Returning to London the second time was less nerve-racking than last year. Weather predictions in the week prior to the race had been for a sunny day, worryingly up to 22 degrees C. Thankfully, race morning was overcast, as we met the rest of the Asthma UK running team just inside Greenwich park for a team photo.
After this, I left PeakSteve at the entrance to the red start and did what I had done the year before - found a nice tree and sat under it for a bit. As I was perusing my course notes, a few spots of rain started to fall; unpeturbed, I continued reading, only for an absolute deluge to commence a few minutes later. At this point in time, I had to think about handing my bag in; so I had to make the decision as to whether I would hand my waterproof jacket in, or keep it with me. I was getting drenched, and I hate getting wet whilst running. I kept hold of the jacket.
I was very thankful for that, as it was actually a bit chilly whilst waiting for the start, hanging about in the pens; people around me were covered in goose bumps and a few looked really rather cold. Once we'd got going, I started to warm up (and it had stopped raining completely by the time we'd started) and took off my jacket at mile 2.
Once again, the atmosphere and support were amazing; in no time at all, it seemed, I was crossing Tower Bridge - and overtaking Richard Branson, would you believe! Soon after, I reached the Mudchute Runners' World support point at Mile 17, and immediately after that, the crazy AUK supporter team at mile 18.
The last few miles were once again more challenging, but I found the whole thing a lot easier than last year, and I can honestly say I enjoyed the day and the challenge. I only walked approx 0.3 miles out of the whole 26.2; which I am very proud of, compared to last year where I probably ran/walked from about mile 16.
My finish time was 4:50:58, nearly 22mins under my previous year's time.
Every single one of the officials involved, from the Expo to the finish line and beyond, were unfailingly cheerful, enthusiastic and helpful. What a wonderful bunch!
Showing posts with label The Thirty Medal Quest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Thirty Medal Quest. Show all posts
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Medal #23: The Non-AUK 10K
This year, unfortunately, Asthma UK couldn't afford to run their annual 10K at Dorney Lake - so we upped sticks a whole 24 hours to the Sparks F3 5 & 10K at the same venue.
Having run a half marathon the Sunday before, and having done my last marathon-training long run of 20miles on the Wednesday, I wasn't necessarily holding out great hopes for this 10K run, but I was really pleased to knock nearly half a minute off my 10K PB to come in at 53:44. Predictably, the race was really windy due to the exposure vista at Dorney, but other than that the weather held out nicely.
Organisation-wise, this race was a definite Could Do Better. The car parking marshall was little more than a human bollard, not providing any direction; the race marshalls all seemed to have sore hands and a lack of voice box; and the goody bag was disappointing to say the least, considering the £20 entry fee. The medal was nice, though, and the race director who did the pre-race briefing was energetic and enthusiastic enough to make up for his marshalls' inertia!
Having run a half marathon the Sunday before, and having done my last marathon-training long run of 20miles on the Wednesday, I wasn't necessarily holding out great hopes for this 10K run, but I was really pleased to knock nearly half a minute off my 10K PB to come in at 53:44. Predictably, the race was really windy due to the exposure vista at Dorney, but other than that the weather held out nicely.
Organisation-wise, this race was a definite Could Do Better. The car parking marshall was little more than a human bollard, not providing any direction; the race marshalls all seemed to have sore hands and a lack of voice box; and the goody bag was disappointing to say the least, considering the £20 entry fee. The medal was nice, though, and the race director who did the pre-race briefing was energetic and enthusiastic enough to make up for his marshalls' inertia!
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Medal #22: The Forest of Dean Half
In some sort of divine blessing, the weather for the FoD half this year was marvellous again. Unfortunately, it hadn't been in the previous week - so there was a fair bit of mud around!
The FoD half has evidently been becoming more popular due to its great reputation, but I think this year it had slightly exceeded its organisational capacity. There was a woeful lack of toilets at the start considering the number of runners, and once the course left the main driveway and deviated onto the forest trail, it became hopelessly congested. Mind you, it wasn't helped by some runners who appeared slightly surprised at the appearance of mud, who actually stopped and walked around it. This, predictably, created chaos amongst a congested field, with people almost tripping over each other in the resultant bunching up.
There was a fairly sharp long descent within the first couple of miles, which meant the rest of the course was almost relentlessly uphill. There were a few downhill runs, don't get me wrong, but certainly after that first descent we had around 6 miles of gradual uphill. Around mile 12, heading up towards the finish, there was approx a mile of shoes-sucking muddy uphill - great fun, but gruelling at this stage of the run!
Despite the challenging nature of the course, I managed at PB in 2h 9mins, which I was really pleased with. As long as the organisation improves, I would certainly do this again as it's a lovely forest run, albeit a challenging one.
The FoD half has evidently been becoming more popular due to its great reputation, but I think this year it had slightly exceeded its organisational capacity. There was a woeful lack of toilets at the start considering the number of runners, and once the course left the main driveway and deviated onto the forest trail, it became hopelessly congested. Mind you, it wasn't helped by some runners who appeared slightly surprised at the appearance of mud, who actually stopped and walked around it. This, predictably, created chaos amongst a congested field, with people almost tripping over each other in the resultant bunching up.
There was a fairly sharp long descent within the first couple of miles, which meant the rest of the course was almost relentlessly uphill. There were a few downhill runs, don't get me wrong, but certainly after that first descent we had around 6 miles of gradual uphill. Around mile 12, heading up towards the finish, there was approx a mile of shoes-sucking muddy uphill - great fun, but gruelling at this stage of the run!
