a blessing and a curse mentally. Feel strong and know I have got it, but regret not having fellow runners around, for about 1.5km it might as well be closer to a TT (albeit with a few of the other runners to pass). At almost exactly 6km a stitch hits, almost exactly when I was affected at Velopark race. It is worse than Velopark, but the undulation is less, so pushing through it is in many respects easier and I expect it to be easier. The weird surfaces on the Olympic Park footbridges is also playing on the mind, it doesn't help you be sure footed as the tiredness sets...lap 3 is where I may even start thinking about hanging on, even though it is way too soon for that.

Coming through the final lap still solo, fully prepared for the final lap, and certain I have enough in the tank, it will be the mental side and an inability to drive harder that stalls me. Then the 5km waves are starting as I come through, that is a boost. I know there will be more runners, more rabbits to chase, more bridges to make. A Track East runner comes alongside, I know that they will be looking to sneak under 20, so I know where they've come out in the wave, I also know I have more speed than them. A target to stay ahead of them...

Final lap is easy round the stadium, the 5km runners have brought an energy to the race that wasn't present. Couple of right-angle turns are tough on tired legs. Ready myself for the tough short incline then it is 9km done, I feel unsteady on the downhill after, followed by the footbridge (are next % a good idea for 10ks???) but soon enough it is the flat, and 500m to go. One more lap of the track, push sub 40s easily there, so how far can I go beneath, had suspected throughout the race I could get closer to 39 than 40...

Final 100 legs are tired but give it everything...finish...satisfied

I know I did myself justice, sub 40 in a race, no one pacing me (Jan I had a pacer), on feel...

Watch the Track East guys come in, v.cold as jumper in the car. Catch up with a few familiar faces. Satisfied but not smug, there is still more in there for another day, but it would be boring if I felt I had hit the limit.

By Oliver Parsons