Stockholm Marathon

Broadland Half Marathon

I entered this race at the last minute as my training schedule said I should have been running 13 miles this weekend anyway. It was also going to be my last practice of a proper race day before Stockholm - though I did allow myself a few pints of Wherry the night before so wasn't quite a full on dress rehearsal. It was a lovely sunny morning, a very scenic course run on undulating country lanes (although the two times we passed the Woodforde's brewery did seem a little like torture) and I was happy with my time, especially as I definitely did it at "long run" rather than "race" pace. I think I am getting the hang of my pacing and feel that my legs and lungs are learning that they can go as far as I tell them to. I also managed to beat my personal best by one whole second after feeling like I hadn't really tried.

My personal race support team (Pippa and Daisy) were brilliant as ever with excellent cheering, driving, energising snack buying and a brilliant post race bacon sandwich and leg massage (Daisy was not part of this).

yes that is actually vaseline on my lense - mmmmm pornographic sandwiches

I think they are going to have to practice their race day photography though (you are just going to have to imagine me just to the right of this photo giving it the cheesy peace signs - let's pretend I look great).

Time : 1:48:01

Position : 110th out of 242

Full results (pdf)

City of Norwich Half Marathon

My first half marathon, I may have been a bit too eager at the start, getting dragged along by the crowd to a first mile of nearly two minutes quicker than my scheduled pace. Along with the effects of spending the previous night looking after a very poorly Pippa (excuses excuses I know) this over enthusiastic start meant that by 3 miles my legs felt like anchors being dragged along the country roads by a very sweaty boat with a knackered engine. Basically I felt as laboured as this metaphor!

As I progressed around the 2 lap course, that took in the Showground and surrounding villages (Bawburgh, Easton and Marlingford), I saw my initial lead on my target pace eroded away until I had to rethink my planned 1.45 time. In the end I was glad to finish amongst the cheering crowds in under 1.50 (and beat my housemate Rich).

The race was on the whole well organised, the only down side being the fact that getting out of the car park literally took as long as it did to run the race (Thanks to Tom Pinnington for liftage and for the general lesson he gave me in distance running - he finished in a very good time of 1:35 and managed to give me a rather patronising pat on the back when he passed me after my overly eager start) which in turn meant I couldn't meet my parents for beer and a roast afterwards (which had fuelled my resolve when I was running on empty).

here is a link to the full results. (PDF)

here is a drive by of the course

and a map :