Happy Birthday Umb!
Race report Caernarfon 10k - Current PB is only June 41:57. Hoylake 10k in Sept in 39:23, with terrain a little awkward but short by 0.1-0.2m? I guessed proper 10k then high 40s to mid 41 mins so under 40 unlikely.
Caernarfon is ~2hrs drive so met up at club 8am for 11am start. Lovely drive & area. Course is also run in June but reverse direction, proper UKAA measured, markers every km. Weather perfect. Nice, cool-ish but sun coming out. Spoke to a few in team, including the one who sat on my shoulder at previous race 
, see what they were aiming for. Quite a few after sub 40-42 and with 200 plus running a good field to pace against.
Fast start, the 5-6 rows ahead of me went off 6ish mm pace, even mid 5s. Way too fast for me, stuck to steady pace, run my own race. Picked through the initial crowds and then into good open road, manual lap on 1km marker, 3:57. Bang on sub 4min per kilometre for sub 40 min 10k - felt tough but just warming up. I didn't check my garmin pace at any time, just relied on the split each marker and feel. 2 Km - 3:59 went past a young club runner I know was after sub 42, struggling, started too fast. Could see 2 other club runners but way ahead, 200-250 metres, long way.
You might remember, during the marathon I had lots of positive thoughts like Focus, steel eyed and the very random "I am Steel". okay. See later. Picked a few shirts ahead and memorised them. Ahead, 2 men purple shirt, blue shirt, and green top/ blonde pony tail woman. Actually I remembered her from multi terrain races, ran 1 lap behind her so similar pace. Very nice loose stride, she looked good. Other two not so good. I was staying with them, steady, a little tough, an odd hill there. Km 3 - 4:05.
Upped pace a little to make sure under 4min km and stay with them. Next km had a hill in, not big, but long section. Purple and blue tops passed. Just green/ ponytail now, hill easy for me. I felt good. On her shoulder, she was puffing, awful breathing - this boosted me. I can remembering thinking, "I feel great" - And head popped in and said "Ha, in THAT case going to push you even harder, WE are going for it". Funny, but I wasn't maxed at all, tons more in tank. Green top was history. Through 5km including the hill in 19:56, only time I glanced at watch. That's a PB for 5k!
Km 6 another hill, 4:20, wondered what this would do to time but kept similar effort, passed loads of runners. Km 7 reads as 3:39, think a fast downhill section helping, I could see a red top from club up ahead - not the runner i expected but good ultra guy - I'd given him a shock doing same at Hoylake but couldn't stay with him. Km8 marker 4:13 I was still feeling great, passing more, on his shoulder, this time I said hello, just went past him and carried on. Km 9 4:12 too, another red top ahead. Other club pal going for sub 40. Reeled him in. Did consider sneaky tactics then thought better of it.
Pulled up on his side and told him to form up, 3-4 vests ahead all for the taking. we both upped the pace went past them, aimed for the next 2. Through the line, he sprinted, me about a second behind him. He thanked me for the push - Much better. 
Got my tactics spot on, steady ending fast.
Finish time, 40:12, felt great - buzzing! Average pace was 6:29min mile so tons of confidence now for the half marathon in 2 weeks. I have honestly done no specific HM training for it but then again, nothing for the 10k just good miles for the ultra, fast tempo runs & lots of speed work. Okay, so sort of training. Pace for half then should be ...
