I love running, so when I was invited to participate in the Nike LDN 10k race, as part of the Vita Coco team last month, I gladly accepted. What I didn’t realise at the time was just how great this event would turn out to be! Here’s a race that keeps you captivated from the moment you sign-up, til long after you cross the finish line. (Cornwall, take note.)
Preparation.
It’s all about goals. As soon as I found out I’d be running the Nike 10k I upped my training – running further and faster.
Until recently I have been somewhat of a leisurely runner, completing 2-3 six mile jaunts per week. That’s a decent distance over 7 days, but it’s been leisurely in the sense that I didn’t push myself overly hard. Hence why I’ve started entering races. It’s important to have something to work towards, and while a 10k is no greater distance than what I’m used to running, it’s now about establishing PBs and finding new challenges.
To prepare for the race I incorporated a range of techniques, which you can read more about in the Runners’ Speedy Guide to Pre-Race Training & Nutrition. Making interval training and multi-terrains key aspects in my running, while maintaining a nutritious and hydrating diet, I felt that 2 laps around Victoria Park, London, would be, well… a walk in the park.
The Race.
Being part of team Vita Coco meant a gratefully received crate full of coconut water and coconut oil. The water is delicious with natural electrolyes – perfect for hydrating, and the oil has endless uses. I simply love the stuff, using it in my cooking as well as plastering it all over my hair and skin.
On the day, the Vita Coco stand also introduced us to some obscenely yummy little coconut balls of pre-race goodness. Thankfully it turns out they’re nice and easy to recreate! Here’s the recipe for you to try too.
This wasn’t the only coconutty delight discovered at the event. Enter almond and coconut butter. Seeking a decent brekkie to set us up well for the race, A Country Lady (fellow blogging pal) and I found a breakfast for champions, courtesy of Pip & Nut. Rye toast with peanut butter & bananas, with almond & coconut butter on the other complete with strawberries, mixed seeds and honey. BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS. (Oh, did I say that already?)
Having fulfilled our priority: food, it was time to check out the venue, the setup, and naturally, the competition.
London knows how to host an event. TEN THOUSAND LADIES were here to run, resulting in a sea of peach Nike tees, colourful leggings and ponytails. The atmosphere was exciting, and we felt hyped to get a good time.
This goal, however, largely came down to the organisation of the event. With 10,000 gals whizzing around a relatively small park, the logistics needed to be locked down. Enter colour coding according to ability. With 5 colours to signify running levels from beginner through to elite, you could run with your kind.
This is the only thing that didn’t work so well for me. I was in the wrong group and should have been in the black, elites. (Jokes, more like mid-range.) Abi and I spent a great deal of time weaving in and out of people attempting to get on, which added needless effort and time onto our race.
While it proved difficult getting past people in the overtaking zone (right hand side) the race was a whole load of fun regardless. With supporters lining the park, and speakers blasting funky beats, the buzz certainly gave me a constant boost while running. That along with a lovely supply of fresh oranges and all the water you could possibly need along the way.
I felt my training enabled me to set a good pace, and expel bursts where necessary, however I struggled to dig deep and find a final spurt at the end. Sprint finishes are important and something to work on before the next race me thinks!
Post-Race.
The finish line was a welcome relief from a very hot and (fittingly to the city) bustling run. Then the post-run high took hold, and once the wave of nausea passed, the fun really began.
We were DONE, and finally free to soak up the afternoon sun, happy faces, and more importantly, a glass of champagne. (Plus, of course, a rehydrating bottle of Vita Coco!) Alice Lavine, from Radio 1, supplied the soundtrack to our new-found freedom, as we roamed around to see what the event had to offer to all us awesome runners.
It didn’t disappoint. The Equinox (high-end fitness club) provided free massages, and group cool-downs, while Spotify hosted a silent disco for those who weren’t ready for any down-time. Elsewhere people could relax on bean bags and recharge their phones in the water tent, or get some much deserved glamour by having their hair platted or braided.
It was all going on, and I couldn’t help but wish our beloved little Cornwall could put on such a cosmopolitan race event.
For those thinking of participating in this awesome event next year, I can’t recommend it enough. Get involved with every part of it. Right from the moment you sign-up, Nike invites you to join its community of runners – immersing yourself in a training programme and insider tips, while keeping track of your own goals and running. (They’ll even email you personally with your race time and photo thanks to some very high-tech chipped trainer bands!)
Turns out the Nike #werun series is happening in dozens of cities across Europe. Hmm, where next A Country Lady?
