Thank you Alan Seddon

This race was organised in appreciation of Alan Seddon's lifetime dedication to athletics. Alan was a former athletics correspondent, author, and coach to many, including several GB international level athletes.

The race was a two-lap course within Stanley Park, Blackpool. I arrived at the park around 9am and was thinking I'd trained hard this week and really shouldn't be here, but I need to start racing to get my fitness back.

The race started on the track and I was quick to tuck in with a couple of runners in around 10th place. After the first mile (5.45) I was left to myself in 8th place after dropping the other two runners.

My own pace dropped a bit but no one came past me so I thought I must be doing okay. On seeing the 5 mile marker I tried pushing myself and did a 6-minute mile to finish the race in 8th place with a time of 36.58.

I was happy with my time and things can only get better (wasn't that a song in the '90s?).

This was a well marshalled race and I would do it again next year. It feels good to be back racing again and this season's target is to try to go under 36 minutes for 10K.