What I would say is.
If you're new to the club &/or the Don Smith & want to go with the 9am then give it a try. It's a social run. If you don't feel strong enough to take your turn on the front then nobody is going to hate you for it. It's good experience. 9 times out of 10 there will be someone willing to drop out and stick with any first timers that may drop out. You never know, you may be surprised at how long you can go before getting dropped if the bunch is big enough.
EDIT: That being said if you've never been out on a Saturday run with PMcD et alal then be prepared for some pain, in a good way of course.