MalmöMilen 10k: target: 33.00, result: 34.50....urgghhh!! 

Absolutely rubbish outing in Malmo for the 10k race round the city - a worse 10k time than the DM (whilst injured) and 40s slower than the Skryllemilen, with significant hill climbs. Fuck!

Not quite sure what went so badly wrong. On the tues before the race I'd done 5x1k and found my legs to be very tired, with running <3.30 difficult. However, I rested extensively on thurs\fri - no running thurs and only a short, slow 4 miles early on fri and didn't feel particularly tired before the race. Pre-race preparation was normal, as before more successful races over the last few months.

First indication of problems came at around 2.5k as I was overtaken by another runner (running at my 33min target pace) and I found myself unable to catch back up - and neither could I shake the runner behind. I was able to battle through, running 5k in just under 16.40 but at 5-6k, running into the wind, my legs really started to give up and I was overtaken by 3\4 others. The last 4k really was a struggle to complete.

Partly, the poor performance could have been down to hayfever. My eyes were stinging and I was struggling a bit to breathe at the end, plus a telltale sore throat in the evening after. The 20C+ hot, windy weather and the unusual 3pm sat race time didn't help either. I've run poorly in mid-late June in the past, particularly the DM 10,000m on track last year (although injury played a part in that). Another possibility is the switch to longer runs, away from faster paced efforts slowing me down or that I'm currently overtraining - although this hadn't hindered previous races.

I think more likely is that I've become 'tired in the head' from increased training and racing (and working) over the last month and am lacking some motivation. Years of no track running has always made June a kind of end-of-season point where good race performances are hard to come by. Hopefully holiday in a week should help with that...