I didn't get a proper warm-up in as met up with work colleagues. However, I did jog off away from the crowds for just over 1km so got a decent sweat on with a couple of surges to get the legs firing.
I started near the front of the orange wave - maybe 10 secs to cross the timing mat as the gun went so no problems with crowding or getting into my stride early on. I tried to settle down as the race got under way but inevitably got swept along a little in first 2km.
No discernable discomfort from recent niggles and in truth, I never once thought about them during the race. Breathing was good and I didn't feel I was working too hard during first 5km (18:43).
There was a breeze which I thought might affect pace but actually had a good cooling effect as it started to get warm after halfway. We turned around at Old Trafford and I tried to stick with one or two others as I continued to pass quite a few who were going backwards as the temperature increased quite dramatically - the 11:30am start catching a lot of runners out.
Into the final few km and I was working hard now, breathing rate had increased and sweat was pouring off me as the earlier cooling breeze had dropped. I managed to keep things going and as the 800m, then 400m signs appeared I got a bit of a move on to cross the line in 38:12 (second 5km 19:29).
Not perfect then but I feel a combination of maybe a bit too quick early on and the warm second half cost me a sub 38min finish time. Plenty of room for improvement over the coming weeks in prep for Chester Marathon in early October.