Run > Race

This was a bit weird. My refusal to race over the last 2 or 3 years left me with a very strange feeling as I stood on the start line for today's Southend Half Marathon.

I didn't know what pace to run! So, I set off at what felt comfortable and sustainable and thought I'd see how I get on.

Today's course was a tricky blighter. Despite being pancake flat, what I didn't realise was that the course would be quite tight and full or numerous bottlenecks. I lost count of the number of times that I had to slow down and wait my turn to overtake somebody. I didn't like that. This was a greedy race, trying to squeeze way too many runners onto a narrow course. Things got worse when the left side of the road was used to run one way and the other side of the road was for runners coming back.

The weather was good today - very cool and light rain. I won't complain about the wind. I'm sure it slowed me down, but I'd much rather have today's weather than a baking hot June day.

The first 2 miles were slower than I wanted, but I didn't have much say in that. I therefore went through 5m (my first real check point) slower that I'd have liked. Ideally, i would have liked to have been touching 40 mins, but I was back at 41:38. I felt relaxed at this point (probably too relaxed with hindsight) and it was at this stage that I calculated that I would run 1:47 today. And, I was right.

I took gels today at 5m and 9m and that was also the only time I took water on board (apart from a quick sip at 3m). The 5m gel appeared to help and I think the 9m gel may have helped, as I was dead hungry at 8.5m and I wasn't hungry at all for the remainder of the race. However, I wasn't particularly pleased with the last 4 miles today.

I should have sped up, but the headwind from 9 to 11 m was quite strong and then course from 11 to 13 (with more wind) wasn't that great (numerous twists and turns).

I finished this feeling neither elated or depressed with the result. The feeling was more one of satisfaction. I am satisfied that I got into the 1:40's today and satisfied that I know there's more in the tank. I was knackered at the end, but I finished knowing that if I had a bit more recent race experience in my head and legs, I would have upped the pace. I am pleased with the consistency of the pace today - that's a positive sign that my months of heavier mileage have given me strength. I really was just gobbling up the miles :o).

This was great fun and I'm now looking for my next race...although I have a nasty feeling that my bubble may be burst on Friday next week when I go to the foot quack.

The foot was fine today whilst I ran. It hurt afterwards, but it didn't cause me any problems at all with 14 miles of road running in my Karhu's today.

Split Summary

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1) - 0.99m - 8:38(8:45/m) - 153bpm avge - 162bpm max - 117cal

2) - 1m - 8:25(8:25/m) - 163bpm avge - 167bpm max - 124cal

3) - 1m - 8:16(8:16/m) - 165bpm avge - 169bpm max - 123cal

4) - 1m - 8:06(8:06/m) - 168bpm avge - 172bpm max - 124cal

5) - 1m - 8:12(8:12/m) - 169bpm avge - 171bpm max - 124cal

6) - 1m - 8:09(8:09/m) - 172bpm avge - 175bpm max - 124cal

7) - 1m - 8:06(8:06/m) - 172bpm avge - 174bpm max - 124cal

8) - 1m - 8:10(8:10/m) - 172bpm avge - 174bpm max - 124cal

9) - 1m - 8:06(8:06/m) - 173bpm avge - 176bpm max - 124cal

10) - 1m - 8:15(8:15/m) - 174bpm avge - 177bpm max - 123cal

11) - 1m - 8:20(8:20/m) - 175bpm avge - 178bpm max - 124cal

12) - 1m - 8:06(8:06/m) - 176bpm avge - 179bpm max - 123cal

13) - 1m - 8:07(8:07/m) - 179bpm avge - 182bpm max - 123cal

14) - 0.13m - 49(6:14/m) - 184bpm avge - 186bpm max - 15cal

Position = 536/1507