24/05/2025
To Comeback, or not to Comeback? For 5000m, there is no question.
Last night I travelled to the Comeback 5000m at Battersea Park for a night of food, beer and top class 5000m running 🍻
The event truly brought the vibes. At one point, I wondered whether someone had jump-started the old power station for old times sake, but no, it was simply fuelled by the passion of grassroots athletics. Massive kudos to the Belgrave team for putting on such a brilliant night; I hope Lloyd Kempson has got his voice back after a marathon stint on comms!
The race: I went into the raceweek feeling super confident in my fitness, and hoping I could tickle my PB of 13:41 from 2023. But, alas, the office lurgy left me undercooked, and anything below 100% gets found out at this level 😮💨
That said, 13:51 is still a solid time, and I’m proud of how I ran. Though, having now run 13:50 or 13:51 five times, I’m starting to think I might have a magnetic attraction to the mark...
The magnetism was charged yesterday by BiCarrb. When I felt spent and semi-delirious, I was able to summon a 63 last lap to bring my splits back into the sweet embrace of 4:27 miling. When lactate hits, BiCarrb truly delivers. The amount of people boosted by the magic powder was truly mind boggling, “my babies all grown-up”.
Whilst my performance might have been slightly off the boil, my kit was so on fleek. I was rocking the incredible Monkey Sox ‘Cambridge Landmarks Socks’, which are as comfy as they are cool. You can grab a pair at Up & Running Cambridge, and feel a miniature Mathematical Bridge, Corpus Clock and Kings College bring new life to your knobbly ankles 🧦
I was also beautifully appointed (excuse the phrase, I’ve been dealing with too many estate agents lately) in the FLYCARB x SOAR vest, which is both a kaleidoscope of hippie energy and one of the comfiest, lightest things I’ve ever worn 🎽
So what’s the message behind the latest addition of Jack’s post-race ramble: “always try your best to run fast, but make sure you look pretty, in case you don’t”.
