Wokingham Half Marathon 2013

13

Comments

  • Bit miffed about the stretched-out start, tbh. Five minutes between gun and chip time, costing me nearly 200 places. Not that I'm any threat to the front pack but it means that officially I was in the second half of the field whereas by chip I was inside the first half.

    Harrumph!

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    Make sure you check the chip time. I had a bit of a shock when the time next to my name wasn't what I had on my watch.

    Sub 1.25 for the first time. Can't complain about that.
  • Nick LNick L ✭✭✭

    3 seconds...... GRRRRRRRRRRR

  • Wow lots of PBs -not just on here - I kept hearing people at the finish talking about some huge pb margins.

    Not for me, unfortunately - I was exactly 3 minutes slower than last year with a 1:37:06, which is my slowest time for the race since 2009. Age  (51) may have finally overtaken me, because I've been finding myself slower by about 15s/mile in every race for the last 6 months, despite putting in the same effort.

    Anyhow, I didn't think the conditions were too bad today, and I was certainly prepared for much worse. Well done everyone.

     

  • Millsy1977 wrote (see)
    Still not thawed out yet! Really enjoyed the event and a new PB as well!
    Even though the organisers had gone to the effort to put up starting areas according to expected finish times, there were loads of people starting off way ahead of where they should have been. Spent the first mile and a half just getting around people.

    For me, I felt like I was the ball in a game of pinball at the start. When will I learn that starting in the correct pen / starting  area is going to cause me grief at the start. I was all clear after a mile and a half too, but hadn't quite managed to dial into the pace I was aiming for. Spent the remainder of the race grinding out a small improvement on my pb. Good event even given the rain, for my first Wokingham 

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    Did anyone see the chap heel striking in his Vibrams? I hope his knees aren't too bad this afternoon.
  • Nick LNick L ✭✭✭

    Millsy - yes...and i thought the same...'er, arent you meant to be all toes in those?'

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    You do see some odd things.

    A chap right near me had the most odd action I've seen in years. Ram rod straight back, and an action with his arms that made it look like he was trying to climb an invisible ladder. Bizarre

    Did they ever get the guy who parked on the course to move his car? Quite optimistic I'd think, as unless it was within a half mile jog, noone's going to zoom and move it risking their race!

  • There's a nice restaurant in the barn right opposite that car there (on your left if you were stood at the start line) - I would hazard a guess that someone parked it last night and got a taxi home, totally unaware

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    I don't think anyone did move the car, according to my missus who was waiting around at the finish area.

    I didn't see a car in the way anywhere but I was too busy looking where I was going as it seems quite a few people that must have started in the sub 1.20 pen were 8 min miling.
  • My result is not here...I know it was a PW but not that slow...

  • I'd echo Muttley's comments about character building!! I did feel even colder on the walk back to the car though - seemed to be forever!

    Was pleased with my run, and managed a strong finish.image

    Some great times on here - well done everyone.

  • Mr KMr K ✭✭✭

    Well at least it didn`t rain image

  • Liquid sunshine as one of the marshalls said!

  • Age  (51) may have finally overtaken me, because I've been finding myself slower by about 15s/mile in every race for the last 6 months, despite putting in the same effort.

    I feel your pain, brother. I feel your pain.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    regarding pens, is it the age old problem that they don't understand that differning quantities of runners are at the different pace zones.

    ie sub 1hr 20 will be a much smaller number than 1.30-1.45 etc

    I think I started in the sub 1hr 10 pen, of which we had a little laugh about at the start. But how many would be there otherwise? Say 10-15? Certainly wasn't in front of those guys on the grid!

  • Well!!! I'm still cold

    PB tho but dammit 2.00.52

    There's always another time. I confess I wasn't totally in the right pen to start with but I didn't hold anybody up and it was never congested. Did seem hillier than previous yearsimage 

    I would like to say a very big thank you to all the marshalls. It was b.....y freezing running so they must have been dammed cold. I couldn't really thank them properly whilst running because I was TOO COLDimage

    But thanks

  • I started in the sub 1:50 area, was passing people throughout the entire race, and finished in 1:47. Go figure.

  • Mr KMr K ✭✭✭
    Great time Muttley & great to chat beforehand.



    Andyp - I gave you a shout just as you were finishing.



    Sneaked a 20 second PB so pleased with today.
  • Well done that man ... next up is sub 1:40, yes?

  • I heard you Mr K, and Thank You - I did wave...image

  • My first Wokingham Half today! Did enjoy it despite the weather, and got a PB of 1:39:32! Around 6mins off.

    Was a bit gutted that there was no goodie bag, and the water stations on had plastic cups. Not that I use them for a half, but a race of this size I expected a little better.

    The bag tent was a shambles too.

    I'd do it again, but travel light, or leave bits in the boot.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    good spot Neverwasbeen.I can track the progression from, looking in good nick at mile 1, to looking a drowned miserable rat by mile 12 image

  • Great photos! Managed to snap one of my mate!

  • PG3PG3 ✭✭✭

    Nice weather for it!!  Managed a PB though by almost 2.5 mins so happy.  I think the race is well organised with the exception of the fact that the baggage is basically a free for all and therefore not secure.

  • got to love the rain!

    I echo the comments about starting pens - and not giving you a finishing position based on your chip time either.  It is a bit frustrating to see pages and pages of people above you in the the results who actually ran slower than me - bah!  I am a slowbie so always start in the right place out of courtesy to the faster runners - I spent the entire time overtaking people - which is quite fun admittedly but surely not the point.  The two people who I overtook just before the line had started almost 10 mins before me!

     

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    linsblake that sounds odd.

    They started 10mins before you?! Did you start in the housing estate behind the park or soemthing?

    There's no way 2,000+ runners would take 10mins to clear the start line surely?

    Although you can't always judge people on appearance, there was an exceptionally optimistic chap starting on the very start line! he must have been trampled by about 500people before he got out of the park!

  • According to my gun and chip times Stevie - I took 9 mins to cross the start line.

    I did start near the back to nurse my sore calf during the first few miles, but the progress to the start from that far back was slow.

    PS - congrats on your pb

Sign In or Register to comment.