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Birmingham & Black Country Half-Marathon
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Of course the problem is now my wife is working next weekend , so if EMMA is reading , if you like to meet me in Brum I'll bring the van , then we can leave it there and have at least 4 adult seats for return to wolverhampton .
I thought Trentham 10 mile was next week and was upset because it's my fsavourite race and I've already entered but its the 22nd!!
I have really taken my eye off the ball this week !!
People, I do not think you are going to do personal bests on this course, on the old mainline the path is not great and as Mr Organiser has said there is repair work on the new main line (which is almost finished, I can check if you like).
Anyone up for giving me a lift from brum so I can leave the van - it'll mean 5 adult places to go back to wolverhampton (three with seatbelts!)
Mike Iam still going for the train option, given that's where people are meeting the other end, so if you want to catch train I can meet you in Brum. Am leaving my car at work
There will be a photographer on the course so big smiles please as you may find yourself on either the RW or the BBCHM website!
If carol can't drop me off then I'll drive to the jewellery quarter , park the van for free then get the Metro from Jewellery quarter station to Wolverhapmton , they run every 10 mins and it's £2.40.
Either way I'll have the van if anyone needs it.
To be honest I feel really sick at the moment and one of the kids isn't well either! Just what I need!
I don't think you'll be on your own if you are near a 2hr pace. Not sure about the sub 1hr30's though!
It has been a huge challenge trying to get the race off the ground but with the advice and enthusiasm I have received from everyone both on the forum and via email, it looks as if we have set up something that will continue far into the future.
I have started planning next year's race in order to make it bigger and better, and I already have people calling me every day wanting to know how they can get involved.
A few of you have asked how to get sponsorship money in to me. I won't accept cash so please send cheques payable to The Anthony Nolan Trust to the race address, or bring them on the day. Alternatively use your credit/debit card on the website: www.justgiving.co.uk/bbchm.
There is just one change to the advertised details - there are no Goody Bags, but with the help of a friend I have something for everyone to take away at the end and show that they took part in the first ever Birmingham & Black Country Half Marathon!
There will also be trophies on offer for first Male/Female in the half-marathon and one for first place in the 10k.
More importantly I hope that everyone taking part has a great day, good luck!
just a quick note to wish you all the very best with sunday's run
about time there was a half decent event in birmingham, second city and all that.
hope to be there with you all at the start assuming i can enter on the day and profer my cheque
hope teething troubles are sorted, don't mind the nit pickers, as you say run from wolves to brum and that's it really
cheers
I'm well up for this now , I'm looking forward to exploring the canal as I run . I'm not going fast as I want to enjoy it and I have a challenging 10 mile at Trentham next week.
Looks like we have a wet one today, but that's no surprise!!
See everyone at the start.
Birmingham, we left the van then went onto Wolverhampton railway station, this being the first time I've done a point to point. I found that there weren't many there when we get there and I was worried the
now torrential rain would have put some of. But as the trains from New
Street Station pulled in more and more arrived . Possibly about 50
people I reckon , we handed in out torches ( I got laughs as I brought a massive torch whereas everyone else had little torchs things) we were all walked
through the streets to the start on the canal , the rain still pouring
down. It was hilarious really as there were so few of us.
Starting off , even though we'd all stood around discussing the risk of a too fast start , a big group sped off - I started slow discussing with a South African bloke the canals and what they were used for. 25 mins in and I've caught up with some who started too quickly, the rain going from heavy to light then stopping then heavy again. The race numbers were just ordinary paper as opposed the the more usual
waterproof ones , so it fell off , I kept hold of it and folded it up
in my pocket but it dissappeared later. Coming to the 3/4 mile tunnel we were handed our torches and this was where my big torch came in handy , it was good under foot and there was a handrail . I made good time and caught up with a few . After the tunnel the going got very
rough , very muddy , puddles linking together into great lakes . Now
you could try to run round them but the zig zag changes of direction
weren't going down too well with my knees so I opted for just ploughing straight through them - it was very muddy and my soaking trainers and socks really slowed me down.
I thought I knew the canals but it's hard to orientate yourself especially in the torrential rain. My slow start mean I had
plenty left for the end but by 1:47 I knew it was further than 13.1 , I knew where I was and thought it about another mile and half.
Finishing in 2 hours it was 14.5 miles or there abouts and this was confirmed by other runners.
Of course meeting Carol at the end (the Midwife)- holding my van keys I'd dropped
in her car !!! - sort of cancelled out the car convoy thing at the start!!
Great to meet everyone from here , great to see some had travelled a long way to take part too. Pity about the rain , it was cold at the end to hang around though I got to see most back.
All in all a cracking good run , very tough conditions making it feel
like much further than the 14.5ish it was. I'm _certainly_ up for this next year!!
Put my name down!!
Thanks !!!
Many thanks to all the marshals and of course, to Andy.
The water made for some wet feet, but can't imagine July being like that usually.
I had planned to hang around after finishing and clap each of the runners home, but the wet conditions meant a warm shower was far too tempting!!
Definately up for this one next year!!!
Also my wife waited just at the flats before Brindley place , she was with the photographer and there were runners on the "other" side of the canal . How did they get there? at waht point did they cross over the canal?
It was a fantastic race - had the weather been good it would have been stunning on the canal. I did the questionnaire at the end but frankly I couldn't think straight let alone write in the rain. All that would be needed next year are some brightly coloured route markers perhaps by where the canal goes under the motorway. It was a little confusing there but it's a small thing . As to the extra distance - I don't know what to do - Halfish Marathon sounds better than 14.4 Canal Run - "Great Black Country Canal race" would be good.
I'm really hoping this is on next year - I think the canals are an under used resource in our cities. I'm feeling a lot less slaughtered today than I would have been after a road half. You had to watch your footing on the canal and the different surfaces really found all the muscles in the legs rather than only a few! The doging from puddle to puddle didn't help and after a while I just went straight through .
Did anyone do the 10K?
Any results?
Well done to you all and a big well done to Andy.
In order to make sure I can do next years I shall just write it in my diary now.
The results won't look right as it was over the distance but I can tell you it was a fantastic course - had the weather been dry it would have been stunning.
I loved it!! took me 2 hours!
many thanks to andy and all the marshals who had a long wet stand.
that was a tough run and i am very pleased it was well over the half marathon distance, makes me feel better about being so cream crackered at the end. no watch so i don't know my time.
any results yet andy?
thanks for your comments - after a very long week indeed it is nice to know it was all worth it!
Just to reassure you, everyone made it to the finish in the end!
I have one head torch left over which has lost its number. If anyone forgot to pick one up at the finish please email me.
I'm going to post the full results on the new website www.bbchm.co.uk before tomorrow. You will also be able to join a mailing list on this site for details about next year's race. I will try and get some photos up there asap but I expect you will find the best ones in Runner's World.
There will be race reports appearing soon on www.dorunning.com, and in the October edition of Runner's World.
I am going to get my head down now and start working on next year's race!
Andy