Despite the challenging nature of the course, I managed at PB in 2h 9mins, which I was really pleased with. As long as the organisation improves, I would certainly do this again as it's a lovely forest run, albeit a challenging one.
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Medal #21: The Telford 10K.
The Telford 10K should have taken place in December. Unfortunately, it iced up and snowed over, so it was postponed. Then it iced up and snowed over again, so it was postponed again. It finally took place on January 24th, so in some kind of weird anachrony, I have a medal from the Telford 10K 2009 which was actually run in 2010....
The Telford 10K is a great little run, mainly completely flat; it is a sort of 2-lap course, with one little hill at the start which is short and sharp, and with a corresponding short, sharp downhill soon after. It's PB-tastic; I wasn't exactly in race condition, so I didn't really make the most of it, but still managed a reasonable time despite having had to miss the Cov and Kenilworth halves due to that grotty chest bug which I blogged about after the Brum Uni 10K.
I would definitely recommend this one for PB potential, and it was nicely organised too.
The Telford 10K is a great little run, mainly completely flat; it is a sort of 2-lap course, with one little hill at the start which is short and sharp, and with a corresponding short, sharp downhill soon after. It's PB-tastic; I wasn't exactly in race condition, so I didn't really make the most of it, but still managed a reasonable time despite having had to miss the Cov and Kenilworth halves due to that grotty chest bug which I blogged about after the Brum Uni 10K.
I would definitely recommend this one for PB potential, and it was nicely organised too.
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Medal #20 - The University of Birmingham 5K, 18th October 2009
A nice little trundle around the Uni campus, wreathed in nostalgia for me, as this was where I went to uni. And it was at a very civilised hour of day too, an uncommon finding for races - it started at 11:30. Nice.
Having been suffering with a rather stinking cold over the last week, I decided that an all-out race was definitely not going to be on. Vixx wanted to get sub-30, so I stuck with her and we got round in 29:18. Lovely weather and a nice pleasant course, nothing too "up", nothing too "down".
One to do again next year, I feel.
Having been suffering with a rather stinking cold over the last week, I decided that an all-out race was definitely not going to be on. Vixx wanted to get sub-30, so I stuck with her and we got round in 29:18. Lovely weather and a nice pleasant course, nothing too "up", nothing too "down".
One to do again next year, I feel.
Medal #19 - The Birmingham Half Marathon, 11th October 2009.
It was cool and drizzly for the second Birmingham Half Mara last week.
So drizzly, in fact, that I had to stop three times to wipe my glasses. There is something about heavy drizzle that is much worse than out-and-out rain for specs wearers; the drizzle seems to manage to obscure your vision much more effectively than mere rain can.
I also got rather wet.
I forgot to take my usual paracetamol before starting the run, too, so by mile 11 I'd really had enough and wanted to go home! However, I was rather pleased to come in with a time that equals my PB, which, considering I wasn't able to train as well as I would have liked for this event, was fair enough in my book.
So drizzly, in fact, that I had to stop three times to wipe my glasses. There is something about heavy drizzle that is much worse than out-and-out rain for specs wearers; the drizzle seems to manage to obscure your vision much more effectively than mere rain can.
I also got rather wet.
I forgot to take my usual paracetamol before starting the run, too, so by mile 11 I'd really had enough and wanted to go home! However, I was rather pleased to come in with a time that equals my PB, which, considering I wasn't able to train as well as I would have liked for this event, was fair enough in my book.
Medal #18 - Stourport Shuttle 10K, 27th September 2009
As a last-minute decision, Vixx joined me for this nice little club-type event in Stourport.
We were both impressed by the pleasant, modern facilities in the club house - and the fact that it served fresh-brewed coffee (well, OK, it was out of a machine, but close enough).
The field was quite a small one, with a number of scary-looking proper-type athletes. Vixx and I kept ourselves to the back of the pack to start with, although both of us overtook a number by the end of the race.
The route was pleasant enough, quite flat, but with one right b*gger of a hill just after the three-mile point that sapped my legs completely. It ended with a lap of the track, which is a novelty for me as I've never really run on a proper track surface.
We finished off in proper Vixx 'n' Cath style with a coffee from the clubhouse. We really must get round to doing that coffee run...
We were both impressed by the pleasant, modern facilities in the club house - and the fact that it served fresh-brewed coffee (well, OK, it was out of a machine, but close enough).
The field was quite a small one, with a number of scary-looking proper-type athletes. Vixx and I kept ourselves to the back of the pack to start with, although both of us overtook a number by the end of the race.
The route was pleasant enough, quite flat, but with one right b*gger of a hill just after the three-mile point that sapped my legs completely. It ended with a lap of the track, which is a novelty for me as I've never really run on a proper track surface.
We finished off in proper Vixx 'n' Cath style with a coffee from the clubhouse. We really must get round to doing that coffee run...
The Thirty Medal Quest
...although, frankly, I'm not sure it'll be do-able, although not for the want of trying - there just seems to be a bit of a dearth of races around this time of year which offer medals.
My medals so far, prior to the start of the quest:
My medals so far, prior to the start of the quest:
- RfL 1999,
- RfL 2000
- RfL 2001
- RfL 2002
- RfL 2003
- RfL 2004
- RfL 2005
- AUK 10K 2007
- AUK 10K 2008
- Muller 10K 2008
- St Michael's 10K 2008
- RfL 2008
- Birmingham Half Marathon 2008
- Sneyd Striders' Xmas Pudding 10-miles 2008
- AUK 10K 2009
- Forest of Dean Half Marathon 2009
- FLM 2009
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