Sunday 17th February 2008 I went to bed at 12:30am last night and had a bit of a restless night, with the feeling of anticipation you get before a new job interview! This is 2008 and my 1st Half Marathon of the year. I wanted to clock a decent time so fleeting negative thoughts came but went as I realised there was no time or place in my mind to dwell on them. Think positive, act positive. I slept on that thought.
I awoke at 6:30am, leaving the comfort of my pit by 7am. I made 2 rounds of toast for brekkie but forgot to eat them as I was too busy collecting my stuff together for my day out, I had enough luggage for a short holiday! I stepped outside and it was as frrrrrosty as last Sunday! I loaded the car and was Brighton bound for 7:45am. The trip to the coast was bathed in glorius sunshine and my mood was 'Well happy to be alive and looking forward to the challenge ahead!' Paul Oakenfold's Voyage Into Trance from 1994 lifted the feel good factor bar a few notches higher too!
Enjoyed that trip!
Parking in Brighton can be a nightmare at the best of times, too many controlled zones and reidents parking bays. London looks positively tame by comparison. I found a spot in a side street not far from Brighton Marina where there was a 4 hour restriction but my space had no limit so I could relax on this count. At 9am a que was forming outside McDonalds in the Marina, the only public toilets in the vicinity that were open. 9:15am and I was back at the car to get changed. 9:35 and a short walk / jog to the start just under a mile away. Upon arrival the masses were in good spirits, approx. 5,000 runners many rasing money for all sorts of charities, some of them were also in fancy dress.
At 9:45am the air horn, gun or whatever it was went off but those not near the front wouldn't have heard it. Those around me didn't cross the start line for a full 7 - 8 minutes after the race had started, such was the enormity of the crowd at the start! As I crossed the start line I hit START on my GPS watch and the heat was on, my goal a sub 2hr Half Marathon.
As in the description of the race route in my previous post we saw many of Brighton's best bits and running through the back streets was a particular highlight to me as I saw many pubs, restaurants and shops I have been to in previous visits to Brighton. A colorful band banging drums and blowing whistles gave the runners a great sense of rythym here and was applauded by many. My target of a 5 mile 40 minute barrier was the first objective of this race. Running through the narrow back streets and along the first part of the prom caused a bit of congestion and with frequent checks on the watch my first 2 -3 miles were reasonable...
A 5k time of 24:47 but this was about distance not speed! Still nice to have a play though!
I would have to push harder for the last 2 miles of the 5. I missed the target by 8 seconds but it was decent attempt given that I still had a further 8 miles to go! As with most big races water stations are plentiful, I ran through 2 as I was 'in my zone' and carrying 750ml of Luccozade Sport if I felt the need to take on liquid and I took 2 blasts just after 5 miles. Water can be too cold, shock your core temperature and is hard to drink from a cup while running!
My next target was a sub 50 minute 10K time... Bingo! 49:30!
Then 7 miles in under an hour... Howzat! 58:22! Loving it!
8x 8 minute miles = 64 minutes... no such joy - 67.2. Still 5 miles to go so no good beating myself up!
My average mile time is now up from 8 to 9 minutes.
10 miles in a shade under 86 minutes, 4 minutes / half a mile slower than my Personal Best.
The 11 mile had a stinky big hill rising from the promenade to the cliff tops appeared and a few gasps of disbelief were heard, I for one said "F**k me!" as I could see the rise and runners snaking off into the distance! That part was particularly tough but I made of tougher stuff than to give up because of some *Gasp* POXY *Pant* f***in' * Gasp * HILL!
The reward was a nice downhill section back down to the Marina!
Drink!
My GPS was keeping me informed of the upcoming mile markers which , it has to be said, were not accurate,
I was being tracked by 3 or 4 satellites at a time. All the mile markers were after the mile alerts had sounded on my GPS - possibly due to the lack of places to tie them, ie lampposts etc. Still not good for a runner trying to improve their times accurately. Back on the flat and a bit of a Post Office counter approach was next. Imagine me running forward- ( ^ ), the people to my left running towards me but in a separate lane- ( v ) and then in a lane next to them the people on the home straight running the same way as me...( ^ ) = ^ v ^ That lasted for 2 miles in total and you had to switch off and be grateful you were getting closer to the finish! As I heard the 13 mile alarm on my GPS I looked at the Finish, still some distance away. I hit the lap button at 13.1 miles - the official Half Marathon distance and crossed the line at 13.28 miles
I crossed the 13.1 distance in a time of 1:56:30 and had successfully done a sub 2 hour Half Marathon!
(Photos and video to follow soon).
This is the best bit, I didn't even train for it! Apart from last week's 9 mile Cross Country run last Sunday and the Toughest 10K on Jan 1st I have not done
any running this year! I'm especially pleased with my time for that reason alone. No running next week as I'm in Brighton again, this time for a mate's birthday and a few hooj scoops of ale! Party time and I can't wait!