Paris ’24 10,000m Twenty-Sixth and final installment 0 days to go…

Friday 2nd August

The aim: to try and match Ugandan Joshua Cheptogei’s 10,000m world record, 26:11, but running half the distance!

Opening Blog:

Final Post: in the well-worn tradition of leaving y’all hangin’ first some thank yous to all who have laughed along, cheered, liked and commented on Strava, and doubted (yes you did) and in particular to two pacers, an unnamed pacer on the Severn Bridge Parkrun a month ago and Paul Stuart who worked out a pace for each kilometre and kept me informed as we charged (?) down the Portway yesterday evening.

Some Anno Domini and physical impairments kept me busy: A&E and stitches after falling over and denting my forehead, Achilles heel pain, and various niggles + Covid all delayed progress from 29 minutes for 5K. But, for the past few months, injury free…

The graph shows my favoured early morning Harbourside 5K runs during the past year – the target pace was 5:14 mins per km.

Did I make it? No. I conked out yesterday evening, my final attempt!

This has been such an enjoyable ‘project’ for the past two years. Who knows, I might still get there one day (my PB to date 5:16s/km) but, with the Paris 10,000m Final due to start in 7 hours, I am happy to have removed my trainers, put the very sweaty running vest in the wash, and relaxed today watching the extraordinary athletes bang out 100m well under 10s, 1500m under 3:30, and 10,000m maybe close to 26:11?

Many thanks for reading my 26th and final Paris 2024 blog post.

Over and out.